Letters | Why China is a second home to foreign students like me
- China has made great efforts to bring down the wall between foreign and Chinese students at its university campuses, and also devoted much resources to support the development of talented foreigners
Decades of economic growth have enabled the leaders of China to modernise education and turn the country into a global research hub for international students. It is the top overseas study destination for many, as the combination of creativity, growth and development, and global talent flows carries great promise.
As a doctoral student at the School of Science in Tianjin University, I have seen how Chinese universities have worked hard to cast their nets wider to draw and develop international talent.
The key to improving the standard of learning in any country is to remove the wall between local and international students, and all my Chinese professors have made great efforts to do just that. Chinese and foreign students together are enabling international cooperation, through deeper integration, lifelong friendships and growth opportunities, to truly create a home in China.
Universities are working hard to improve the experience for foreign students, taking specific care to ensure they have equal access to resources as their domestic peers. The ratio of foreign students who live separately from Chinese students has been greatly reduced. Time has changed the old mentality that rigidly separated “foreign” from “Chinese”.
International students have a good chance to benefit from a more rounded educational and social experience in China. All Chinese professors and university administrators are very helpful in this regard.
China is also spending a lot of money and resources in funding the research of international students.