PINE BLUFF, Ark. - This summer semester of the 2015-2016 academic year, students from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) will be able to study abroad in China as part of an agreement between the Chinese government and a list of other Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

As a member of the HBCU-China Scholarship Network, UAPB will provide scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students for enrollment at any one of 25 universities participating in the program. Scholarships will cover periods ranging from four weeks to two years.

"To our knowledge, this is the first time a major foreign government has extended scholarship opportunities to students at HBCU institutions," Dr. Pamela Moore, associate director of the office of International Programs at UAPB, said.

According to UAPB, the full scholarships will include tuition and room and board, while the students are responsible for international airfare, visa fees, travel insurance and spending money while in China.

A pilot group of thirteen UAPB students (pictured above) is tentatively scheduled to study in China for the Summer 2015 semester. To be eligible for the scholarships, students must complete a humanities course entitled "Introduction to Chinese Culture."

A three-week online orientation administered by the HBCU-China Scholarship Network designed to teach students about the basics of living and studying abroad in China will be incorporated into the new course. And the student was recruited by a committee of professors and chair person of different departments.

The Introduction to Chinese Culture course, which is sponsored by the English department and will be offered yearly at UAPB.

"We anticipate developing a foreign language program in Mandarin Chinese so that students can continue to strengthen their language skills after they return from their first experience abroad in China," Dr. Lorenz (Chair of the Department of English, Theatre and Mass Communication) said. "As China is an emerging global economic power, mastering Mandarin Chinese can open doors to global opportunity for our students."

"This is an awesome opportunity for our students," Dr. Laurence B. Alexander (UAPB Chancellor), said. "The scholarship will enable our students to be prepared for a global society."