Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Cheng Xueyuan (R) grants a Sri Lankan student scholarship award certificate during the annual Chinese government scholarship award ceremony in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka, Aug. 8, 2019. The Chinese embassy in Colombo on Thursday awarded 24 Sri Lankan university students scholarships for higher education in Chinese universities. (Xinhua/Tang Lu)

COLOMBO, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese embassy in Colombo on Thursday awarded 24 Sri Lankan university students scholarships for higher education in Chinese universities.

The students received the scholarships at an annual Chinese government scholarship award ceremony held here.

The event was organized in collaboration with Sri Lanka's Higher Education, City Planning and Water Supply Ministry.

The students received the scholarships from China's Ambassador Cheng Xueyuan and Additional Secretary for Development, Ministry of City Planning, Water Supply and Higher Education, Madhawa Dewasurendra.

The selected winners will leave for China in September for their bachelor's degrees and doctoral degrees in different fields such as medicine, architecture, translation, E-business, Psychology, Food Science and Engineering etc.

The students will study in Chinese universities including Beijing Language and Culture University and Wuhan University.

At the award ceremony, Dewasurendra said the Chinese higher education scholarships program has improved the lives of a large number of Sri Lankans over a long period of time by providing undergraduate and postgraduate education opportunities in prestigious Chinese universities.

"It is an excellent opportunity for the students and the government as well in a situation that the government is struggling to cater the brilliant youth qualified for university education," Dewasurendra said.

Ambassador Cheng said the world was undergoing complex and profound changes in a century and China had also entered the new era.

"I believe that your learning experience in China at this historic moment would have a great impact on your life," Cheng told the students.