Appeal of studying overseas leveling off
Print Edition
THE number of Chinese people going abroad to study grew much more slowly in 2013 than in previous years, officials said yesterday.
Meanwhile, the number of returnees soared by nearly 30 percent in the same period, compared to 2012.
About 412,900 Chinese mainlanders went overseas to study last year — up 3.5 percent from 2012, according to Ministry of Education figures.
But this increase was far smaller than the 15 percent rise in 2012 and the 20 percent hike in 2011.
“The overseas study market in China is entering a steady stage,” said Zong Huawei, deputy director of the international cooperation division of the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange in Beijing.“Chinese families are becoming more rational when choosing overseas studies, instead of simply following a trend,” she added.
Zong was in Shanghai in advance of the 19th China International Education Exhibition Tour stop off in the city on March 22 and 23.
Some 200 education institutes — everything from kindergartens to universities — from more than 10 countries are represented.
Zong said China’s good economic environment and job prospects are behind the dramatic increase of returnees.
“Central and regional government offer many favorable policies for returnees to set up a business or follow a career here,” Zong said.
Last year, more than 363,500 Chinese people who had been living or studying abroad came back to China, an increase of 29 percent from 2012.
Zong said the number of overseas students in China also increased. At the end of 2012, there were 350,000 overseas students in the country — up 6 percent from 2012.
At the current growth rate, China will come close to the Ministry of Education goal of 500,000 overseas students by 2020, Zong said.
Meanwhile, the United States remains the most popular destination for Shanghai students to study abroad, followed by the United Kingdom and Australia, said Zhang Jin, an official with international exchange division of the Shanghai Education Commission.
Last year, 10,234 Shanghai students went abroad for study, a drop of 208 from 2012, according to figures based on 15 certified overseas study agents in the city, said the education official.
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