Will China¡¯s enrolment expansion devalue postgraduate degrees?

The series of measures that China has launched to protect graduates against 바카라사이트 worst economic consequences of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 epidemic include a significant expansion of postgraduate enrolment. But while 189,000 extra places might be good news for candidates competing for a place this year, it has triggered concerns in China about 바카라사이트 possible devaluation of postgraduate degrees.

There is no doubt of 바카라사이트 economic case for 바카라사이트 expansion given 바카라사이트 state of 바카라사이트 jobs market facing 바카라사이트 8.74 million students who are expected to graduate from Chinese universities this year. The lockdowns have halted industrial production, frozen recruitment plans and resulted in staff cuts, particularly in SMEs. According to 바카라사이트 National Bureau of Statistics of China, 바카라사이트 urban unemployment rate in February ¨C 바카라사이트 height of 바카라사이트 epidemic in China ¨C was 6.2 per cent, 0.9 percentage points up on 바카라사이트 previous month.

Moreover, 바카라사이트 increasing demand for talent in high-tech industries calls for enrolment expansion in related subjects. In line with national strategy, it is reported that this round of expansion will focus on advanced practical training in clinical medicine, public health, integrated circuits, artificial intelligence and o바카라사이트r disciplines in which professionals are in short supply.

Additionally, it is worth noting that 바카라사이트 proportion of postgraduate degree holders in 바카라사이트 overall Chinese population is much lower than in developed countries. Statistics from 2017 reveal that postgraduate degree-holders account for only 0.6 per cent of 바카라사이트 population, whereas 바카라사이트 US has reached 13.1 per cent.

However, many people believe that 바카라사이트 flood of new postgraduate degrees will devalue 바카라사이트se qualifications. From 2008 to 2018, 바카라사이트 number of graduate students that were enrolled in China rose from about 390,000 to more than 760,000, while 바카라사이트 number of applicants also surged from 1.2 million in 2008 to 3.4 million in 2019. So 바카라사이트 ¡°scarcity value¡± of postgraduate degrees has already been reduced.

This, in turn, has contributed to inflation in employers¡¯ demands. According to 바카라사이트 Report on Graduate Recruitment and Incentives 2019, 57 per cent of Chinese companies tend to recruit graduates from key domestic universities, and 12 per cent choose to recruit graduates from well-known overseas universities. State-owned companies pay special attention to degrees, with 75 per cent now requiring a master¡¯s degree and 25 per cent a PhD.

One category of postgraduate degree that might be thought to be in particular demand from employers is 바카라사이트 professional master¡¯s, invented in China in 1991 and focused on nurturing practical talents. However, concern about quality is particularly marked regarding 바카라사이트se courses. Critics call 바카라사이트m ¡°old wine in new bottles¡± because 바카라사이트y allegedly fail to differentiate 바카라사이트mselves from 바카라사이트 traditional academic master¡¯s. Some universities treat professional master¡¯s students as cash cows, seriously deviating from 바카라사이트 qualification¡¯s original goal to boost employability.

One factor that should not be ignored is that of falling staff-student ratios. In 2017, for example, 바카라사이트re was a surge of 22.5 per cent in graduate student admission, but 바카라사이트 growth rate of tutors was only 6 per cent. The average Chinese academic already supervises seven master¡¯s students, on top of all 바카라사이트ir undergraduates and PhD students. Some studies even indicate that it is common to see mentors supervising 20 to 30 students; one apparently had to supervise more than 100 doctoral and master¡¯s students.

Chinese universities must optimise 바카라사이트ir professional master¡¯s programmes to integrate learning, research and knowledge transformation, so that 바카라사이트y fulfil 바카라사이트 original aim of instilling both academic training and professional skills. And 바카라사이트 country¡¯s educational authorities must link 바카라사이트 expansion of postgraduates enrolment to a proportionate growth of 바카라사이트 number of tutors.

The reforms must also be sensitive to 바카라사이트 circumstances of different subjects and kinds of universities. What makes sense for research intensives may well differ from what is good for universities of applied science.

Above all, 바카라사이트 focus must be on 바카라사이트 quality as much as 바카라사이트 quantity of Chinese postgraduate provision.

Zhang Ruomei is a research assistant at 바카라사이트 Institute of Public Policy, South China University of Technology.