A November 3, 2011 New York Times article, The China Conundrum, discusses the growing trend of Chinese students attending American universities and some of the problems that have resulted. Having spent a bit over a year teaching at universities in China, I have no doubt that this trend will continue and that it will also continue to pose some serious challenges for both the Chinese students studying in America and American universities recruiting them. According to the article, "the number of Chinese undergraduates in the United States has
tripled in just three years, to 40,000, making them the largest group
of foreign students at American colleges."
I think there are two main reasons Chinese students are so eager to attend American universities. First, there seems to be a consensus among Chinese that the American higher education system is superior to China's and the best (or close to the best) in the world. Having taught at two universities in America for about 13 years before coming to China, I would have to agree that American universities, generally provide a considerably better education than Chinese universities. Of course, I'm sure there are exceptions to this general rule and there are some excellent universities in China as well as some less than excellent ones in the U.S.
The second main reason so many Chinese students want to study at American universities is economic-oriented and is simply the result of numbers (which has a serious affect on almost everything in China). With its huge population and growing numbers of young people wanting to attend universities, the supply of students exceeds the opportunities and competition is stiff even for those who score reasonably well on the notoriously difficult gaokao 高考 (China's higher education entrance examination).
The article also mentions that the main reason American universities are becoming increasingly eager to attract and recruit Chinese students is also economic - universities want more students which equals more tuition dollars and there is a growing population of Chinese middle and upper class families that can now afford to pay for their children to receive an American university education. Having worked at an American university where the almighty dollar takes precedence over all other considerations, I don't find this hard to believe. Of course, there's nothing inherently wrong with making money (as long as educational quality isn't sacrificed in the process) and some universities are also trying to increase diversity among their students and promote international exchange, both of which are worthy goals.
The NY Times article mostly discusses some of the problems resulting from the increasing influx of Chinese students into American universities. The biggest obstacles for Chinese students are language and cultural differences. Although English language study is mandatory in China and Chinese students will have had about 6 years of English study before attending college, proficiency in English for most (especially speaking ability) is relatively poor. I've been teaching Chinese university students for over a year now and while some are able to speak and communicate in English quite well, a much larger percentage have very limited speaking ability (probably mostly due to limited experience or practice speaking as well as extreme hesitancy or shyness in speaking when they do have the opportunity). So far, the vast majority of Chinese students attending universities in the U.S. tend to be the very best China has to offer. For example, I've had the pleasure of knowing two Chinese students in recent years that are currently pursuing graduate degrees at American universities. Both are very intelligent, highly motivated and hard working individuals with well above average English proficiency. I have no doubt that these students and others like them, despite the inevitable challenges to living and studying in a foreign nation and culture, will be successful. However, if American universities merely want to admit more Chinese students to increase enrollment (and the money such enrollment brings with it), the quality of students they accept may decline.
Overall, I'm in favor of increasing opportunities for Chinese students (and other non-American students) to study at American universities and I hope this trend continues. But I can't help worry that American universities might simply follow the 1 billion market mentality focusing solely on the huge potential numbers (in terms of people and money) that China tends to induce in Western business minds. While higher education is certainly a big business and that isn't likely to change, its regrettable when the business motivation overwhelmingly outweighs the educational motivation. I've witnessed this trend both in China and in America and I hope it can somehow be reversed in the future. If not, I think the quality of education will inevitably decrease and everyone loses in the long run.
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