On the morning of March 26, Yellow River Conservancy Technical University (YRCTU) held the opening ceremony for the South African Government‑Sponsored scholarship students enrolled in 2026. Wang Huaxing, Director of the Division of International Cooperation and Exchange of the Education Department of Henan Province, Hu Hao, President of YRCTU, and Jian Haoran, Vice President of YRCTU, attended the ceremony. Heads of the Liaison and Cooperation Department, the School of International Education, and the School of Electrical Engineering, together with faculty representatives and South African students, also participated. Jian Haoran presided over the ceremony.
Hu Hao delivered a speech. He welcomed the South African students and expressed gratitude to the Education Department of Henan Province for its long‑standing support. He also introduced the development of YRCTU’s international education. He stated that YRCTU’s role in training South African students was not only a recognition by both countries’ education authorities of YRCTU’s strength, but also a mission to deepen China‑Africa educational cooperation. He gave three words of advice to the South African students: competence, happiness, and friendship. He encouraged them to refine their skills, enhance their abilities, spread Chinese culture, and forge China‑South Africa friendship.
Wang Huaxing delivered a speech. She congratulated YRCTU on becoming the only host institution in Henan Province for the scholarship program. She noted that the program represented a landmark achievement of the China‑South Africa High‑Level People‑to‑People Exchange Mechanism and marked a new stage in China‑South Africa vocational education cooperation. She put forward hopes for the international students: to become diligent and committed learners, ambassadors of China‑South Africa friendship, and builders of China‑Africa cooperation. She added that the Education Department of Henan Province would fully support the implementation of the program and contribute more of Henan’s educational strength to the establishment of a China‑Africa community with a shared future.
Themwa Moyo, Director of the Scholarship Department of the Department of Higher Education and Training of South Africa, delivered a video speech. He expressed gratitude to the Education Department of Henan Province for its support and highly recognized the work done by YRCTU in program implementation. He stated that the program was a key international education cooperation project for South Africa. He urged the South African students to cherish the opportunity, master professional skills, bring China’s advanced technologies and experience back to South Africa, contribute to the development of the new energy industry in their home country, and serve as ambassadors of friendly exchanges between China and South Africa.
Wang Xiaolan, a faculty representative, stated that she would accompany the South African students throughout their studies and life in China with full enthusiasm and a professional attitude. Banda, a representative of the South African students, stated that he would cherish this valuable opportunity, study diligently, and strive to become an inheritor and practitioner of China‑South Africa friendship.
After the ceremony, accompanied by leaders of YRCTU, Wang Huaxing visited the School of International Education. She spoke highly of YRCTU’s international education facilities and the preparatory work for the program.
The South African Government‑Sponsored scholarship program is a practical initiative by the education authorities of China and South Africa to cultivate technical and skilled talents that are urgently required for South Africa in fields such as water resources, new energy, and others. YRCTU will host the program for five consecutive years. It will actively align with South Africa’s talent needs in industries such as hydropower, wind power, and photovoltaics, and help South African youth achieve high‑quality employment.
