Text: Yangcheng Evening News reporter Sun Wei
The year 2024 marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the United States of America. Over the years, China and the United States have carried out close exchanges and cooperation in many fields, among which education cooperation and exchanges are one of the important areas.
At the recent commemoration of the 45th anniversary of studying in China and the United States and the 2024 China-US Youth New Year Gala, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng said that education cooperation has always been a vivid example of the two-way movement of the Chinese and American peoples, one of the most fruitful areas of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, and a basic project for the stable development of China-US relations.
However, the complex international situation in recent years has also made China-US relations face challenges. In the new historical period, where will China-US educational cooperation and exchanges go? How will the two sides steer the course and bring the exchanges and integration of Eastern and Western civilizations to a new height? To this end, a reporter from Yangcheng Evening News conducted a special interview.
History and reality.
The formation of modern higher education in China is inseparable from Sino-US exchanges.
China-US educational cooperation and exchanges have a long history, and the formation of modern higher education in China is inseparable from the cooperation and exchanges between China and the United States. For example, the concept of general education, campus sports meetings, student clubs, etc., all entered the field of vision of Chinese educators through schools like St. John's University in Shanghai, and combined with China's own unique educational traditions, it constitutes today's Chinese higher education. "Although China's modern higher education started relatively late, it had a very high starting point, which was inseparable from the close cooperation with American higher education at that time. ”
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, due to various reasons, China-US educational cooperation and exchanges encountered difficulties. On June 23, 1978, on the eve of the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, when listening to the report of the Ministry of Education on the work of Tsinghua University, he made important instructions to expand the dispatch of overseas students, opening the prelude to China's large-scale dispatch of overseas students in the new era. Its far-reaching historical significance is not only to learn advanced foreign technology, but more importantly, to sound the clarion call for China's opening up to the outside world.
According to the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report, the United States is one of the most competitive, innovative and open economies in the world. The U.S. is home to a large number of the world's top universities. According to the 2023 Open Door Report on International Educational Exchange released by the U.S. Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education, China has been the largest source of international students in the United States for 14 consecutive years.
At the same time, the American people also hope to increase educational cooperation and exchanges with China. "U.S. and Chinese universities have always played an important role in fostering cooperation between students and scholars from both countries. Allan E., CEO of the Association of International EducationIn an interview with Yangcheng Evening News, Goodman said, "The partnership between Chinese and U.S. colleges and universities plays a key role in promoting academic exchanges and cooperation through study abroad programs, joint programs, co-teaching and a range of other activities. ”
Founded in 2013, Duke Kunshan University is one of the most important channels for U.S.-China educational cooperation. "As of January 2024, we have received 4,705 applications from international students from 123 countries around the world, a record high of 41% compared to 2023. About half of the applicants were from the United States. "I believe that as U.S.-China educational cooperation and exchanges gain momentum, more international students from the U.S. and other countries will apply to Duke Kunshan University and other Chinese universities in the future." ”
Difference and win-win.
Communication promotes understanding and tolerance of "differences" on both sides.
China-US relations play an important role in world peace and development, and educational cooperation and exchanges are an important pillar of China-US bilateral relations. In 2023, the China Education Association for International Exchange and the American Association of International Education issued a joint statement announcing that the two sides will continue to seek sustained cooperation, support candid dialogue, promote the resolution of specific differences to meet expectations, prioritize common goals, and create opportunities for further cooperation.
Youth represent the future and hope, and youth exchanges are a powerful driving force for the development of state-to-state relations. Liu Limin, president of the China Education Association for International Exchange, said that carrying out people-to-people exchanges through various ways such as studying in China, student exchanges, and international summer schools is an important way for the young generation of China and the United States to understand each other, eliminate misunderstandings, and enhance understanding, and will lay a solid foundation of public opinion for the development of China-US relations.
The reason why China-US educational cooperation and exchanges are important is that it is a dialogue between the two peoples. "Although we have been talking about educational exchanges between countries, educational exchanges are ultimately people-to-people exchanges, school-to-school exchanges. Kevin Baker, principal of Guangzhou American International School, told reporters, "The people of China and the United States can build trust, understand each other and build strong ties through face-to-face exchanges and cultural presentations." And this will have a positive impact on China and the United States and the whole world. ”
Phillip Schmider, a student majoring in international relations and international business at Northeastern University, is currently minor in Chinese. With an interest in China, he has traveled to Shanghai, Beijing, Wuhan, Xi'an, Chengdu and Guilin. "I have a very positive view of higher education in China. "During my study tour in China, I lived with a host family, took classes in Chinese schools and learned traditional Chinese etiquette such as the tea ceremony. The Sino-US educational cooperation and exchange allowed me to further understand Chinese culture. I also made great friends in China, such as members of my host family and classmates at school. In the future, he also wants to apply to Tsinghua University to continue his studies after graduating from his bachelor's degree.
If educational exchanges are about sharing and understanding between people, then the U.S.-China relationship will also be sublimated on the basis of many individual cases. "Educational cooperation and exchanges are undoubtedly a boost to continue to promote the further development of China-US relations. Miao Lu, co-founder and secretary general of the Center for Globalization (CCG), told reporters that mutual benefit and win-win results are the essential characteristics of China-US relations, and dialogue and cooperation are the best choice for the two countries. Educational cooperation and exchanges have enhanced young people's understanding of the different civilizations of the two countries, and thus provided a good environment and conditions for young people of the two countries to enhance friendship.
Educational exchanges between China and the United States are also an important basis for the two countries to find appropriate solutions in the face of contradictions. Seth Alain Watkins, a professor at Duke University in the United States, believes that the people of China and the United States have worked closely together in the past and share a common vision. "We all seek prosperity, we all seek respect, and we all seek opportunities for our citizens and businesses. It is in this context that China-US educational cooperation and exchanges have real significance. "When Chinese and American students sit in the same classroom to learn together and build friendships, the relationship between our two countries becomes more stable." The importance of Chinese and Americans getting along with each other goes far beyond classroom learning. The more we learn about each other's cultures, traditions, and values, the more we will be able to find common ground where friction can creep into or even dominate our international relations. ”
China and the United States have different education systems, and different cultures are nurtured through education. The exchange of education between the two sides will effectively promote the understanding and tolerance of "differences" between the two sides, which is not an either/or zero-sum game, but can gain new insights from each other's education systems.
In this regard, Tong Shijun was deeply touched. At NYU Shanghai, professors from China and around the world share the teaching mission, and they also bring with them their own educational traditions, such as the ancient Chinese educational tradition of learning to learn from each other, teaching and learning from each other, teaching without class, and teaching according to aptitude, and the modern Western higher education teaching and research system.
1. The tradition of integrating arts and sciences, using both hands and brains, and advancing together. In 2023, 382 Chinese and foreign graduates from 36 countries and regions at NYU Shanghai delivered a 92% graduation destination implementation rate, and the graduates went to Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University and other world-renowned universities to continue their studies, or to work in well-known companies in China and the United States, and 69% of them went to non-countries of origin for further study and employment. Another former American alumnus who was elected to the Hawaii State House of Representatives. Tong Shijun said.
Miao Lu believes that the difference between the education systems of China and the United States is not a resistance but a breakthrough point in cooperation and exchanges. "China and the United States can work together to promote the innovation and development of the education system and cultivate outstanding talents with an international perspective by sharing experiences and resources, learning from each other's best education models. ”
Problems and challenges.
Both sides need to communicate more intelligently and closely.
The importance of China-US educational cooperation and exchanges is self-evident, but the two sides still face many challenges. In fact, there is still a big gap between the state of China-US education cooperation and exchanges compared with before the epidemic. Taking the number of international students between China and the United States as an example, the number of Chinese students studying in the United States increased from 47 in 201950,000 to 280,000 in 2023. The number of U.S. students studying in China has also dropped significantly.
The challenge may come from a lack of understanding. "When I was recruiting teachers for the next school year, I found that many people knew very little about China. At the same time, Chinese universities have abundant academic resources and value, but they are not sufficiently internationally recognized. "I would be proud to introduce Guangzhou to them and share my love for the city." It is not just the responsibility of one person to let more people know and appreciate China. But I'm sure they're going to take a keen interest in China. ”
In our school, American students generally do not know much about China, and many students do not know anything about China's economy and culture today, while Chinese students often have a deeper understanding of American culture. I hope that through studying abroad, Americans can become more familiar with and understand Chinese culture. Wang Xingyan, who is studying at Boston College in the United States, said.
Fertig Jeremy, who recently graduated with a master's degree in engineering management, has never been to China. "I don't have much impression of the higher education system in China. I know that the gaokao is a tough exam and it is very competitive. "The resumption of educational exchanges will allow more Chinese students to enter American universities, and perhaps more Americans will learn about Chinese culture." In a way, I'm not sure if this will happen in practice. In my experience, most Chinese students are not used to mingling with American students. "Done Jeremy's perception is a microcosm, which means that there is still a lot to be done by both sides in the education cooperation and exchange between China and the United States.
Alan Goodman argues that the challenges facing U.S. and China in educational cooperation and exchanges range from specific issues such as visa processing and approval, to unclear guidelines on access to data and information, and the use of archives and research sites. "In addition, there is a need for a high degree of reciprocity and transparency in exchanges and cooperation, as well as to ensure the personal safety and mobility of students and scholars involved in exchange programs, study abroad and collaborative research. Alan Goodman said that intellectual property disputes arising from collaborative research are also one of the issues that need to be resolved through negotiation. "Only by solving these problems can China-US educational cooperation and exchanges be smoother and more effective. ”
These are exactly the common issues mentioned by Chinese and American people during the reporter's interview. Dr. Gong Xiaofei, an assistant researcher at the Institute of American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that the high-level dialogue mechanism between China and the United States on education and science and technology has not yet been restored. The reporter learned that there are still a number of cooperation and exchange projects in a state of suspension, and cooperation at the secondary school level has also been greatly reduced. The laws and regulations related to China-US cooperative education projects are not perfect, and there are also some difficulties in teaching quality control and coordination of educational resources.
In addition, in the context of intensified competition between China and the United States, restrictions imposed by the United States on issues such as visas and disciplines still exist. The "chilling effect" of the US "China Initiative" has not been eliminated, and Florida recently passed legislation to ban Chinese students from working in public university laboratories. The denial of entry to the United States by dozens of international students and other Chinese personnel going to the United States every month will undoubtedly hinder China-US educational cooperation and exchanges.
Gong Xiaofei said that the number of flights between China and the United States is still small. "Relevant studies have shown that direct flights between China and the United States have a significant role in promoting the production of high-impact knowledge in scientific research cooperation between China and the United States. ”
In the face of various contradictions and challenges, it just shows that the two sides need to solve these problems in a more intelligent way and close communication. As John Quelch said, "It is only through mutual learning and constant interaction that we can find the best way to solve pressing global problems." ”
Future & Prospects.
China-US educational cooperation and exchanges are still full of hope.
Despite all the difficulties, the importance of educational cooperation and exchanges between China and the United States makes the two sides still full of hope for each other. Tong Shijun said: "The exchanges between young people from all countries, including China and the United States, on campus are of irreplaceable significance to the mutual understanding of the people of all countries, especially the young people of all countries, and even to the progress of world civilization. ”
The hope of China-US relations lies in the people, the foundation lies in the people, the future lies in the youth, and the vitality lies in the localities. "I hope that the United States can provide more educational resources to show goodwill to China, such as providing more scholarships for Chinese students. I also hope that the Chinese youth who have received education in the United States can become a bridge for friendly exchanges between the two countries and enhance mutual understanding. Yanchong Chen, who is studying for a master's degree at Duke University in the United States, said.
Zhang Jingbo, who is studying at Santa Monica College in the United States, is also full of expectations for China-US educational exchanges and cooperation: "We hope that China and the United States will be more flexible in terms of student visas and academic exchanges, and provide more convenience for international students. It is hoped that China and the United States can strengthen cooperation in more exchange programs, so that international students have the opportunity to participate in projects with local students and jointly promote the development of education and scientific research. ”
To deepen educational exchanges and cooperation between the two countries, student mobility is the foundation. Liu Limin believes that Chinese and American educational institutions and universities should further strengthen cooperation, work in the same direction, establish closer cooperative relations, design and implement more exchange programs and brands with diverse themes and rich content, provide more high-quality choices for American students to study in China, and jointly improve the current situation of imbalance in the flow of Chinese and American students. At the same time, I also hope that my American colleagues will actively guide American students to study in China in a correct and rational way, and truly dispel doubts, enhance understanding and deepen friendship through exchanges. ”
In addition to strengthening student exchanges, direct exchanges between U.S. and Chinese educational institutions are also an important channel. As the required test for most international students in the United States, the TOEFL test or the Graduate Record Test (GRE) has been in Chinese mainland for more than 40 years since 1981. "The Educational Testing Service (ETS) is an active participant in China-US educational exchanges, and we will continue to support Chinese students to 'go out and learn back', and help build China's international talent training ecosystem and international talent training. Wang Mengyan, President of ETS Greater China, said that international students have made important contributions to China's development after returning to China. On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the TOEFL test in China, ETS China and the European and American Returned Scholars Association jointly released the list of "TOEFL China 40 People in 40 Years". In addition, in November 2013, ETS joined forces with 10 educational institutions, think tanks, and advocates to launch the Us.For Success" coalition, which will drive policy development and initiatives to support international students.
In China, U.S.-China partner universities such as NYU Shanghai, Duke Kunshan University, and Wenzhou-Kean University are now major channels for U.S. international students. "China and the United States can build a suitable platform for Chinese and American college students to study and exchange with each other's universities, so that the people of the two countries can understand each other and enhance mutual trust. Tong Shijun pointed out that some policies in the United States have now hindered Sino-US educational exchanges, and hopes that these obstacles will be gradually removed, "There are many Chinese students studying in the United States, but not many American students come to China, which also shows that American young people need to go deep into China and understand China." ”
China-US educational cooperation and exchanges are inseparable from the top-level design of the two countries. On November 15, 2023, China*** announced in a speech at the joint welcome banquet of the American friendship group: "In order to expand exchanges between the people of China and the United States, especially the younger generation, China is willing to invite 50,000 American teenagers to China for exchange and study in the next five years." Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng said that China will set up the "Special Scholarship for American Youth Envoys to China" program, through inter-school exchanges, short-term visits, summer schools, winter camps and other rich and diverse forms, welcome more American teenagers to observe China with their own eyes, measure China with their own steps, and become a new generation of envoys of China-US friendship.
In addition, the U.S.-China Education Exchange Advisory Committee, proposed by the American Association of International Education and the China Education Association for International Exchange, will soon play a role. "We will use proven cooperation models and innovative cooperation frameworks to inspire confidence in universities in both countries, and to explore and understand the value of continuous cooperation. "At the same time, we confront and address current and future challenges to ensure that educational cooperation runs smoothly and is more successful." ”
It is foreseeable that with the unremitting efforts of people of insight in China and the United States, China-US educational cooperation and exchanges will eventually be on the right track. As Professor Seth Alan Watkins put it, "China and the United States are inextricably linked. We should embrace cooperation and leverage each other's strengths to seek excellence in education through exchanges between the two countries. There is much to be done in the educational exchanges between teachers and students between the two countries, and the strengthening of the U.S.-China relationship will also be achieved through the strengthening of educational exchanges. ”