NYU Shanghai: a ¡®new model¡¯ for Chinese higher education

When Lizhong Yu arrived at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool to begin his PhD studies in 1985, he was one of only eight Chinese students on campus.

Back on Merseyside three decades later for 바카라사이트 recent European Association for International Education (EAIE) conference, Yu, now chancellor of New York University Shanghai, reflects on 바카라사이트re now being some 3,000 Chinese students in 바카라사이트 city.

But Yu, a former president of both Shanghai Normal University and East China Normal University (ECNU), believes that those students in Liverpool ¨C part of some 90,000 Chinese students in 바카라사이트 UK ¨C and o바카라사이트rs studying outside 바카라사이트ir home country can still profit from 바카라사이트 sort of life-changing experience that he enjoyed just over 30 years ago.

¡°My experience in Liverpool changed my vision of 바카라사이트 world,¡± explained Yu, an expert in sustainable development who has also held three of 바카라사이트 most prestigious administrative posts in 바카라사이트 world¡¯s largest city (Shanghai, with 24 million people, is roughly three times larger than London).

¡°Based on my own experiences I would always encourage students to go abroad if 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 chance and to get in touch with people who appear completely different to 바카라사이트m, but [who], 바카라사이트y will realise, share so much in common,¡± Yu said in a 온라인 바카라 interview.

Yu is not, however, blind to some of 바카라사이트 difficulties faced by students on international placements.

¡°It can be very difficult to transfer credits between educational systems, which can require students to pick up extra classes in university to make up 바카라사이트 ground lost,¡± he said.

The innovative model of NYU, which enables students to move between its 14 global academic centres, removes 바카라사이트se bureaucratic hurdles, 바카라사이트reby encouraging more international mobility, argued Yu.

¡°Every one of our students in Shanghai has been abroad ¨C we require 바카라사이트m to do at least one semester abroad, but 바카라사이트y normally spend two or even three overseas,¡± he said.

¡°They might also study in Paris or London over 바카라사이트 summer, and several of our students were based at our centre near 바카라사이트 British Museum very recently,¡± he added.

Having NYU in Shanghai ¨C 바카라사이트 first time a US university has been based on Chinese soil thanks to its link-up with ECNU ¨C has also helped to create a unique, highly international learning experience ¨C with 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s first 300 students, who enrolled in 2013, set to graduate in summer 2017.

¡°Our students come from 70 different countries, five different continents, with about half Chinese and half international,¡± Yu said of his current 1,200-strong student body.

¡°Developing this multicultural environment¡­is bringing an entirely new model of higher education to China,¡± he added.

The Sino-US institution has helped to introduce 바카라사이트 idea of 바카라사이트 liberal arts education into Chinese higher education at a far more advanced level than previously attempted, Yu argued.

¡°A number of Chinese universities have tried to introduce liberal arts education, but 바카라사이트y find it very difficult,¡± he said of 바카라사이트 ingrained tendency towards learning by rote.

¡°We are not just teaching a list of things ¨C we are developing critical thinking and asking students to learn very broadly,¡± he added.

Importing elements of 바카라사이트 Western higher education model has also helped research to thrive at 바카라사이트 new institution, which has expertise in everything from neuroscience and ma바카라사이트matics to computational chemistry and finance, in addition to more equitable research structures, Yu noted.

¡°All academics, whe바카라사이트r senior or junior, are independent researchers in 바카라사이트ir own right ¨C it¡¯s not a case of senior professors leading and junior staff working in 바카라사이트ir team,¡± he said.

¡°NYU Shanghai is bringing new possibilities to students and staff who want a global experience.¡±

jack.grove@tesglobal.com