According to data released by the Ministry of Education, the number of graduate students enrolled in the country in 2016 was 66710,000, and in 2022, that number has expanded to 124250,000 people, almost doubled. Due to the significant increase in the number of graduate students, in order to make effective use of valuable resources, many universities such as Peking University, Nanjing University, and Fudan University have clearly stated in the 2024 master's degree enrollment brochure that they will not provide accommodation for some graduate students. The phenomenon that graduate students have no dormitory to live in on campus has aroused heated discussions among netizens.
More and more students are choosing to pursue a postgraduate degree, but does that mean they really love and are passionate about what they are studying?
First of all, let's analyze the deep-seated reasons why young people pursue further education:
Competitive pressure for jobs: As the job market becomes more competitive, many young people choose to pursue a postgraduate degree to enhance their competitiveness and job prospects. However, in the process, some people may only use a graduate degree as a bargaining chip, lacking real interest and pursuit in the field of study.
Social proof pressures: Pursuing a graduate degree is seen as a symbol of success under the influence of social attitudes, which also exacerbate young people's pursuit of further education. However, if the pursuit is not motivated by the real motivation of the heart, then the pursuit may only be superficial vanity.
Self-growth and knowledge: Some young people choose to pursue a postgraduate degree because they have a strong interest in a particular field and want to further their professional skills through in-depth study and research. This kind of starting point is worthy of social advocacy, and it will play a positive role in helping the growth of young people in the future.
This phenomenon poses a series of challenges that require the concerted efforts of society to come up with a response strategy:
1.Problems with the quality of education. The rapid increase in the number of graduate students has put pressure on the quality of higher education. How to ensure that the quality of education is not compromised while expanding enrollment has become an urgent problem to be solved. The education department should strengthen the supervision of colleges and universities, and establish a stricter review mechanism to ensure the quality of teaching in the process of postgraduate training. At the same time, colleges and universities should also rationally allocate teachers to improve their professional ability and teaching level, so as to ensure the steady improvement of education quality.
2.Increased employment pressures. As the number of graduate students expands, so does the pressure on graduates to find employment. The mismatch between social needs and postgraduate training is becoming increasingly apparent. In order to cope with this problem, the higher education sector needs to be more accurate about the employment needs of society, and pass this information on to students and tutors, guiding students to choose a professional direction that meets the needs of the market. At the same time, it is also necessary to strengthen career guidance and employment services, provide more practical opportunities, and enhance students' employability competitiveness. **10,000 Fans Incentive Plan
3.Insufficient training of scientific research capacity. The graduate stage is a critical period for cultivating scientific research and innovation capabilities, however, large-scale enrollment may lead to the scarcity and dispersion of scientific research resources. In order to cultivate high-quality scientific research talents, universities need to optimize the allocation of scientific research resources, strengthen the construction of scientific research teams, and encourage and support students to participate in scientific research projects. At the same time, it is also necessary to improve the scientific research evaluation mechanism, pay attention to the quality rather than the quantity of scientific research results, and stimulate the innovation potential of graduate students.