BEIJING - Beijing will award scholarships to students from Belt and Road countries studying in 160 programs at universities in the city by 2020, local education authorities said Tuesday.

The scholarship program was jointly initiated by the municipal education commission and finance bureau in December 2016. So far, a total of 64 programs have been covered by the scholarships, benefiting some 1,100 students.

From 2016 to 2020, 32 undergraduate and postgraduate programs will be chosen each year.

In 2016, 32 programs of 23 universities were chosen, and 32 programs of 32 universities were chosen in 2017. The programs include subjects such as aerospace, legal studies and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Officials with the commission said they hope more high-level talent from Belt and Road countries will come to study in Beijing and more educational cooperation will be carried out between Beijing and those countries.