African students at Communication University of China in Beijing join Peking Opera performers at a cultural event. The university has trained many African media professionals. Provided to China Daily

Seasoned journalists and press officials from Africa have been amazed to find that a field trip on discovering China is part of their master's program studies in Beijing.

Olawale Hamzat, a producer with the Nigerian Television Authority, said the image of China he brought from Africa was mostly from Western media and that most of the voices were negative.

"From CNN to BBC to FOXNews, the narratives you get about China are stereotypes - military, hostility, the red flags Some stories are told in a sarcastic way," he said.

Things changed after he received a scholarship to enroll in the international master's program at Communication University of China.

The university began its Master of International Communication degree - usually a one-year term - in 2011. The majority of the enrollees are from Africa and include news reporters and media-related senior officials.

As part of the program, "we organize about eight visits or field trips to media organization in Beijing and in other localities, such as a television station in Hebei province's Huailai county two hours from Beijing", said Zhang Yanqiu, director of the university's Africa Communication Research Center and the program's director of teaching and academics.

Zhang recalled the surprised looks on the attendees' faces when they watched a local television program in which local residents called in to question local officials.

"They were stunned," she said, "and asked me how we could have this kind of program. In their minds, our media are preoccupied by governmental agendas rather than grassroots issues."

Manisha Jooty, a reporter from Mauritius, talked about having "mixed feelings" toward China.

"But then we said, 'No, there is another system'. And it works smoothly."

As for following academic pursuits in China, Kenneth Agutamba, a Ugandan journalist based in Kigali, Rwanda, said that when he was applying for the program, "I told them I wanted to balance my world view."

During the year, students took part in research assignments to explore the Africa-China relationship and the real development going on in China.

Agutamba said that as a reporter he focused on economic news. He said he cares about why China is successful and "where this progress is coming from", and that it is balancing his view of the East.

Zhang said the African students are "dynamic and dedicated" in classroom discussions and that "I respect them from the depth of my heart".

"They have thought a lot about the future of their countries. They have considered the future development of Africa," Zhang said.

Bob Wekesa, a research associate at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa and one of the program's first graduates, said the program is not just a one-way interaction.

"Most of the class is from Africa. We are able to share our understanding both from the African perspective and also from our understanding of China," said Wekesa, who is now a PhD candidate at Communication University of China.

So far, 42 enrollees have completed the program from 19 African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.

zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn