Norman Bethune Concordia Doctoral Fellowship established
Concordia University has established the Norman Bethune Concordia Doctoral Fellowship in honour of Dr. Bethune (1890-1939).
The announcement was made today at the exhibition A Man of Action – Norman Bethune in 4 Seasons in the Montreal Pavilion of Pudong Botanical Gardens in Shanghai by President and Vice-Chancellor Judith Woodsworth who is participating in the City of Montreal’s trade mission to China.
The Norman Bethune Concordia Doctoral Fellowship will be open to Chinese citizens who are outstanding graduate students pursuing any discipline reflecting the interests and values of Dr. Bethune. The first will be awarded for the 2011-2012 academic year with applications available online in October 2010. The fellowship will have a value of up to $25,000.00/year and will be renewable for up to 3 years.
“Dr. Bethune was a teacher, humanist, surgeon, inventor, writer, artist, political and social activist, embodying numerous values espoused by Concordia,” says Dr. Woodsworth. “It is fitting that we are announcing the creation of this fellowship here in China, a country to which Dr. Bethune had such a passionate commitment and which honours him to this day.”
The announcement was greeted with enthusiasm by the China Scholarship Council (CSC). “This gesture by Concordia is another example of the support this Canadian university provides to educating Chinese students,” says Yang Xinyu, Deputy Secretary-General of the CSC . “The CSC is pleased to contribute to this fellowship and help with the selection of exemplary candidates.”
Later in the day, at the College of Architecture and Urban Planning of Tongji University, at a presentation attended by Montreal’s Mayor Gerald Tremblay, Dr. Woodsworth spoke about the remarkable growth of the university including the enhanced presence of Place Norman Bethune, a public square in the heart of Quartier Concordia. She also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the College paving the way for joint programs and academic exchanges.
Over half of all Chinese university students currently studying in Quebec are enrolled at Concordia. The university has many loyal alumni in China who also help fund the education of Chinese students through the Concordia University Hong Kong Foundation, founded over ten years ago.