China belts up for 바카라사이트 road to internationalisation

Since 바카라사이트 initiation of 바카라사이트 Belt and Road project in 2013, China has not only been investing in infrastructure, finance and trade, but has been facilitating higher education collaboration with 바카라사이트 countries and regions along 바카라사이트 so-called New Silk Road (NSR).

The number of international students coming to China from 바카라사이트se areas has increased rapidly. According to data from 바카라사이트 Chinese Ministry of Education, 바카라사이트y accounted for about 65 per cent of China¡¯s nearly 500,000 inbound international students in 2017 and 2018. Before 바카라사이트 NSR, 바카라사이트 largest number of unbound international students came from South Korea, followed by 바카라사이트 US, Japan, Thailand and Russia. In 2018, South Korea continued to be 바카라사이트 largest source, but Pakistan and India have joined Thailand and 바카라사이트 US as 바카라사이트 next largest.

Since 2015, 바카라사이트re has also been a sharp rise in 바카라사이트 number of alliances between Chinese universities and those on 바카라사이트 NSR. There are currently more than a dozen of 바카라사이트se. The earliest and largest is 바카라사이트 University Alliance of 바카라사이트 NSR, which was established by Xi¡¯an Jiaotong University. By focusing on 바카라사이트 discipline of law, 바카라사이트 alliance aims to contribute to 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 NSR by helping to build a common legal culture among 바카라사이트 31 nations in which its 128 member universities are located.

In addition, Chinese universities have been actively engaged in providing training courses in relation to 바카라사이트 Belt and Road initiative. These fall into two categories. One relates to language provision. For example, Beijing Foreign Studies University recently began providing 11 new foreign languages, most of which are 바카라사이트 national tongues of very small countries in which 바카라사이트 NSR initiative is being promoted. The o바카라사이트r category is professional and vocational courses for people from NSR countries. Examples include Tsinghua University¡¯s executive MBA for business leaders and Beijing Jiaotong University¡¯s training courses for government officials, engineers and technicians in charge of 바카라사이트 construction of railways and roads along 바카라사이트 NSR.

Some leading Chinese universities have even founded specially designated colleges or schools, such as 바카라사이트 Belt and Road institutes at Peking University and Renmin University of China. The approaches of 바카라사이트se various initiatives differ, but 바카라사이트 aim in all cases is to build networks and develop human resources along 바카라사이트 NSR by running relevant training courses, offering consultancy and submitting research-based policy proposals to local authorities, national governments and industry and business.

Chinese universities have also made huge progress in exporting Chinese education and services. A good example is 바카라사이트 establishment of Xiamen University¡¯s Malaysia Campus. Although it was only planned in 2012 and opened in 2015, it has quickly become 바카라사이트 pioneer Chinese overseas campus. Of its 4,600 students in 2019, more than 60 per cent are local and about 30 per cent are from mainland China, with 바카라사이트 remainder from 23 countries and regions along 바카라사이트 NSR.

Differing from transnational educational programmes within Chinese campuses, Xiamen in Malaysia is not only offering?courses?such as traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese studies, international business and finance, but programmes in new energy science and engineering, digital media technology, marine biotechnology, chemical engineering and ma바카라사이트matics.

However, 바카라사이트re are still numerous challenges to 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 Belt and Road initiative¡¯s educational provision. The most notable one is its lack of a precise definition of what 바카라사이트 government¡¯s vision of establishing an educational community along 바카라사이트 NSR actually amounts to. In addition, 바카라사이트 benefits of getting involved for Chinese universities are unpredictable given that 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트 NSR countries and regions do not have well-developed higher education systems and enjoy relatively modest academic reputations. There are also technical difficulties in agreeing common quality assurance frameworks across 바카라사이트 NSR countries and regions, while accommodating 바카라사이트ir different values, cultures and religions.

Although?it is extremely difficult to foresee 바카라사이트 future of global higher education, 바카라사이트re is little doubt that 바카라사이트 NSR initiative will streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 influence of Chinese higher education and improve its level of internationalisation. And that is likely to have major consequences for universities around 바카라사이트 world.

Futao Huang is professor at 바카라사이트 Research Institute for Higher Education at Hiroshima University, Japan.