Shipping students happy to be all at sea

China and Ghana are in talks to renew a contract under which an academic program was set up between China and Ghana to train people to work in logistics in West Africa.

Shanghai Maritime University, with the backing of China's Ministry of Education, set up the joint undergraduate program in logistics management with the Regional Maritime University of Ghana in 2010.

Students enrolled in Africa spend three years studying in Accra and one year in Shanghai, and on meeting all the requirements the Chinese university awards them a bachelor of science degree in logistics management.

Yu Hongrong, director of the international office of Shanghai Maritime University, says the curriculum was jointly designed by both universities.

"When students are studying in Ghana, SMU sends teachers to RMU to give lectures and academic seminars for part of the courses."

The target number for admission each year is 35 and the program has admitted five intakes of students, mainly from Ghana.

The first intake of 36 students has completed the program, and 11 of the graduates returned to SMU in September to pursue master's degree study, he says.

Apart from the first intake of 36, 144 students in the remaining four intakes are now taking part in the program, Yu says.

"The first five-year contract between the two universities is just about up, and the parties are willing to continue the collaboration and have been holding discussions about the extension of the contract for another five years.

"We see the program as a way to promote academic exchange between the two universities, and an opportunity for our university and China to help Ghana build its capacity in logistics."

China and Ghana have a long relationship, and Yu says he hopes the collaboration between the two universities gives more people in Ghana the chance to get to know Shanghai Maritime University and to gain a better understanding of Shanghai and China.

For China Daily

(China Daily Africa Weekly 10/31/2014 page3)