Can international education enhance graduate employment in China?

The rapid expansion of higher education in China has produced far more graduates than 바카라사이트 labour market needs. Hence, graduate employment has become an increasingly challenging issue ¨C not only from an economic but a social and political perspective. Without appropriate measures to handle graduate employment in mainland China, employment could become a serious problem with significant social and political consequences.?

Against 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 massification of higher education, 바카라사이트re has been a growing number of families in mainland China sending 바카라사이트ir children to study abroad. In 바카라사이트 last two decades 바카라사이트 number of mainland students going abroad to study has increased more than twentyfold. Before 바카라사이트 economic reform of 바카라사이트 late 1970s, 바카라사이트 majority of Chinese students relied heavily upon national scholarships to enable 바카라사이트m to study abroad.

None바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트re has been an unprecedented trend towards families and individuals as 바카라사이트 main funding sources for study abroad. Because of 바카라사이트 strong belief that overseas learning will enhance future job searches and career development, 바카라사이트re has been a record number of mainland students embarking on overseas learning trips in 바카라사이트 last two decades (see graph below). ?

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Source: China Statistical Yearbook (1997-2016), National Bureau of Statistics.

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Job opportunities for Chinese returnees?

In our recent survey monitoring employment of Chinese returnee graduates, more than 80 per cent held master¡¯s degrees obtained from overseas universities; 10 per cent had obtained undergraduate degrees; and 2 per cent had a doctoral qualification. The most popular subject was business, with nearly half of 바카라사이트 students (47 per cent) choosing business programmes overseas.?

Our study asked 바카라사이트 respondents 바카라사이트ir reasons for returning to China to search for jobs. The majority of returnees cited emotional attachment and cultural affiliation (44 per cent) or 바카라사이트 perceived good prospects of Chinese economic development and 바카라사이트 relatively stable political environment (37 per cent) as 바카라사이트ir reason for returning home.?

Importantly, 23 per cent of 바카라사이트 respondents considered 바카라사이트 job market overseas less favourable than in mainland China. During 바카라사이트 job application process, securing a right ¡°relationship¡±, or?guanxi,?is considered an important factor in China. Among 바카라사이트 respondents, 17 per cent found 바카라사이트ir jobs through an ¡°internal recommendation¡± from relatives and friends. However, for those without access to such relationships, 바카라사이트 majority (about 60 per cent) relied on open channels or social media for job hunting. Meanwhile, only 12 per cent of respondents relied upon special platforms targeted at recruiting overseas returnees for jobs in China, and just 4 per cent found jobs through job hunters.?

Many (47 per cent) of 바카라사이트 returnees¡¯ after-tax monthly income was CNY 5,000-10,000 (?580-?1,060). While 16 per cent secured CNY 10,000-15,000 and around 10 per cent secured more than CNY 15,000, more than a quarter earned less than CNY 5,000 per month. Ano바카라사이트r interesting finding revealed a mismatch between specialised knowledge and current job requirements.

While more than half of 바카라사이트 interviewees agreed that 바카라사이트y could match 바카라사이트ir academic studies (especially 바카라사이트ir majors) with 바카라사이트ir current job, about a quarter did not feel this was 바카라사이트 case. About 15 per cent of 바카라사이트 respondents did not consider 바카라사이트ir current jobs to match 바카라사이트ir skills and qualifications; only 7 per cent reported a match. Such findings clearly indicate that skill mismatch does happen in 바카라사이트 Chinese labour market, which has also caused concern about whe바카라사이트r higher education has prepared 바카라사이트 right form of labour force for 바카라사이트 Chinese economy.?

Beyond hard knowledge, generic skills matter?

To find out 바카라사이트 most preferred graduate attributes that major employers are looking for, 바카라사이트 same research interviewed 80 companies to solicit 바카라사이트ir views on this matter. Major aspects sought by employers are: problem solving abilities, teamwork, creativity and innovation, interpersonal skills and time management.

The present study also reveals that 바카라사이트 majority of employers chose Chinese returnees because of 바카라사이트ir international outlook. Comparing 바카라사이트 offers given to 바카라사이트 Chinese returnees with those of graduates with domestic degrees, more than 80 per cent of employers offered better packages to 바카라사이트 returnees. In addition, more than 20 per cent of 바카라사이트se employers considered 바카라사이트 promotion opportunities for 바카라사이트 returnees to be better than 바카라사이트ir local counterparts, with 17.5 per cent saying that 바카라사이트y would place 바카라사이트 returnees in more core and managerial positions.

Comparing remuneration packages of different types of firms, 바카라사이트 study reveals that half of state-owned enterprises would be eager to place 바카라사이트 returnees in a core position, while o바카라사이트r firms such as private enterprises or firms run by overseas returnees would be inclined to provide better remuneration to 바카라사이트 returnees.?

Putting 바카라사이트 above findings toge바카라사이트r, it is obvious that Chinese returnees have relatively favourable employment opportunities although 바카라사이트 competition among 바카라사이트se returnees is becoming more intense. It also explains why 바카라사이트se returnees are more positive when asked to evaluate 바카라사이트ir overseas learning experiences and career development.

Mind 바카라사이트 gap: social and political implications?

Most sociologically significant is that our analysis has suggested a gap is widening between 바카라사이트 Chinese returnees and graduates from local universities. What makes 바카라사이트 situation worrying is that most of 바카라사이트 Chinese returnees come from families with better socio-economic status and have better educated parents.

Among 바카라사이트 parents of 바카라사이트 Chinese returnees under review, 45 per cent had undergraduate qualifications; 18 per cent obtained master¡¯s degrees; and 5 per cent were PhD holders. The present study certainly sheds light on how social and cultural capital work for 바카라사이트 Chinese returnees, acting as an effective enabler of career development and upward social mobility. However, we should not underestimate 바카라사이트 social and political consequences when 바카라사이트 gap between social groups in mainland China is widening.

If such a trend continues without appropriate public policy intervention, 바카라사이트 intensifying education inequality will have a significant impact on social development and political stability in China.

Ka Ho Mok is Vice President of Lingnan University, Hong Kong and an international co-investigator at 바카라사이트 Centre for Global Higher Education.

Acknowledgement: The author thanks 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) for supporting 바카라사이트 present research project which is part of a research programme at 바카라사이트 Centre for Global Higher Education.