Recently, a virtual university called "Shanhe University" has sparked heated discussions online. The idea of this university was put forward by netizens, who imagined that if 3.43 million candidates from Shandong, Shanxi, Henan, and Hebei provinces paid 1,000 yuan each, they could establish a comprehensive university located at the junction of the four provinces, and recruit students from the "four provinces of mountains and rivers". Although this idea is only an interesting imagination, it reflects the current situation and needs of education in these four populous provinces, and has also attracted the attention and response of the Ministry of Education.
The "four provinces of mountains and rivers" are the major provinces of China's college entrance examination, and millions of candidates take the college entrance examination every year, but correspondingly, the higher education resources of these four provinces are relatively scarce, especially the quantity and quality of key universities, and there is an obvious gap compared with other provinces. According to statistics, there are 4 211 universities and 2 985 universities in these four provinces, and these 2 985 universities are located in Shandong. Nationwide, there are 116 colleges and universities in 211 and 39 colleges and universities in 985. This means that candidates from these four provinces who want to enter key universities will not only have to face fierce competition, but also bear the pressure of high scores and low admissions, or choose to study in other provinces.
This imbalance of educational resources not only affects the candidates' opportunities and development prospects in these four provinces, but also affects the talent training and talent flow in these four provinces. Due to the lack of local university resources, many outstanding candidates choose to study in colleges and universities in other provinces, and after graduation, they rarely return to their hometowns to work, but choose to stay in developed areas or first-tier cities, resulting in the outflow and loss of talents. This is undoubtedly a loss and a challenge for the economic and social development of these four provinces.
Therefore, it is recommended that the enrollment of colleges and universities should be moderately tilted towards provinces with large populations, which is a reasonable demand and a necessary measure. In this way, it can not only alleviate the educational pressure of these four provinces, but also promote the development of education in these four provinces, increase the employment and entrepreneurship opportunities of candidates in these four provinces, and also promote the retention and return of talents in these four provinces, and also promote the educational equity and balance of education in the country, and also promote the reasonable distribution and flow of talents in the country.
Of course, this does not mean that we can ignore the construction and development of universities in these four provinces, nor that we can ignore the educational needs and rights of other provinces. On the contrary, we should pay more attention to the quality and level of colleges and universities in these four provinces, pay more attention to the balance and coordination of education in other provinces, and make more efforts to improve the level and efficiency of education across the country. This is the fundamental purpose of education, and it is also the ultimate meaning of education.