Honoring visionaries who made a difference

The end of the year is a time to reflect on what has gone and been done. In the spirit of the season, the British Council acknowledges achievements by graduates who studied in the United Kingdom.

Zhang Jin was one of the many who were honored at the Alumni Awards in Beijing in early December, an event hosted by the British Council.

Zhang, in her 30s, studied real estate finance in Cambridge in 2004-05.

In 2012, she quit a well-paid job in Hong Kong and returned to her hometown in Sanmen county, in Zhejiang province's Taizhou city, to build a library.

Zhang came up with the idea after she met a local youth during a vacation back home in 2011.

The high school graduate didn't have a clue about what he wanted to do and, like many of his generation, was only into computer games.

"It was quite a shock to me, reminding me of what it was like for myself at his age," Zhang recalls.

The experience in the UK and her love of reading led to the decision to establish the library.

She wanted to bring something tangible to her hometown.

Her Youwei Library hosts about 300 activities a year for students in Sanmen, including reading classes and a workshop on critical thinking. Crucially, the events are free.

Students and young people have responded enthusiastically.

"Usually we have 30-40 people participating in an activity," Zhang says.

The library offers immersive experiences for students and others to enjoy reading, communication, and it gives them opportunities to find a contributing role in society, she explains.

Zhang says the seeds of philanthropy were planted in her when she engaged in various activities with NGOs, including Bookstart and Oxfam.

"I learned how to do volunteer service, how to motivate people," she says.

Her knowledge also helped her deal with library development and management.

Zhang is one of the more than 1,200 applicants from over 100 countries applying for the Alumni Awards this year.

All candidates came from approximately 120 institutes of higher learning in the UK, covering law and finance to artificial intelligence and sustainable development. Most of them have used what they've learned in the UK to bring positive changes to their community, sector and country.

Matt Burney, director of the British Council in China, says: "One of the ways we can strengthen people-to-people ties is education exchange. These awards really recognize the importance of education exchange between people in the UK and China.

"We can use the Alumni Awards as a real opportunity to tell these people that they matter－they are shaping the world, they are creating stronger links between China and the rest of the world, of course, including the UK."

Nearly 600,000 people in China have studied in the UK since 1978.

"I think it is important to recognize this group of people through the Alumni Awards and the contribution they have made in building trust between China and the UK," Burney says.

The Alumni Awards ceremony has been held in 12 countries worldwide.

An increasing number of Chinese students have chosen to study in the UK over the years and about 160,000 are currently studying there.

"The diversity of thought that Chinese students bring to the UK is incredibly important," Burney says.

The UK has also come up with favorable policies to draw in Chinese students.

In September, the UK government announced the new Graduate Route visa, allowing international students to live and work in the UK for two years after graduation.

"It will be launched quite soon. It is very good news, and will enable good quality students from China to continue to live in the UK," Burney says.

"After academic study, they (students) will be able to improve their prospects by gaining employment in the UK."

The British Council has also provided support information online for funding, scholarships and interview services, and has helped Chinese students deal with UK institutions, according to Burney.

"Each year we organize pre-departure briefings for students, providing them with comprehensive view of life and study in the UK," he says.

"We are also doing an increasing amount of work to provide people access to internships and job opportunities when they return to China."

At the moment, the British Council is working on the Alumni Platform, which will enable 600,000 UK alumni in China to network with each other in a productive way.

Speaking about her application for the Alumni Awards, Zhang considered it an opportunity to get more attention for her philanthropy work.

"We only received 30,000 yuan ($4,300) worth of donations seven years ago, and yet the figure rose to 1 million yuan by 2016," Zhang says of her library.

Now, her library has more than 1,000 volunteers.

"I help them find resources and teach them how to better reach their audience, all of which is very interesting."