Letters | Why China should adopt English as the language of academia
- Readers discuss why researchers on the mainland should use English, and former Chinese president Jiang Zemin's legacy
Adopting English as the academic medium on the mainland could be a way to help the nation’s research and development meet international standards.
At present, on the mainland, academic programmes with English as the medium of instruction are in the minority and mostly designated for international students. However, English has been the preferred medium of study and research worldwide.
Nowadays, most academic journals and books are published in English. Most, if not all, publications being cited are also written in English. Due to the language barrier, it is rare for scholars outside China to cite academic findings written in Chinese.
Adopting English as the main academic language on the mainland would enable China’s research findings to make a mark on the international stage and create a greater impact. If global audiences knew more about China’s research achievements, cross-border collaboration could be facilitated. This would benefit research and development, which is facing challenges due to the current global political uncertainties.