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Fitness tests tied to academic progress at Chinese university

Nankai University wants its students to ‘get off the internet, get out of the dormitory and get into sports halls’

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Nankai University, founded in 1919, is located in the northeastern port city of Tianjin. Photo: Handout
Laurie Chen

Students at a university in the northeastern Chinese city of Tianjin have been told they must pass a physical fitness test before they can progress to the next academic year, state media reports.

Nankai University said it wants students to master “two or more” sports and “get off the internet, get out of the dormitory and get into sports halls”, China Youth Daily reported on Tuesday.

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Nankai University president Gong Ke. The university wants its students to do at least an hour of exercise a day. Photo: Handout
Nankai University president Gong Ke. The university wants its students to do at least an hour of exercise a day. Photo: Handout

It introduced a physical fitness scorecard – based on a test, health check and how much a student exercises – for every undergraduate this year, the report said.

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That scorecard is taken into account alongside their academic results, and it also affects eligibility for scholarships.

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