China is gradually becoming the neurotic education-center of the world. When we think about China, the first few things which strike the mind are— a robust economy, a strong political presence, and unmatched technological innovations. The dragon is now all set to add another stone in its crown. World-class institutions and infrastructure are developed, offering some of the best courses for students from across the globe in China.
Chinese education is going to shape the future elites all over the world. In the last six years, the number of students entering from neighboring countries to China has increased by 176%. Almost every country which belongs to the South Asian region now sends nearly the same amount of students to China as to India (in the last six years, the annual growth of students in India from the neighborhood has declined from 30% to just 9%). In 2016, reports suggested that more Bangladeshis were studying in China (4,900) than in India. In the case of Myanmar, there were 17 times more students who took admission to China rather than in India. Looking at the current scenario, it is more likely that future academics, business, military, and political elites of worldwide developing countries will be shaped by Chinese education. China, beyond infrastructure, also silently invests time in educational exchanges and regular harmonization. Right now, China has its 22 universities in the global top 500. China spends enough on research and development, including infrastructure and innovation, if compared to India. The Chinese government’s main objective is to contribute to the economic development of China by offering its students a thorough understanding and learning of the latest international management, technologies, knowledge, and practices. Its primary aim is to increase the professionalism of future managers and leaders by providing training to enable them to work with Chinese companies.
Their rigorous screening process ensures that only the best talents come into the school. Survival in China is not easy. Fighting for your virtues and surviving is the only choice for earning a living in China. Chinese kids, though, are made prepared for such a challenge as their hard work starts with the very first year of learning at school.Schools in China provide functional learning aspects, each in terms of academics, sports, martial arts, etc. Teachers in schools and universities get world-class facilities. The Chinese are nutritious eaters, and this tradition applies to every school and university as well. Teachers are treated with great respect. Children from families who don’t wish to study or are too mischievous are often sent to kung fu schools for strict education. They live there with full board; they are trained hard from morning till night and receive primary education and are made capable of reading and writing, which is not easy, knowing the Chinese language system. Hard punishments are quite common at such boarding institutions.
An inspiring academic poster is hung in each classroom to encourage students to study harder. The ranking is updated daily and is visible to everyone on a particular chart on the blackboard. Chinese children study for about ten hours a day. In big cities, school children always have additional lessons with tutors, music classes, art studios, and sports clubs on weekends for mental and personality development. The competition is so high that parents make their children start learning from a very young age. Encouraging students of ethical behavior is an integral part of being adopted in their living with the help of education.
China’s soft power approach entails the use of education as an essential tool for achieving strategic dividends, including the global positioning of the “China” mark. China’s continued effort to project itself as a trustworthy education hub in the Asian region has led to a substantial increase in the south Asian students studying in the mainland. China will soon reach that point where its best universities will not have to perform too much of an effort to reach out to international students; instead, the reverse will take place.
