A comparison of Ottoman and Chinese students sent abroad for modern education

From a comparative perspective, this thesis examines the dispatch of students from the Ottoman and Qing empires to the West in the 19th century as part of their efforts to modernize by acquiring scientific and military knowledge. The students were generally sent to Western countries to receive engineering, medicine, and military sciences education. The experience of studying abroad provided these students with important opportunities for both knowledge acquisition and cultural interaction. In this context, the thesis specifically explores the students' lives abroad, the challenges they faced, and the education they received. Additionally, the thesis focuses on how these students were employed upon their return, their contributions to modernization efforts, and the roles they played in the development of their countries. By analyzing factors such as the students' ages, social statuses, the countries where they studied, and the difficulties they encountered upon their return, the thesis highlights the similarities and differences between the two empires in this process, while also evaluating the local reflections of 19th-century global transformations and the developments in the field of education.