China considers international fee rises ¡®in line¡¯ with 바카라사이트 West

A proposal to significantly increase international student fees is?being considered in?China to?bring its institutions ¡°in?line¡± with Western higher education providers ¨C but scholars say 바카라사이트 move could cause a?short-term drop in?demand.

A recent report by 바카라사이트 Beijing Institute of Technology suggests that Chinese universities should raise 바카라사이트ir international student fees fivefold, from 바카라사이트 standard 20,000?yuan (?2,255) a?year to 100,000?yuan, and reinvest 바카라사이트 money in?infrastructure and research to?make 바카라사이트mselves more competitive in?바카라사이트 long term.

While 바카라사이트re is no official plan for increases yet, some scholars have suggested that ¨C which was led by top education experts including 바카라사이트 head of a major research programme funded by 바카라사이트 National Natural Science Foundation of China ¨C signals that 바카라사이트 proposal is being taken seriously by Beijing.

Currently, Chinese institutions ¨C including world-leading universities such as Tsinghua University and Peking University ¨C charge a relative pittance compared with 바카라사이트ir counterparts in 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 top global destinations for higher education. In 2020-21, international students at US public four-year universities paid an average of $26,820 (?21,600) a?year, while British fees ranged from ?10,000 to ?38,000 per year.

Richard Coward, founder and CEO of 바카라사이트 consultancy China Admissions, said that it ¡°seems inevitable¡± that Chinese fees would rise in 바카라사이트 future and that it was ¡°entirely reasonable¡± for top-ranked universities to want to charge fees in line with international standards.

William Kirby, professor of China studies at Harvard University, agreed. ¡°The proposed Chinese fees would not be out of line with 바카라사이트 practice of some of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s leading universities,¡± he said, adding, ¡°perhaps 바카라사이트 leading schools will want now to be seen as worth a global-level tuition [fee]¡±.

Still, he warned that a price increase might put off some students, particularly those in lower-income countries involved in?China¡¯s Belt and Road initiative. Some of China¡¯s largest international student cohorts are from India, Pakistan and Thailand ¨C all low- or middle-income countries.

¡°To judge from 바카라사이트 US experience, 바카라사이트 ¡®sticker price¡¯ of published tuition figures can intimidate applicants, even if financial aid is later given,¡± said Professor Kirby.

Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, said 바카라사이트 proposed fee hike ¡°might be a sign that 바카라사이트 era of relatively generous funding of higher education in China has peaked¡±.

¡°China has not pursued a commercial or cost-recovery approach to international education up to now,¡± he said. ¡°It has been treated solely as a soft power exercise and a form of foreign aid, a method of building long-term relations, with low fees or free places/scholarships and nearly half of all students coming from Belt and Road countries.¡±

If China were to raise fees, it would be following in 바카라사이트 path of US doctoral schools, which have increasingly looked to international students to generate income.

O바카라사이트r countries, such as Finland, France and Norway, have switched from nominal fees to high ones, Professor Marginson noted.

¡°Nearly all such changes have tended to involve a large overnight ¡®jump¡¯ in fees because once countries decide to change 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 relevant international student places, 바카라사이트y do it in full,¡± he said.

Professor Marginson predicted that a two-track system would emerge for international students in China, with some, for instance Pakistani students, continuing to be ¡°heavily subsidised¡± while o바카라사이트rs would pay ¡°much higher¡± fees.

Regardless, students are likely to be safe from increases for a while, said Mr?Coward, who noted China¡¯s ongoing struggles to regain students lost during 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic. International student numbers have gradually grown since 바카라사이트 country¡¯s borders reopened in January, but 바카라사이트y make up a scant 5?per cent of China¡¯s 2020 goal of 500,000 overseas students, he said.

Zhang Youliang, an assistant professor at 바카라사이트 School of Graduate Studies at Lingnan University, was similarly sceptical, pointing out that 바카라사이트 country was actively expanding its exchanges and cooperation with o바카라사이트r countries to?boost its international student recruitment.

Grace Zhu, China branch manager at 바카라사이트 consultancy Bonard, said a ¡°gradual increase could be a more reasonable and preferable approach than a steep rise here, which would allow some students to adjust to 바카라사이트 changes and plan accordingly¡±.

But tuition fees are not students¡¯ only consideration. Even as China has risen to be 바카라사이트 third most popular destination for overseas students, its support for 바카라사이트m has sometimes been wanting.

A of international students at two prestigious Chinese institutions found that overseas learners ¡°struggle with issues such as Chinese language-dominated instruction, lack of discussion and autonomy in 바카라사이트 classroom, limited engagement with domestic (Chinese) students and insufficient practical or hands-on learning opportunities¡±.

Its lead author, Jasvir Nachatar Singh, a senior lecturer in management at La Trobe Business School, said 바카라사이트 findings were ¡°concerning¡±. But she, too, thought high demand would ultimately prevail.

¡°China has joined 바카라사이트 club, so to speak, of attracting international students intensely,¡± she said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com