CHINA: Record numbers studying abroad

The number of students from China enrolling for the first time at universities in other countries is estimated to reach a record 200,000 this year compared with 144,500 who went abroad in 2007. That latter number represented a 170-fold increase on the 860 students who opted to go offshore 30 years ago. Since then, more than 1.2 million students have left China to study abroad although only 320,000 returned home after completing their studies.

A report in China Daily early this year said the number of students leaving secondary school and college was expected to hit record levels of 14.8 million and 5.5 million in 2008. According to the Ministry of Education, a fifth of those who graduated last year were unable to find work and this situation is expected to force more school and college leavers to look to foreign universities.

Li Guanjun, General Manager of the China Education International Cooperation Group, told the paper he expected a 30% rise this year in the number going abroad for studies. Liu Baoli, Deputy Director of the ministry's international cooperation and exchange division, said on average 130,000 Chinese went abroad to study each year and the most popular destinations were the US, Britain, Australia and Canada.

According to Liu Xuyan of the agency Beijing Chivast Education International, easing of US visa rules meant the visa pass rate reached a record 80% in 2007. Liu said US embassies and consulates in China had issued more than 52,000 student visas between 2006 and 2007.

She said a new Australia Scholarships programme to strengthen education ties in the Asia Pacific had led to a doubling of students from the region last year.

Among the graduates who had returned to China after gaining one or more degrees overseas, the Ministry of Education said that of those in the fields of education and scientific research, 77% were college and university principals, 84% were members of the Chinese Academy of Science, 75% of the China Academy of Engineering and 71% were directors of state-level teaching and research centres.

The Guardian in London reported last month that more Chinese students would be studying at UK universities in 2008 than at any time in the past four years - quashing fears that international recruitment has ground to a halt. Almost 5,000 Chinese students would begin their degree courses this autumn, a rise of almost 15% on this time last year, the paper said, quoting figures released by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.

But the British enrolments are barely a 10th of those in Australian universities where more than 50,000 Chinese students are undertaking higher education courses this year. Outside the English-speaking countries, however, there is a big drop-off given that students in China are required to study English rather than other European languages.

Some European countries, though, are reported to be highly regarded in China, particularly Germany which had around 25,000 Chinese students in 2004. Elsewhere in Asia, an estimated 100,000 Chinese are studying in Japan, although this is still less than in the US, while another 12,000 or so are enrolled at universities in South Korea.

www.chinadaily.com.cn
www.people.com.cn

jane.marshall@uw-news.com