Helping China’s young advance academically

As part of an assignment for the UNCG MALS Dragon Awakes course, we were to look at two different examples of China’s young. The first was an introduction to its culture in vibrant urban Shanghai, presented by FrontlineWorld reporter Nguyen Qui Duc with the help of Mian Mian who is “a poster child for spiritual pollution” according to government censors. The young came across as a frivolous group whose driving concern was fun and pleasure. The second example was with a young person named Alex who had more serious interests.

Alex is a serious young man whose thoughts went beyond the present. He was preparing himself for a good financial future to better himself, help his family and also his country. To that end he was majoring in Computer Science in college. Alex’s parents had lived through both China’s poorer times and the Cultural Revolution which likely meant that they were more concerned with obtaining the basics needed to exist. It was obvious that the parents wanted Alex to have better and helped him obtain it. No indication was given as to what was required of the parents to help Alex with his academic career. However, other examples that we have seen indicated that the parents often had to help both by encouragement and financially. Therefore any external financial help that could be obtained would be welcome to China’s young.

What may be an emerging approach to help China’s young advance academically, thereby helping both the person and the country, are scholarships provided by outside groups. One such scholarship has been announced by Peoples Daily Online as the “PD Online Scholarship.” The degree program to promote journalism and communication will be offered online at Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China and the Communication University of China. Perhaps the concept will spread and will help more young people like Alex pursue their ambitions.