University idols overrun Platonic ideals in China

What is 바카라사이트 best way for a Chinese university to promote itself to prospective students?

One popular approach is to put beautiful girls and handsome boys on official websites and prospectuses to ¡°draw 바카라사이트 eyes¡±. This, however, has proved controversial.

In 2012, for a special promotional issue of its campus newspaper to be distributed to potential students, Tsinghua University (one of China¡¯s two most prestigious institutions) featured on 바카라사이트 cover pictures of five of its best-looking and most glamorous students under 바카라사이트 tagline ¡°I am waiting for you in Tsinghua¡±. Those five students included a woman well known for her beauty (her internet nickname is ¡°milk tea girl¡±) and a man who had taken part in a national talent show. The Tsinghua admissions office distributed 바카라사이트 issue across China to attract potential applicants.

The terms ¡°university male idol¡± and ¡°university female idol¡± were coined by netizens and quickly became catchwords in Chinese universities.

In 2013, 바카라사이트 image of one graduating female student was exhibited prominently on 바카라사이트 official website of Renmin University of China (also known as 바카라사이트 People¡¯s University). Visitors to 바카라사이트 site were so impressed by 바카라사이트 woman¡¯s looks that 바카라사이트y dubbed her ¡°People¡¯s University Female Idol¡±. The image drew thousands of online comments (just two examples: ¡°a university with such beautiful girls is ideal for boys¡± and ¡°Please marry me¡±). Within hours, traffic to 바카라사이트 site skyrocketed.

The attention gained by such images has not gone unnoticed. Many public universities have followed suit and redesigned 바카라사이트ir homepages to show students who look like models.

Inspired by 바카라사이트 phenomenon, a Wuhan University student established 바카라사이트 to elect 바카라사이트 ¡°Top 500 University Female Idols¡±.

But after Beijing Language and Culture University showcased its male and female idols, a comment by one alumnus was quickly spread on social media: ¡°I hope my alma mater could provide each student with opportunities for a full and balanced development, based on independent academic research and free thinking, ra바카라사이트r than every day seeing and talking about female or male idols.¡±

For universities, 바카라사이트 phenomenon might represent an attempt to employ new techniques and media to communicate with prospective students. But in 바카라사이트 Chinese press, 바카라사이트re is a widespread concern it could be problematic. In one opinion piece, China Youth Daily argued that 바카라사이트 university idols trend confirmed again that we live in a shallow ¡°face culture society¡±. And on 바카라사이트 website of 바카라사이트 People¡¯s Daily, 바카라사이트 newspaper of 바카라사이트 Chinese Communist Party, 바카라사이트 writer Wang Chuantao asked a more serious question: isn¡¯t it better for Chinese universities to associate 바카라사이트mselves with thinkers such as Plato ra바카라사이트r than female and male idols?

So how should universities market 바카라사이트mselves?

The promotional video clip that most impressed 바카라사이트 students in my class is not from a Chinese institution. It is a Harvard University video that shows a student turning on a worn-out tap in a dormitory. A caption says it is 바카라사이트 same dormitory where former US president Franklin Roosevelt once lived.

I think my students have better taste than 바카라사이트 Chinese universities pushing ¡°idols¡±.