Shuping scholarship launched in Wellington College Tianjin

From left： Ms. Joy Qiao，Founder and Chair of Governors of Wellington College China

Mr. Wang Ronghua, Chair of Governors of Shanghai Education Development Foundation

Mr. Gu Jiaqi, Chairman of the Management Committee of Shuping Scholarship

Mr. Gu Weicheng, Vice Chairmanthe of the Management Committee of Shuping Scholarship

In China, a scholarship programme was founded in 1939 enhancing opportunities for three generations and nearly 10,000 students who experience poor study conditions. The programme continues to operate across China as the longest running programme with the greatest number of beneficiaries. The Shuping Scholarship. Ms. Joy Qiao, Founder and Chair of Governors of Wellington College China (WCC), was one of the many beneficiaries of a Shuping scholarship. To realise the saying: "what is gained from the society should be returned to society”, and on the 80th anniversary of the Shuping Scholarship, WCC International Education Group launches  the Shuping Scholarships. This will be awarded to Chinese students with both excellent academic results and wider talents and will provide a place at Wellington College Bilingual Tianjin that is fully subsidised. This article introduces the story behind why WCC has set up the Shuping Scholarship. The Shuping Scholarship has been operating for 80 years, benefiting 10,000 students and fostering the belief “what is gained from the society should be returned to the society”.

Mr. Gu Shupin

In 1939, Gu Jiaqi's grandfather, Mr. Gu Qianlin, founded the Shuping Scholarship. “Shuping” is named in memory of Mr. Gu Qianlin’s father, Mr. Gu Shuping. Mr. Gu Qianlin, originally from Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, discontinued his studies at the age of 17 due to the death of his father and set out early into a career and later business. Mr. Gu Qianlin adhered to his father’s legacy of “what is gained from the society should be returned to the society” and established Shuping Scholarship.

 Mr. Gu Qianlin

Initially established in war-ridden years, the Shuping Scholarship supported more than a thousand excellent but poor students, helping to prevent them from dropping out of school. After the death of Mr. Gu Qianlin, his second son, Mr. Gu Jiaqi took over as Chairman of the Management Committee of Shuping Scholarship. Although residing in Hong Kong, Mr. Gu Jiaqi spared no effort to realise the Shuping spirit of “what is gained from the society should be returned to the society”. He was fully committed to helping the poor, rewarding learning and educating the young, by continuously expanding the scale of donations to the scholarship fund. The expansion included special scholarship projects specifically supported by the Gu family’s charitable fund.

Mr. Gu Jiaqi' speech on the 80th anniversary celebration

The Shuping Scholarship is now in its 80^thyear, with the award extending to dozens of schools in Beijing, Shanghai, Huzhou, Fuyang and beyond. A total of nearly 10,000 people have been awarded a scholarship; the oldest and largest of an such foundation in China.

As part of the 80th anniversary celebration, Shuping scholars from all corners of China will gather in the Gu family's hometown of Huzhou, Zhejiang Province. Three generations of beneficiaries will be present, most notably some that were awarded the very first Shuping Scholarship who are over 90 years old. 

A profound connection between the “Shuping Spirit” and Ms. Joy Qiao, Founder and Chair of Governors of Wellington College China

Ms. Joy Qiao, Founder and Chair of Governors of Wellington College China is one of the Shuping Awardees.

In early 90's, Ms. Joy Qiao was a senior high school student at Shanghai No.3 Girls' High School when she was awarded the 34th Shuping Scholarship. In 1994, Ms. Joy Qiao was then awarded the Jardine Scholarship, a trial in mainland China.

The Jardine Scholarship has a four-generation relationship with the Shuping Scholarship. Originating from Mr. Gu Qianlin's grandfather who co-founded a company in Shanghai with the British Jardine Company at the end of the 19th century. In 1982, the Jardine Group established the Jardine Foundation to celebrate its 150th anniversary, which collaborates with Oxford and Cambridge universities to offer full Jardine scholarships of 3-4 years to candidates who succeed in the foundation interview and who received an offer from these universities.

Cooperation between the Gu family and the Jardine Group

As a result of the Long-term sincere cooperation between the Gu family and the Jardine Group, and in view of the excellent performance of Shuping students, Mr. Gu Qianlin proposed to the Jardine Foundation that to select and award one student with Jardine Scholarship each year among the Shuping awardees who graduate from senior high school. In the final year at senior high school, Ms. Joy Qiao’s excellent performance entitled her to travel to Hong Kong with 20 other candidates to attend an interview with the Jardine Foundation. She came in second place and missed the Jardine Scholarship, but with the efforts of the current Chairman of the Shuping Scholarship, Mr. Gu Jiaqi and friends of Jardine Scholarship, she was able to secure sponsorship from another foundation to subsidise her study at Oxford University. Ms. Joy Qiao then became the first overseas undergraduate student from mainland China to study at Oriel College, Oxford University since the liberation. This became the deepest and strongest connection between Joy Qiao and Shuping Scholarship. Since, Ms. Joy Qiao has been able to meet many Shuping scholars and inspire them to learn from each other and grow together. The experience of studying at Oxford University brings Ms. Joy Qiao on to a world stage. Since graduation from Oxford University and returning to work in China, she established the Wellington College China International Education Group that now includes nine Wellington College International Schools, private Hiba schools and nurseries, making it the most successful education groups. Ms. Joy Qiao is deeply grateful for the opportunities provided by being part of the Shuping Family. What mostly moved Ms. Joy Qiao is the Gu family noble tradition: never extravagant, nor flamboyant but positive and giving. This is a model of her own personality, believing that the power of this spirit has contributed to the success of Wellington College China. She wished of one day setting up a Shuping Scholarship in her own school. On the 80^thAnniversary of “Shuping Scholarship”, the Wellington Tianjin A Level Centre Shuping Scholarship was established! On December 1st, at the 80th anniversary celebration of the Shuping Scholarship in Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, Ms. Qiao, as a representative speaker of Shuping Scholarship Students' Association, expressed her gratitude for the positive impact of the Shuping Scholarship on her life and personality. As part of her speech, she announced the launch of the Wellington College China International Education Group Shuping Scholarship in order to promote the belief that "what is gained from the society should be returned to the society”. Today, Wellington Tianjin A Level Centre Shuping Scholarship award was launched on at the Wellington College Tianjin campus by Ms Joy Qiao, founder and Chair of Governors of Wellington College China. This scholarship is open to students from Chinese working-class families in Grades 9 and above who have both excellent character and academic results. The scholarship will provide the opportunity to receive the very best bilingual education at Wellington College Bilingual Tianjin. It is hoped the scholars will become a new generation of pillars within society, contributing to China and displaying a global mind-set, indeed, to truly realise the spirit of a Shuping Scholarship. As the highest-level scholarship programme in WCC, the biggest difference to the previous arts, sports, academic special scholarships are that it has been specially established for students from Chinese working-class families. Moreover, taking the student’s actual family situation into account, the scholarship not only covers the full tuition fees, but also the expenses of meals, uniforms and boarding fees during the time at the school, so that it becomes a 110% scholarship. If the successful scholar meets the requirement in academics and character, they can apply for the Wellington Tianjin A Level Centre Shuping Scholarship up to graduation from senior high school, meaning access to a scholarship worth RMB millions. The  continuation of the Shuping Scholarship spirit of “what is gained from the society should be returned to the society”

Shuping scholarship launch ceremony in Wellington College Tianjin

Mr. Julian Jeffrey, Master of Wellington College Tianjin

Ms. Joy Qiao, Founder and Chair of Governors of Wellington College China

In the scholarship launch ceremony in Wellington College Tianjin, Ms Qiao spoke about understanding the Shuping Scholarship’s spirit, "The growth of each of us does not only result from personal efforts, but more importantly, what kind of generation and society that we live in. Living in an era of rapid economic development in China, most of what we get actually comes from the society. I can be engaged in the enterprise that I’m passionate about thanks to the joint efforts by many people.

Ms. Joy Qiao, Founder and Chair of Governors of Wellington College China

Today, I have the ability to create value for others through my own efforts, which is an opportunity to ‘return to the society’. Being able to contribute in this way provides a tremendous sense of comfort and satisfaction, and when this feeling is associated with creating value for others, we have unlimited internal drive to keep working hard and adding value to society.”

 Mr. Julian Jeffrey, Master of Wellington College Tianjin

The Master of Wellington College Tianjin, Mr. Julian Jeffrey added, “One of the most important values of Wellington College Tianjin is responsibility: placing the emphasis in our school on being reliable, dependable and accountable for one’s conduct. Fulfilling a duty and acknowledging the need to serve the communities in which we operate. Therefore, the Shuping scholarship represents a wonderful opportunity for us to connect to our local families and seek ways to grant wider access to our education and facilities.” Mr. Gu Qianlin often said that the greatest comfort in his life was to see the students he supported, whom graduated from school to contribute to the society. The Wellington College Bilingual Tianjin – A Level Centre looks forward to cultivating a group of students with a high degree of talent, global awareness and the confidence in Chinese culture through this scholarship programme to continuously carry forward the noble spirit of “what is gained from the society should be returned to the society”.   Click here to find more details of Wellington Shuping Scholarships.