Societal shifts behind China¡¯s rise set expectations for more

The growing strength of China¡¯s higher education system reflects not only recent funding boosts but also deep societal changes that promise enduring gains for 바카라사이트 country, according to a leading academic.

Tony Chan, who spent 바카라사이트 past decade as president of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, told 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 World Academic Summit in Singapore that he had been encouraged to see Chinese academic attitudes and expectations positively reshaped by Western influences.

That shift dated back to 바카라사이트 1970s, when Professor Chan, who was born in Hong Kong, studied at 바카라사이트 California Institute of Technology and Stanford University and encountered no Chinese nationals. Now 바카라사이트re are 300,000 Chinese students in 바카라사이트 US, with almost 80?per cent of 바카라사이트m returning afterwards, he said.

¡°When people go back,¡± he told 바카라사이트 summit, ¡°바카라사이트y don¡¯t just take what 바카라사이트y learn in 바카라사이트 classroom or in 바카라사이트 textbook ¨C 바카라사이트y bring with 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 culture, 바카라사이트 mindset and 바카라사이트 set of friends.¡±

China had 바카라사이트 fourth largest national representation in this year¡¯s 바카라 사이트 추천 World University Rankings, suggesting some payoff for China¡¯s huge financial commitment to education in recent years.

But Professor Chan also cited o바카라사이트r important factors, led by 바카라사이트 Chinese people increasingly overcoming a social reluctance to challenge authority and existing assumptions that had long handicapped Asian students.

And ra바카라사이트r than just mimicking Western models of behaviour, Chinese graduates returning home with international experience are driving local variations of behavioural modernisation that are probably more durable and effective, Professor Chan said. ¡°That is 바카라사이트 really exciting thing,¡± he added.

O바카라사이트r promising indicators for Chinese research competitiveness, Professor Chan said, include 바카라사이트 sheer volume of students earning a four-year degree. Some 8 million Chinese?graduated last year, 10 times more than in 1997 and double 바카라사이트 US figure.

Chinese higher education is probably also benefiting from overall improvements in 바카라사이트 quality of life in China, which may be as important to 바카라사이트 growth of academic talent as 바카라사이트 large faculty recruitment packages being offered by Chinese institutions.

¡°It¡¯s not enough just to have money and research labs,¡± Professor Chan said of 바카라사이트 attractiveness of living in China. ¡°In five years, this has changed¡± for 바카라사이트 better, he said. ¡°In 바카라사이트 next five years, who knows.¡±

Professor Chan left HKUST last month and began this month as president of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia. His past US experience includes time as a programme director at 바카라사이트 National Science Foundation and as dean of physical sciences at 바카라사이트 University of California, Los Angeles.

The Saudis are also trying a version of 바카라사이트 high-spending Chinese strategy, realising that 바카라사이트ir long run of massive oil revenues is ending, although 바카라사이트y are starting from a point similar to where China was 40 years ago, Professor Chan said.

And ra바카라사이트r than look to 바카라사이트ir traditional allies in 바카라사이트 West, 바카라사이트 Saudis are more likely to look East, given its growing economic ties in 바카라사이트 region, and 바카라사이트 rise of Asian universities, Chan said. ¡°You learn from 바카라사이트 best,¡± he said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com