On Tuesday 12 August two significant events in London — hosted by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Chinese Embassy — highlighted the crucial role of young people in strengthening UK-China relations through people to people engagement.
At the FCDO morning event, Engage with China Scholars — the first group of UK teenagers to study A-levels in China — heard from senior UK diplomats about international relations, future careers, and scholarship opportunities for further study in China.
In the afternoon, the Chinese Embassy in London celebrated the Scholars’ achievements and the success of the Engage with China Scholarship Programme, launched in 2023 by UK charity Engage with China.
“Both governments recognise that education and people-to-people exchange are vital for long-term understanding,” said H-J Colston-Inge, Co-founder of educational charity Engage with China. “Learning about China and its language is vital for young people today – and it’s vital for the UK. That’s exactly why this programme is so important.”
These events follow a recent thawing in political language and warming of ties between the UK and China, marked by high-level political visits such as Home Secretary Rachel Reeves’ trip to China. These developments set a ripe context for engagement initiatives like Engage with China. In June this year, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated the UK “cannot deal with China’s complexity unless we improve our capability to understand it.” He also noted a “profound lack of confidence in how to deal with China.”
FCDO staff hosted the event and highlighted the importance of people to people links and the value of language skills. The visit included presentations by Engage with China Scholars and a tour of the Gilbert Scott building.
“Our Scholars fill this critical knowledge and skills gap,” said H-J Colston-Inge, “with scholars returning with fluent Chinese skills. This isn’t a brief cultural exchange. It’s a real lived experience. For our Scholars, China has become their second home and they develop a nuanced understanding of China from the inside out. They return as transformed individuals who understand how China tiks – and toks …and in so doing, they lay vital groundwork for mutual understanding – work that diplomacy alone cannot do.”
The afternoon included a visit hosted by the Chinese Embassy. Two of the graduate scholars, Calista Ajibola and Ruxanda Ursu, who had both attended Mayfield Grammar School in Kent before winning their scholarships, gave a speech in fluent mandarin describing their China experiences, friendships and desire to return one day. Minister Zhao Fei, addressed the scholars and additional guests – who included a few scholar parents, educators and aspiring scholars currently in Y10. “Tomorrow’s world needs builders of bridges between civilizations… May you and your Chinese peers learn from one another through cross-cultural exchanges, collaborating to explore how civilizations can achieve greater brilliance via dialogue, and how the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity can flourish. The Engage with China Scholarship Programme holds a unique and profound significance among these programmes. As participants, you are not merely observers, you are the most vibrant contributors, the most authentic witnesses, and the most direct beneficiaries of China-UK educational and cultural exchanges. May your study in China sow the seeds of China-UK friendship. Over time, may they grow into towering trees, steadfastly contributing to stronger China-UK ties and the progress of human civilization.”
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Transforming Education and Careers
While over 200,000 Chinese school-age pupils and university students study in the UK annually, few UK pupils have the chance to study in China and at such a young age. The Engage with China Scholarship Programmeaims to reverse this, giving UK teenagers a fully funded two-year immersion in China — studying A-levels in international, bilingual schools, living with Chinese peers, and experiencing China for themselves.
So far, 34 Scholars have completed the programme, with another nine departing this month for schools in Shanghai and Haikou. They return with enriched perspectives, having made lifelong friends and immersed themselves in Chinese culture and visited iconic sites such as the Great Wall.
The Scholars’ experience is already translating into success, with offers from Cambridge, Oxford, UCL, Durham, and New York University. Their China experience makes their CVs stand out, demonstrating global skills and intercultural agility.
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Building a Thriving Alumni and Future Vision
Engage with China is developing an alumni platform that will connect scholars with opportunities in both China and the UK. The charity is keen to partner not only with Chinese companies and institutions but also with British organisations to nurture and sustain the scholars’ China skills and interest.
Looking ahead, Engage with China hopes to see over 100 Scholars in China by 2029, expanding the programme through partnerships with an increasing number of schools across China.
“This programme is more than an educational exchange — it’s a vital piece in the larger puzzle of UK-China relations and global cooperation,” H-J Colston-Inge concluded. “Our scholars are cross-cultural pioneers with precious China capabiliites. They will be future leaders who will build lasting bridges between our countries.”
Engage with China 