Rhodes to success

More students in the country are finding a path to academic achievement through international scholarship programs, He Wei reports in Shanghai.

Combating cross-border crimes has been a long-term dream for 25-year-old Mao Xiao. Holding a bachelor's degree from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and two law-related master's degrees from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, Mao pursues that goal by publishing papers in international academic journals and doing internships at The Hague, where the International Criminal Court is located.

Her dream gained an extra boost when she enrolled into the University of Oxford last year to continue her international law studies. Apart from the academic excellence and top-notch curriculum and faculty, the Rhodes Scholarship sponsoring her study at Oxford is making all the difference.

"It's not just the financial support. It's a network of people－the crème de la crème－who share their visions, experiences and opportunities to make the world a better place. It's a constant source of inspiration," Mao says.

Founded in 1902, the highly selective scholarship now recognizes over 100 students globally for their academic excellence and leadership and sponsors them to complete postgraduate degrees in a variety of subjects from physics to philosophy.

Each scholarship is worth 50,000 ($65,600) to 60,000, and enables students to spend roughly two years at the University of Oxford, covering tuition, other fees and a modest stipend.

China is among the latest batch of countries added to the recipients' list, with four students eligible to receive the award each year since 2015. A majority of the Chinese Rhodes scholars are from top educational institutes such as Tsinghua University, Peking University and Fudan University.