BHP Billiton is the world’s largest diversified resources group. An overall cooperative and strategic partnership has been established between UCAS and BHP Billiton in education since 2005. According to the agreement signed by both parties, the UCAS-BHPB Scholarship funded by BHP Billiton has been established at UCAS to encourage diligence and creation.
The annual workshops and classes jointly held by UCAS and BHP Billiton enable students to improve their career planning ability and enhance their English academic writing. The first 5-year UCAS-BHP Program was completed in 2009. The second 5-year program will take place between 2010 and 2014.
The UCAS-BHPB Program includes the following four sections:
A. Scholarship Assessment
B. Career Training and Development Workshop
C. Scientific English Writing Class
D. CAS-BHPB Workshop
In addition, a Scholarship Recipients’ Award Ceremony is held during the CAS-BHPB Workshop.
I. An Introduction to the UCAS-BHPB Scholarship
An Introduction to the UCAS-BHPB Scholarship
The UCAS-BHPB Scholarship has been especially established for UCAS students. The Scholarship comprises all subjects and majors within the fields of Geology, Technology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). After the annual six months’ assessment of qualified applications, 25 prominent scholarship recipients are carefully selected from among the 36,000 currently enrolled students of CAS. Scholarship recipients include the winners from among new applicants for the UCAS-BHPB Scholarship and the outstanding students who received the UCAS-BHPB scholarship last year. The UCAS-BHPB Scholarship is divided into two parts with a ¥12,000 RMB Student’s Scholarship and a ¥4,000 RMB Supervisor’s Award for Research.
Assessment Procedures:
March to April
The International Affairs Office (IAO) of UCAS sends out a notice with posters to all relevant CAS institutes as well as placing a notice on the UCAS website.
April to May
The IAO of UCAS receives both hard and soft copies of application documents, and makes the primary selection of candidates.
May to July
After a panel review by the UCAS-BHP Billiton Scholarship Committee, the list of qualified candidates is submitted.
August to September
An interview of qualified candidates for the UCAS-BHPB scholarship is conducted.
September
The final selection of scholarship recipients is decided and announced.
Until the present, there have been 125 UCAS-BHPB scholarship recipients, including both students and their supervisors.
II. An Introduction to Scientific English Writing Class
As an important part of scientific and technological innovation, scientific English writing is strategically significant. Its level has become a major concern and a restricting factor affecting technical innovation ability. Under the sponsorship of the Bureau of International Co-operation of CAS, Scientific English Writing training has been conducted through cooperation between the University of Adelaide, BHP Billiton and UCAS during the past few years, resulting in measurable progress in the number of publications in authoritative international journals. More than 450 students have participated in four scientific English writing classes.
