THE first-ever recipient of the Confucius Institute scholarship has left for China on a three-year study program at the Beijing Language and Culture University .
University of the South Pacific student Meihua Luo, was born in China and raised in Fiji since the age of five, left for China last week to study for a master's degree.
She said she was awarded the scholarship for being an outstanding student of the USP's recently-established Confucius Institute. Ms Luo said she applied for the scholarship to study the Chinese language and culture.
"I will be expected to study Chinese and culture and after completing my studies, I will teach the language to others," Ms Luo said.
She said her postgraduate diploma in psychology from USP would help in her teaching career.
"Having completed my postgraduate diploma, I believe my qualification will relate well to teaching," Ms Luo said.
"Being out of my comfort zone for the first time will be a challenge for me, but at the same time I will get to experience being independent."
Ms Luo is expected to spend her first year learning Mandarin and Chinese culture.