The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has partnered with a cream of the crop Chinese institution of higher education – the Beijing-based People’s Public Security University of China (PPSUC) – to offer a variety of programmes to officers.
The educational programmes focus on leadership, counter-terrorism, domestic and cyber security, VIP protection, and the standard literary and official Chinese language, Mandarin.
All courses range in duration from six months to three years and include a four months undergraduate exchange programme, six to 12 months Chinese language training, a two to three weeks on-the-job short training course and a three-year Master of Laws (LLM) degree.
JMPD Chief of Staff, Superintendent Eldred Fortein says the partnership between the two institutes aims to promote joint activities and exchanges to strengthen relations between Beijing and Joburg.
“We are committed to the development of our officers and aiding them to be the best they could possibly be in the City and the world. That’s why we partnered with PPSUC because they are one of the best policing institutions in the world,” says Superintendent Fortein.
All the fees are paid for by the JMPD and PPSUC through their joint scholarship, except the LLM degree.
“All LLM students are granted a Chinese Government Law Enforcement Scholarship, which covers tuition and most of living expenses in China. Unfortunately, students have to pay travelling expenses from their own pockets,” Superintendent Fortein explains.
The JMPD and PPSUC have a memorandum of understanding for three years with possibilities of extending the partnership thereafter, if no disagreement is raised by either side.
The PPSUC was established in 1948 under the direct leadership of the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China. It provides an integrated police education and training system for Bachelor, Master’s, and PhD degrees and officer training programmes.
About 700 foreign police and law enforcement officers participate in these programmes each year.
Officers who wish to participate in the programmes are urged to contact JMPD Human Resources for application dates and criteria.
Written by Takalani Sioga
