Universities in Asia now a hot choice

A growing number of Chinese students are choosing Asian universities over traditional destinations in Europe and North America as their destinations for overseas study, signaling a shift in international education trends, according to experts and a blue paper released on Friday.

A range of factors contributed to the shift, including geographic proximity, affordability and safety, experts said.

"An increased number of Chinese students choosing Malaysia as the preferred higher education option has been observed," said Noor Azuan, President of Universiti Malaya.

"This reflects the continued upward trend of Chinese students attracted to Malaysia's educational offerings, especially at the postgraduate level."

Asian universities are also benefiting from China's regional development strategies such as the Belt and Road Initiative, while the improving global reputation of Asian institutions has made them more appealing to students seeking both education quality and job opportunity, Azuan said.

Safety concerns in the United States and Europe, especially regarding gun violence and geopolitical tensions, have further contributed to the shift, he added.

The 2024 Blue Paper for Chinese Overseas Students Returning to China for Employment, published by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange under the Ministry of Education, highlights a steady rise in the proportion of Chinese students returning from Asian universities.

From 2020 to 2023, the share of returnees with overseas degrees from Asia increased from 21.61 percent to 31.35 percent. In contrast, those returning from North America declined from 25.62 percent to 18.73 percent over the same period, the paper said.

The trend is even more pronounced among high-level talent with postgraduate degrees. In 2023, a record 21,574 Chinese students with doctoral degrees returned to China, a 51 percent increase from 2020. Among them, 53.07 percent had obtained their PhDs from Asian universities, up 7 percentage points from 2022. Meanwhile, the share of PhDs from North America dropped to 16.3 percent, down nearly 11 percentage points from 2020.

In terms of master's degrees, 31.7 percent of returnees in 2023 had studied in Asia, while only 13.73 percent had studied in North America, marking a decrease of 6 percentage points compared to 2021.

On Friday afternoon, Wang Sheng was seeking postgraduate study opportunities for his son at the 2025 China International Education Exhibition Tour in Beijing.

Currently a student at the University of Queensland in Australia, his son aims to pursue further education at the National University of Singapore's business school, Wang said.

"We value the school's academic quality and job prospects after graduation ... We never considered Europe or the US. They don't feel safe, and we're worried about racial discrimination," the father said.

According to the blue paper, South Korea has emerged as a key destination for Chinese students, ranking second in terms of doctoral returnees since 2021, with over 11 percent of returning PhDs having studied there.

"Chinese students are increasingly interested in studying in South Korea," said Zhang Ying, director of China admissions at Daegu Catholic University.

"South Korea offers a safe, culturally similar and cost-effective alternative for students with average academic performance," she said, adding that the university enrolled over 1,000 Chinese students last year.