Get a close look at education abroad

Officials from universities around the world are touring seven Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Nanjing through April 9. Xu Lin reports.

Officials from more than 250 universities, colleges and educational institutions from 29 countries and regions were in Beijing last weekend.

They were part of the annual China International Education Exhibition Tour.

Representatives from nine countries along the Belt and Road routes, including some central Asian countries, were also part of the tour.

At the event, student admission officers were there to provide parents and students with professional guidance on choices in terms of universities, colleges and majors.

The officials from the universities are touring seven Chinese cities, including Shanghai, Nanjing and Xi'an, through April 9.

The tour, which is one of the largest education events in China, has been organized by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange, affiliated with the Ministry of Education.

"It (the event) meets the demands of the Chinese market," says Vivienne Stern, the director of Universities UK International.

Unistats is the official site that allows you to compare data and information on university and college courses from across the United Kingdom. Its data shows that six months after graduating, manufacturing engineering students' annual salaries can range from ￡22,000-28,000 ($27,600-35,000).

Speaking about what Chinese students are going in for, she says: "We're seeing them make a broad range of choices among 80,000 programs in the UK. They think about what is right for them. That's why events like these are important, because they (the students) can understand what individual universities are like."

According to her, there are about 115,000 Chinese students in the UK now, and they are the largest group among the international students.

Stern says that the UK remains one of the cheapest study destinations among English-speaking countries.

"It's a great time to go to the UK as the exchange rate is favorable after Brexit, making the courses more affordable."

Julie Newlan, pro vice-chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire, which has nearly 400 Chinese students, accounting for 16 percent of the total international students, says: "We're proud of the diversity of our growing international students group. We do not have a cap for Chinese students, but we will have a balance.

"No one wants to go to a university where they are the students from only their area."

Meanwhile, the university is working with Chinese universities on exchange programs for both students and teachers.

She says the role of both China and the UK is to provide relevant and up-to-date education, so students can walk out and join industry and practice what they learn.

Speaking about her experience at a UK university, Bi Yalin, 22, a digital media art major from Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts, who is at the University of Hertfordshire for her senior year as an exchange program, says: "Being in the UK has made me more independent in my studies and in life. I've brushed up my English and broadened my horizons.

"I now know about what overseas studies mean and I plan to apply for postgraduate studies."

According to Alexandra Grace, counselor (education) at the New Zealand embassy in Beijing, the country is also seeing a growing trend of younger Chinese students going overseas to study. In 2015, there were 7,000 school students from China in New Zealand, up 47 percent over the previous year.

New Zealand has only eight universities, but all of them are in the top 500 of the QS World University Rankings.

"The quality of education counts. Also, we are a safe and welcoming country," she says.

Grace says the country is recognized for its quality of applied education, in the way that the theoretical merges with practical.

"The day they graduate from the institutes of technology, they can start working because they know what the industry requires."

Also at the event, are officials from Dubai to promote their educational offerings.

"We have about 30 branch campuses from 11 countries such as the United States. So, you don't have to travel to those countries and have access to more choices in Dubai," says Abdulla Al Karam, chairman of the board of directors of Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority.

Chinese students mainly study business and management in Dubai, and there are a total of 50,000 Chinese students in Dubai's universities as of now.

Contact the writer at xulin@chinadaily.com.cn