With South Africa looking to promote international recognition of educational qualifications to support global mobility during its G20 Presidency, students are already benefitting from longstanding bilaterals with China, a member of the forum.
Lawyer Nonhlanhla Ngwenya bears testimony to what such relationships could mean for South Africans looking to further their studies abroad.
In 2017, Ngwenya obtained an LLM in International Law from the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. The opportunity to study abroad was made possible by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) through its International Scholarship programme.
Speaking to Vuk'uzenzele, Ngwenya said she became aware of the programme through a newspaper advert.
“I applied through the respective agencies. The selection process was somewhat centralised, meaning the university was chosen based on the scholarship programme rather than my personal preference. So, it was a very clear that the choice of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics was more like Shanghai chose me,” she said.
In February, the South African government during the first virtual G20 Education Working Group (EdWG) meeting outlined its priorities for its Presidency. It said priorities would include quality foundational learning; mutual recognition of qualifications; and education professional development. The DHET partners with countries like Germany, China, Hungary, and the United States to offer scholarships across all academic levels.
Ngwenya said: "During my two-year LLB programme at the University of the Witwatersrand, I became acutely aware of a significant gap in legal education regarding China for South African students.
"I wanted to understand how, as a law student in South Africa in 2014, I knew very little about the legal framework of its largest trade partner."
Ngwenya found distinct differences between legal studies in South Africa and China.
“In most jurisdictions, including South Africa, studying LLM (Master's in Law) is highly specialised. LLM programmes tend to be focused on specific practice areas, such as intellectual property, environmental, commercial law, or public law, aligning with a practitioner's career trajectory. Generally, the programme is one year and can often be taken part-time or full-time. So, it will be specific to the area in which you practice, but more importantly, which you have a strong interest towards making an impact in,” she said.
On adjusting to life in the Asian country, Ngwenya said she had to find her feet, both culturally and academically. On the academic front, she said the university environment was distinct, and language was a key consideration.
“Prior to my arrival, I undertook three months of preparatory Mandarin, which proved invaluable for basic communication. Initially, there is a lot of administration that one must be familiar with, including acquiring a residence permit, a health check, and a bank account. This exercise, however, occurs yearly, and one needs to get accustomed to it.
Culturally, she said the initial adjustment involved managing the technological advancements and the sheer population density.
“In 2015, China's technological landscape, particularly mobile technology, was notably advanced. The population density and how they use technology required a shift in my daily expectations.”
The biggest “cultural shock”, she said, was more of an adjustment to the sheer amount of people and the technological advancements.
She urged aspirant South African students to acquire legal work experience before considering studying abroad.
“Get as much legal practice as you can gather, aim to be a legal practitioner before even breathing the idea of studying law abroad,” she said, adding that “studying abroad is not child's play.”
Ngwenya is currently based in Shanghai, China, pursuing a doctrate-level academic degree in international economic law.
All DHET-facilitated scholarships aim to support historically disadvantaged students, with some specifically catering to students with disabilities. Applicants should review available support services to ensure their needs are addressed. For more information about the DHET scholarship visit www.internationalscholarships.dhet.gov.za
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