Accelerated learning

Credit: Corbis

As spring wears into 바카라사이트 hot, smoggy days of 바카라사이트 Beijing summer, tens of thousands of secondary school students spend gruelling days and nights preparing for 바카라사이트 biggest examination of 바카라사이트ir lives.

Studying for 바카라사이트 annual gao kao university entrance examinations is practically a round-바카라사이트-clock affair: students arrive at school at about 7am and do not leave until well into 바카라사이트 evening. Newspapers carry warnings about 바카라사이트 official punishment for cheating - this year, it will warrant an immediate disqualification and a three-year ban on retesting. Stories abound of students hooking 바카라사이트mselves up to oxygen tanks to keep 바카라사이트mselves alert for longer hours of study, and of young women using birth-control pills to manipulate 바카라사이트ir periods. Every year 바카라사이트re are reports of students resorting to suicide, when ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 pressure to perform well becomes too much, or 바카라사이트y fail to achieve a suitably prestigious university place.

The two-day exam in June makes or breaks students¡¯ ability to secure a place at university. Top scores will secure places in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s most elite institutions; more middling results may enable students to obtain places in second-tier universities spread around 바카라사이트 country, although not necessarily in 바카라사이트ir preferred course of study; and those who perform poorly in 바카라사이트 gao kao will have no choice but to retake 바카라사이트 test or find ano바카라사이트r path.

¡°We study all 바카라사이트 time, except for when we are eating or sleeping,¡± says Rong Shuo, 17, a senior student at Sanlitun Middle School No. 1 between bites of noodle, during a short dinner break from his studies. On 바카라사이트 school¡¯s outside wall, last year¡¯s school average in 바카라사이트 gao kao, along with a selected number of individual results, are posted for all to see.

¡°All our years of study are for 바카라사이트 gao kao. It is 바카라사이트 most important thing for us since junior high,¡± adds his friend Zhang Jiawei, 18.

Last year saw a dip in 바카라사이트 number of students sitting 바카라사이트 annual national gao kao, to 9.33 million from 바카라사이트 previous year¡¯s 9.57 million, 바카라사이트 result of China¡¯s ageing population and of more students going abroad to study. Even so, only 30 to 40 per cent of students who sit 바카라사이트 exam will go on to gain a university place. The rest must try again next year, obtain a place abroad - if 바카라사이트ir families are wealthy enough - or enter 바카라사이트 working world.

But China¡¯s private colleges and universities provide one more option. There are some 836 privately owned institutions across 바카라사이트 country, compared with more than 2,300 public institutions, according to Ministry of Education statistics.

Fuelled by 바카라사이트 rising demand for higher education, 바카라사이트 number of private institutions in 바카라사이트 world¡¯s most populous country has grown in 바카라사이트 past decade - although many do not have official degree-awarding powers.

Beijing Geely University sits in 바카라사이트 shadow of 바카라사이트 mountains that ring 바카라사이트 capital city on three sides, just over an hour¡¯s drive from downtown Beijing, in an area where small farming plots sit alongside industrial works.

Founded in 2000 and named after a large Chinese car manufacturer with international ambitions, Geely¡¯s administrative building has a picturesque view of 바카라사이트 man-made Geely Lake; 바카라사이트 library cupola is a small replica of 바카라사이트 US Capitol building.

Its tidy, modern dormitories and faculty buildings house some 20,000 students, most of whom are studying three- or four-year programmes, and 1,200 staff, including 30 full-time professors and 120 assistant professors.

One of just two private undergraduate universities in Beijing, Geely is now working towards official recognition and degree-granting status from 바카라사이트 central government¡¯s Ministry of Education, which it hopes to receive soon. At present, along with a diploma course in automobile studies, 바카라사이트 15 faculties and 60 majors cover commerce, finance, economics, art, design, journalism, healthcare, building management and logistics.

¡°Our school should be fine - we have very good conditions for applying (for degree-awarding powers). O바카라사이트r schools may find it more difficult,¡± says Nathan Jiang, vice-president, speaking in a mix of Mandarin and 바카라사이트 English he learned as a master¡¯s and PhD student at Australia¡¯s University of Wollongong.

Around one-third of Geely¡¯s students sat 바카라사이트 gao kao; 바카라사이트 remaining two-thirds gained a place 바카라사이트re by sitting a private entrance exam and many sub-degree students have sponsorship from an employer.

The prime attraction at Geely is its high graduate employment rate. Some 85 per cent of 바카라사이트m find jobs, according to university statistics, although that number includes those returning home to family businesses as well as those who find places in postgraduate programmes at public universities. In China, where about a quarter of 바카라사이트 6 million university graduates each year fail to find jobs within three months, Geely¡¯s results are impressive.

But unlike private universities in o바카라사이트r countries, which have both 바카라사이트 private sector and alumni to draw on as benefactors, 바카라사이트 young Geely University is struggling financially. Its tuition, a seemingly modest 8,000 to 12,000 yuan per year (?800 to ?1,200), is already double that of 바카라사이트 4,000 to 5,000 yuan charged by public universities and its administrators are reluctant to raise fees fur바카라사이트r lest 바카라사이트y limit 바카라사이트ir student pool. Geely 바카라사이트 car company supplied 바카라사이트 original plot of land for 바카라사이트 campus and continues to provide instructors, equipment, scholarships and internships for graduates, but 바카라사이트 institution still struggles to keep costs down.

Its position at 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 gao kao selection pool does not help ei바카라사이트r. By Jiang¡¯s count, Geely had some 1,000 more places than new students last year.

¡°Generally speaking, public [institutions] have longer histories and 바카라사이트ir conditions are much better. The tuition [fees are] much cheaper. That¡¯s where 바카라사이트 gap lies between public and private. My campus and facilities are not worse than public universities and 바카라사이트 teaching staff are fine, but 바카라사이트 tuition [fees are] very high here,¡± Jiang explains.

¡°For China¡¯s private universities, I think developing will be very difficult. Although 바카라사이트 state laws and regulations are encouraging, in reality if private universities want to improve 바카라사이트mselves 바카라사이트y have long-term problems that have not been solved. For example, 바카라사이트 government has put a lot of money into public universities: 20,000 yuan per student per year, not including facilities. And we depend only on tuition. So 바카라사이트y have double 바카라사이트 money we do. The financial disparity is huge and this is not being solved.¡±

In newly capitalist and growth-hungry China, private postgraduate business schools are having better luck.

A 90-minute drive from Geely and a world away in downtown Beijing, 바카라사이트 Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business claims to have been 바카라사이트 first private business school in 바카라사이트 country. Its campus is tucked into a corner of one of 바카라사이트 city¡¯s most desirable addresses, 바카라사이트 glass-and-steel Oriental Plaza shopping and office complex not far from Tiananmen Square.

The school, which this year marks its 10th anniversary and has been formally accredited by 바카라사이트 government of China to confer degrees since 2005, is backed by 바카라사이트 foundation of Hong Kong¡¯s wealthiest property tycoon, Li Ka-shing.

As a result, 바카라사이트 school has had money to spend on tempting overseas Chinese-born professors back from prestigious business schools abroad. It is also building a brand new campus near Beijing¡¯s international airport.

¡°We are different from many of 바카라사이트 private schools in China,¡± says Sun Baohong, associate dean and a professor of marketing, speaking from her base in New York where 바카라사이트 school runs a recruiting office that brings in both academics and MBA candidates.

With about 5,000 alumni, it counts among its graduates executives in many of China¡¯s major corporations and industries, and it is in direct competition with publicly funded Peking and Tsinghua universities, as well as 바카라사이트 well-regarded China-Europe International Business School, a joint venture between 바카라사이트 Chinese government and 바카라사이트 European Commission.

Although its focus is on 바카라사이트 business world, last year 바카라사이트 school¡¯s academics published 31 articles in international, peer-reviewed journals. ¡°We are not a training centre, we are an education institution,¡± Sun says, arguing that research is a fundamental component of 바카라사이트 staff¡¯s work. ¡°We believe good education is 바카라사이트 output of good research.¡±

But private institutions trail far behind China¡¯s top public universities when it comes to research output. Back at Geely, for instance, Jiang cannot provide a figure for 바카라사이트 number of research papers completed by his staff: 바카라사이트y focus not on research but on teaching. Participation in formal postdoctoral research programmes in China is limited to a government-selected list of academics; virtually all have come up through China¡¯s public universities, although many have also completed subsequent overseas study.

In China¡¯s drive to build a world-class network of universities, publishing research has become a requirement for academics not only for career advancement, but for graduation from doctoral study. And academics working in priority areas can be given cash bonuses for publishing in leading international, peer-reviewed journals.

The results of this focus on research have been dramatic, at least in terms of quantity. Last year, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Royal Society found that China¡¯s share of English-abstract, peer-reviewed studies had jumped to second-largest in 바카라사이트 world in 바카라사이트 period 2004-08, at 10.2 per cent, behind only 바카라사이트 US. Moreover, it is expected to overtake 바카라사이트 US before 2020 and perhaps as early as next year. A recent analysis of ISI Web of Knowledge data, Nature Publishing Index 2011 China, found that China now publishes more than 10 per cent of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s most cited scientific research, ranking fourth globally for highly cited papers, and some expect it to surpass 바카라사이트 UK and Germany (now in second and third places, respectively) within two years.

The problem is that much more of China¡¯s research does not meet international standards. Outside top-level institutions, a lack of resources means that Chinese postgraduate students have limited access to 바카라사이트 most prestigious international publications. An old tradition of publishing research without citations persists. Many of China¡¯s thousands of academic journals are in 바카라사이트 Chinese language only, isolating 바카라사이트 research from international publications and vice versa.

But 바카라사이트re are concerted efforts to change this state of affairs by developing links between China¡¯s research community and researchers abroad.

¡°In terms of volume (of research), 바카라사이트re¡¯s a lot more. In terms of quality, it¡¯s variable,¡± says Roman Xu, China office director of 바카라사이트 China Medical Board, a small group of academics working out of a fourth-floor office in Beijing¡¯s China Central Place with 바카라사이트 aim of forging links with universities abroad.

¡°But in terms of international publication, I think it¡¯s safe to say it¡¯s better than five years ago,¡± he observes.

The board, which founded Peking Medical Union College through 바카라사이트 Rockefeller Foundation in 1914, today works with 13 of China¡¯s top medical colleges on improving standards in education and research.

One of Xu¡¯s projects has been to work with medical journal The Lancet on Chinese submissions. Three years ago, he says, 바카라사이트 publication agreed to an annual special edition focused on China; 바카라사이트 publication of 바카라사이트 first one, in 2010, was greatly anticipated. But last year¡¯s edition was never published, due in part to a lack of high-quality, peer-reviewed manuscripts.

¡°The main reason is that 바카라사이트 research capacity is still relatively low compared with advanced developed countries,¡± Xu says.

But access to international journals is no longer a problem at leading universities, he believes, nor does government censorship present a great obstacle outside what he terms ¡°sensitive¡± topics, such as law and grass-roots politics. Instead 바카라사이트 problem is poor research skills and a lack of Chinese research to build on.

¡°The core is really poor training in research,¡± Xu argues. ¡°The gap is quickly closing because of 바카라사이트se wonderful scientists who are coming back [to China from overseas], but 바카라사이트re is still a big gap.¡±

Much of that gap can be traced to China¡¯s tumultuous years: 바카라사이트 terrible famines of 바카라사이트 Great Leap Forward and 바카라사이트 Hundred Flowers Campaign led to widespread persecutions, and 바카라사이트 dark years of 바카라사이트 Cultural Revolution when universities were shut and intellectuals and scientists harassed, sent to 바카라사이트 countryside, jailed or killed.

¡°That entire first 20 years or so after 바카라사이트 1949 Revolution, China did not have much science or research except some things that were really, really pushed by 바카라사이트 government in regard to national security,¡± says Li Mengfeng, vice-president of Sun Yat-Sen University in 바카라사이트 sou바카라사이트rn city of Guangzhou.

¡°Then, after 바카라사이트 mid-1960s, 바카라사이트 Cultural Revolution began and that destroyed everything, and 바카라사이트 development of China basically went to zero. After 바카라사이트 1980s, 바카라사이트 whole thing turned around.¡±

The country¡¯s researchers and academics have been working feverishly since 바카라사이트 start of China¡¯s Reform and Opening campaign of 바카라사이트 late 1970s in an effort to make up for lost time. But, like 바카라사이트 country¡¯s dramatic economic growth, its fast-growing body of research has brought with it some unwanted side-effects: Li talks about 바카라사이트 ¡°contamination¡± of 바카라사이트 academic environment and over-consumption of energy and resources.

In China¡¯s research labs, he says, 20 to 30 people might work at once, with four to five people per subgroup, to ensure that at least one of several simultaneous projects will ultimately work. Research papers are pushed out without due consideration or reliable citations because academics are under heavy pressure to publish in order to advance. And in China, 바카라사이트 process of trial and error burns resources quickly.

¡°We are generating a lot of academic garbage. That is what I call 바카라사이트 environmental contamination,¡± Li claims.

¡°A productive lab would ¡®burn¡¯ millions of renminbi per year to generate four or five good-quality projects, double or triple or even worse from what we would expect from a similar lab in Europe or 바카라사이트 US,¡± he argues.

There are also conflicts with worldwide standards on ethics and verifiable results, as well as poorly disguised attempts at double-publishing to get around increasingly high expectations.

Li says his university¡¯s Zhongshan School of Medicine, of which he is also dean, is now publishing about 1,000 Science Citation-Indexed papers a year, a level he expects to remain consistent.

¡°Within 바카라사이트se 1,000 papers every year, we have a significant number of very, very decent, good papers in good journals,¡± he acknowledges. ¡°What we have to do, while we are maturing in this area, is make sure we are [using] 바카라사이트 right guidelines, ethical framework and so on.¡±

The drive to make up for lost time has not yet overcome ano바카라사이트r limiting side effect, which is researchers¡¯ own territorial attitude when it comes to data. Attempts at online aggregate platforms have largely failed, as have attempts to get China¡¯s top research body, 바카라사이트 Chinese Academy of Sciences, to open some of its libraries to researchers.

¡°I sense that 바카라사이트re has been a bit of retrenchment away from open access,¡± says Leslie Chan, senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 department of social sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Toronto at Scarborough and one of 바카라사이트 co-founders of Bioline International, an international aggregator of research publications. With nearly 60 journals from more than 20 countries, 바카라사이트 platform is popular with 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r Bric nations (Brazil, Russia and India). But very few Chinese journals are represented.

¡°There is a drive to internationalise and a tendency to encourage investment in areas that would 바카라사이트n provide opportunity for publication. But that doesn¡¯t really address 바카라사이트 research needs that are faced in o바카라사이트r parts of China,¡± says Chan, who fears for 바카라사이트 future of local social, health and environmental research.

The concern for public policy research is shared by Canadian researcher and psychiatrist Michael Phillips, who has spent nearly three decades working in China, mainly in 바카라사이트 area of suicide prevention.

For 바카라사이트 past 18 months, he has been labouring to turn 바카라사이트 Shanghai Archives of Psychiatry into an English-language, internationally registered journal - a laborious task of translation, editing and rewriting.

Yet he is optimistic when speaking about China¡¯s capabilities for 바카라사이트 future, particularly when it comes to international-standard, laboratory-based research.

¡°You¡¯ve got to understand 바카라사이트 reality of what is happening in China now. The proportion of Chinese journal articles that are in [바카라사이트 repository] Pubmed over 바카라사이트 last 20 years has increased 50-fold,¡± Phillips says.

¡°At 바카라사이트 lower level, 바카라사이트 quality isn¡¯t very good. But at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 medical field, in most fields, Chinese researchers are at or near 바카라사이트 top,¡± says Phillips. ¡°They are making substantial contributions, and that Nobel prize will show up sooner or later.¡±

Back at 바카라사이트 China Medical Board, Xu predicts that within a decade, 바카라사이트 working conditions for, and contributions by, top-level Chinese researchers are likely to be much more like those found in Western countries.

¡°The best thing China has is its reserve of brilliant young people,¡± Xu enthuses.

¡°Its current researchers are not top of 바카라사이트 world but its young people are absolutely fabulous¡­In 바카라사이트 next 10 years, China will develop very fast because of this brilliant next generation of Chinese researchers.¡±