Explore China - Chengdu, the Metropolis that Offers Everything

Chengdu Is On The Rise

It does not matter if you want to discuss a deal, discover business contacts, or just relax and take in the cultural and tourist attractions, this city has something for everyone.

On the rise: the New York Times recommended Chengdu as one of the '52 places to go' in 2015 

 By Li Yu and Peng Chao   21 Apr 2015

“It’s an ideal city for both working and living,” said Shane Tian, who has lived in Chengdu for the past five years and is the vice-president of Sagent Pharmaceuticals in China.

The US company established its first Chinese manufacturing base in the Chengdu High-Tech Bonded Zone, one of the first to locate there. The zone is now home to many multinationals.

Tian said the Chengdu base was building a new high-speed manufacturing line to triple production capacity and meet growing market demand.

“The decision to set up the base was made with an eye to the future. Everybody knows this is the centre of new development and a great place to do business.

"It would have been much more expensive for us to set up and operate on the east coast of China. Land is much cheaper here. The cost of living is low; young people here can actually afford to buy a home, and that helps us attract and retain talent,” Tian said.

He said doing business is easier in Chengdu because the city has direct flights to San Francisco and Europe. At the moment, the company’s products are sold in the US market: “But eventually we will sell in China and the global market, including Europe, and if you are exporting to Europe, here in Chengdu you actually have a (logistics) advantage now.

A rich culture

“The reason I came to Chengdu, however, was not just about business, but the rich culture and work-life balance in the city,” Tian said. He went to the United States in 1992, working and living in New York City.

“If I were asked to go to Beijing and Shanghai, I wouldn’t. But Chengdu is different. It has almost everything the coastal cities have, and it is also the best city in which to enjoy life,” he said.

Tian, who has bought an apartment near his workplace and enjoys playing golf in the suburbs or visiting bars in the downtown in his free time, said he has liked the city since he was young because it was the boyhood home of Li Bai, one of China’s best poets during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), and was also the capital of the Shu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms Period (AD 220-280).

With a history of nearly 3,000 years, Chengdu is one of the few cities that hasn’t changed its name throughout the long run of Chinese history. It was a first-tier city in China before New York and Shanghai even existed.

Pandas and Kung Pao Chicken

Famous for pandas and delicious food, the city is a traditional tourism hotspot, and in January, the New York Times recommended it as one of the '52 places to go in 2015'.

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is home to more than 100 of them. As a world leader in feeding, breeding and disease prevention and cure of giant pandas, the base has been devoted to the protection of the animal.

Ancient history: Chengdu hasn’t changed its name in 3,000 years

 Since it opened to the public in the 1990s, the base has attracted millions of tourists from home and abroad.

Named by UNESCO as a “City of Gastronomy”, Chengdu is also known for its spicy and diverse cuisine. Many famous Chinese dishes, including Mapo Tofu and Kung Pao Chicken, originated in Chengdu.

The city also has 63 national A-class tourist scenic spots, 140 star-rated hotels and 364 travel agencies. Major chains such as Shangri-La, Kempinski, St Regis and Ritz-Carlton hotels provide quality rooms, services and epicurean experiences.

Chengdu received 1.97 million overseas visitors last year, a rise of almost 12 per cent on the previous year, and the local tourism bureau said the city would continue to upgrade tourism facilities and services to meet local, domestic and international demand.

Gateway to western China

With China’s go-west campaign and the city’s opening-up to the world, Chengdu has risen to become one of the most dynamic cities in western China, and 262 Fortune Global 500 companies have a presence there.

“Chengdu is a city with long history and a variety of talents. With its growing advantages, from the humanities to the natural environment, it has become a new economic leader among China’s western cities,” said Charles Cheung, managing director and executive director of Dell China, which opened an operation centre in the tech zone of Chengdu in 2013.

“As a transportation hub of the new Asia-Europe continental bridge, Chengdu can help Dell shorten the logistics time of exporting products to Europe and expand Dell's global business, which has a very big development space in terms of geography."
Last year, the city’s GDP passed 1 trillion yuan ($160 billion), 8.9 percent higher than in 2013. The local statistics bureau said foreign investment in the city hit $10 billion last year.

Boosting innovation

The latest charm is the “Entrepreneurial Tianfu” programme. Officially launched by the city government last month, the programme aims to encourage university students, scientific and technological talents, and top foreign talents to start businesses and boost innovation in the city.

Tang Liangzhi, the mayor of Chengdu, has sent an invitation to entrepreneurs around the world, inviting them to share development opportunities and achieve win-win co-operation.
“We will provide entrepreneurs with greater development space, a better business environment and a more dynamic atmosphere for innovation,” he said.

Chengdu is already the largest aviation hub in western China, with 80 international air routes. Moreover, China’s cabinet has approved the construction of a new airport, making Chengdu only the third city on the Chinese mainland, after Beijing and Shanghai, to have more than one airport.

“Once the new airport is completed, there will be big potential for expansion, particularly when it comes to linking western China and Europe,” said Xiao Yao, vice-manager of the marketing and investment department of the Sichuan Province Airport Group.

“Europe is very important to Chengdu,” he said. “Chengdu is right on the central air route from Asia to Europe. Every day more than 50 flights from Asia fly over Chengdu. (Source - telegraph.co.uk)

If you are a student and wish to further study in Chengdu, China, click the below links and see what is in store for you by the top university located in this land of abundance and opportunity.

1. Sichuan University - English-medium instructed degree and master programs
2. China's Silicon Valley - Chengdu Start-ups Sensing Success

Explore China - Sea of Clouds Attracts Thousands of Tourists in Central China

A sea of clouds appears at Tianmen mountain at Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan province on March 30, 2015. Tourists can even see the light of Buddha under the glass plank road. 

(Photos- CNS/Ding Yunjuan).

Tianmen Mountain (Chinese: 天门山) is a mountain located within Tianmen Mountain National Park, Zhangjiajie, in northwestern Hunan Province, China.

A cable car was constructed by the French company Poma from nearby Zhangjiajie railway station to the top of the mountain. Tianmen Mountain Cable way is claimed in tourist publications as the "longest passenger cable way of high mountains in the world", with 98 cars and a total length of 7,455 metres (24,459 ft) and ascent of 1,279 metres (4,196 ft).
The highest gradient is an unusual 37 degrees.

Tourists can walk on kilometres of paths built onto the cliff face at the top of the mountain, including sections with glass floors. An 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) road with 99 bends also reaches the top of the mountain and takes visitors to Tianmen cave, a natural hole in the mountain of a height of 131.5 metres (431 ft).

A large temple is also located on the summit with chairlift or footpath access. The original temple here was built in the Tang Dynasty. Today a more recent construction with Tang dynasty architecture occupies the site and includes a vegetarian restaurant in the 10,000 sq mi of setting. (Source - Wikipedia)

View of the natural arch and the stairway leading to it 

View of the Heaven-Linking Avenue from a cable car

Tian Menshan Mountain,Zhangjiajie famous mountains, national forest park

Tianmenshan temple

China's Top Universities Shine In Global Ranking

China’s program of investment in higher education over the past decades is beginning to pay dividends, said higher education data specialists QS.

The organization’s annual QS World University Rankings by Subject, released Wednesday, showed that among 36 academic disciplines evaluated, seven Chinese universities made the global top 50.

Ben Sowter, head of research, said the success of China’s universities fits into a wider shift in the global balance of power, with Asian institutions emerging as genuine competitors to the U.S. and U.K., especially in the academic disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The report also said that Hong Kong universities displayed increased international competitiveness with a strong presence across the subjects.

There have been rises and falls across subjects for universities in China and Hong Kong, with not enough factors to identify broad trends in either direction, Sowter explained. But the overall movement is clear.

“What manifests itself as a very clear trend, however, is that institutions in the region are much more strongly represented than last year, with 70 additional places across the subjects occupied by universities from China and Hong Kong,” he said in an e-mailed comment.

“This perhaps indicates a deepening of quality across the sector in mainland China – in other words a growing capacity to offer a world class education at a world class university to more students in more subjects.”

In total, 2,186 institutions across the globe were ranked in at least one subject.

Mainland China was the fifth most represented country in the global rankings, and the top nation in Asia, followed by Japan.

Peking University led the pack of mainland schools within the top 50 range, followed by Tsinghua University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Peking University

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) was the third best performing university in Asia, after the National University of Singapore and The University of Tokyo.

American universities dominated the rankings in terms of the number of subjects in which they lead, with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard taking the lion’s share of top places.

The rankings are based on the expert opinion of 85,062 academics, who identified the leading institutions within their field and region of expertise.

View complete rankings on topuniversities.com.


Top institutions Mainland China World’s Top 50        by number of subjects

Peking University                                                                                             22

Tsinghua University                                                                                         15

Shanghai Jiao Tong University                                                                        7

Fudan University                                                                                                 2

Tongji University                                                                                                 2

China Agricultural University                                                                           1

Beijing Normal University                                                                                 1



Top institutions Hong Kong World’s Top 50                  by number of subjects

University of Hong Kong (HKU)                                                                        26

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)                                              17

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)               12

City University of Hong Kong                                                                               6

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University                                                              5

The Hong Kong Institute of Education                                                               1

Source - forbes.com

MBBS Program in China -The Importance of Human Dissection in Medical Studies

Dissection also called anatomization is one of the main component in medical studies. In this human dissection process, it will provide insight of disassembling and observing something to determine its internal structure and as an aid to discerning the functions and relationships of human components and organs.

Human dissection is commonly practiced in the teaching of anatomy for students of medicine, while students of biology often engage in dissections of animals like rat and frog. Dissection is a medical practice utilized in pathology and forensic medicine during autopsy.

"Anatomy is the foundation for the language of medicine: the language health-care professionals use for communicating about patients," said Todd Olson, an anatomist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. 

Human dissection has always been the most important method of teaching anatomy to medical students for hundreds of years and "Cadaver" is an essential item for medical students in this crucial hands-on experience in medical teaching. Many medical universities around the world are facing the shortage and limited supply of donated cadavers for anatomical studies.

In view of the importance of human dissection, Hacettepe University is desperately in need of cadavers for its medical students and now turns to China for solution. Read the full story below published on 28th April 2015.

Turkey: Hacettepe University turns to China over shortage of cadavers

An acute shortage of cadavers at medical schools in Turkey has forced universities to import this essential item for medical students. China, a leading importer to Turkey of everything from umbrellas to motorcycles, may offer a solution.

Hacettepe University in Ankara, home to a prestigious Faculty of Medicine, is considering importing cadavers from China for this indispensable tool in training of would-be doctors.

Abdurrahman Güngör, director of Hacettepe's university research park, told Anadolu Agency it would be a win-win for the university and China. "We will help them in developing robotic surgery simulation centers and they will supply us with cadavers for lower prices," he said. Güngör said one cadaver is sold for $15,000 and universities in Turkey had difficulty in acquiring the cadavers.

"Hacettepe University is a leading school on medical education in Turkey. Students get to know every aspect of medicine. They have to dissect the bodies, to be able to examine the live tissue [instead of plastic ones]," Güngör said.

He said every classroom had one cadaver at medical schools in China while it is not the case in Turkey. "Here, one school has two cadavers and students sometimes are not even able to touch the body," Güngör said.

The cadaver shortage is attributed to a lack of donations, a common problem faced by medical schools around the globe as families of the deceased often shy away from donating bodies to schools, out of cultural and religious concerns. The shortage in the world is further aggravated due to a growing demand not only from medical schools but also pharmaceutical companies. Finding the perfect cadaver for training purposes, a cadaver without a disease, obesity and disability, also poses a challenge as cadavers up for donation are often not up for the task.

Medical schools in Turkey also complain that judiciary officials often order the burial of unclaimed bodies, a main source for cadavers, instead of handing them to the schools.

Several universities in Turkey have launched campaigns, urging the public to donate cadavers, in recent years.

Turkey last year passed a law that allowed the importing of cadavers although regulations remain murky, complicating the importing process. Hacettepe University was among the first institutions to import cadavers after the law passed, acquiring six cadavers from the United States.

The country has 86 medical schools but many suffer from a shortage of cadavers. Some students even complete their studies without dissecting a cadaver or working on plastic models. (Source - dailysabah.com)

Hong Kong medical schools have long struggled with a shortage of donated corpses, which students need for their anatomy studies. Photo: Sam Tsang

As early as 2nd year into MBBS program, medical students are required to perform dissection of human brain at China University

Study clinical medicine is China is popular among international students. In addition to Chinese-medium medical programs, many medical schools in China also offer MBBS program fully taught in English for many years. 

In Australia, statistics revealed by Australia Medical Council (AMC) that there were 73 International Medical Graduates who studied western medicine in China and took part in the 2nd part of clinical test with 51 passed in the examination. 

The high passing rate of almost 70% was partly due to the high standard of clinical training they received in China. International medical graduates (IMGs) who wish to practise medicine in Australia are required to applied and were assessed through the AMC Standard pathway for qualification assessment. Click here to view the AMC report.

Hence, study western medicine is China will certainly provide you with many opportunities of hands-on clinical human dissection experiences. Coupled with the modern and outstanding medical facilities and equipment in their class A hospitals will definitely give your added advantage in the final year of clinical training and internship in China's hospitals and will certainly provide excellent learning opportunity as there are many clinical cases to be observed thru out the clinical years.

Autumn 2015 intake for MBBS program is in progress. Apply now!

Related stories:

1. Hands-On Learning in the Dissection Lab
2. Why the Anatomy Lab Remains a Fixture of Medicine?
3. Free scattering of ashes offer helps ease shortage of cadavers for students

4. Body Donation - An act of love supporting anatomy education
5. Putting Chinese Doctors to The US Medical Test
6. Healthcare Reform Set To Open More Opportunities For Medical Students In China

Le Cordon Bleu Opens Its First Campus in China

Le Cordon Bleu, a well-known provider of culinary education, has opened a campus in Shanghai today in a joint venture with Shanghai Business and Tourism School.

Le Cordon Bleu opens its first campus in China today. Photo: Le Cordon Bleu

Le Cordon Bleu Shanghai Culinary Arts Academy, is the first of the brand’s campus in China.

The school has welcomed an inaugural class of 90 students, and will teach a variety of programmes in the culinary field.

These include its signature programme, The Grand Diplôme, in addition to Cuisine and Pâtisserie Diplomas and short courses.

Mr Li Xiao Hua, Principal of Le Cordon Bleu Shanghai Culinary Arts Academy, has said in a statement that the school has obtained approval and support from the ministries of education, human resource and social security, civil affairs and finance.

“[It] is a building designed and featuring state-of-the-art kitchens and classroom facilities offering students the latest and most innovative opportunities in culinary education,” he said.

Since its inception in 1895, Le Cordon Bleu has grown its presence across 28 different countries. It now has 57 international schools across the world, and teaches over 22,000 students each year.

The provider saw its first Chinese student enrol in its programmes in 1995.

Source - thepienews.com

Related story:

Le Cordon Bleu opens its doors in China

Chinese Women Engineers Establish First Club in Nanjing in East China's Jiangsu

Female graduate students on the campus of Nanjing University of Science & Technology. (Photo : www.womenofchina.cn)

Jiangsu Province has launched its first female engineer's club in order to change old-fashioned practices over gender discrimination in employment on April 23.

Jointly organized by the specialist engineering Nanjing Tech University and a large industrial gases company based in the United States, Praxair, the club — regarded as a cradle for female Chinese engineers — was officially established in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province.

Female members from a club aimed at presenting female engineers' skills attend their course in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province on April 23. The club is considered the first of its kind in Jiangsu for women, and abolishes the old-fashioned prejudices and gender discrimination against females in regards to their employment. [jschina.com.cn]

Gender imbalance in employment, especially in male-dominated fields, is all too apparent. According to a survey conducted among the global workforce, women who are engaged in high-tech, engineering and math sectors account for only 25 percent of the total worldwide.

"Some females show superior memory ability whilst acquiring a more logical way thinking; they maintain efficiency and a can have a more satisfactory level of productivity. Such merits could contribute a lot to the development of engineering and are useful in pioneering enterprises," said Li Zhenmin, vice-chairperson of Praxair.

"Employment practices that are prejudiced against women or prefer to see them in administration or dealing with trivial affairs, will be terminated" added Li.

Currently, 50 female students from 13 schools of the Nanjing Tech University were selected to enroll into the club for further education and future promotion at their workplaces.

Li stated that the gases company would recruit more female employees from the existing 27 percent of all employees to 30 percent or more.

"Those 50 female talents will be among our top choices once they have finished their lectures in the club," said Li.

"Just as at those state-owned universities in China, we will enroll female students annually. They will take at least 10 courses a year, covering workplace etiquette, training to be scheme planner, and we will be opening law-themed lectures to enhance female awareness against gender discrimination in employment," stated Ge Peng, deputy-secretary of the Party Committee of the Chemical Technology School of Nanjing Tech University, adding that their aim was to explore female students' strong points and assist them to better find a way for promotion.

Female members from a club aimed at presenting female engineers' skills operate their instruments in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province on April 23. The club is considered the first of its kind in Jiangsu for women, and abolishes the old-fashioned prejudices and gender discrimination against females in regards to their employment. [jschina.com.cn]

What made the club special was that each student would be given a lecture card; those who are absent three times will be struck off the club's register.

"Born into a family giving preference to boys over girls, in the western region of China, I am determined to make a gigantic achievement in my future career to prove that girls are by no means inferior to boys. Besides, the club serves as a platform for our women to present their unique character and charm in the field of engineering," said Fang Kun, a member of the club as well as a one of the university's female engineering students. (Source - womenofchina.cn)


See also the story of  - China's Female Fighter Pilots Perform Abroad For The First Time in Malaysia

China's Silicon Valley - Chengdu Start-ups Sensing Success

Businesses turn to China's western hub for breathing space as costs and traffic woes hit major cities, Li Yu and Peng Chao report in Chengdu.

Panda-monium: a charity activity at Chengdu Tianfu Software Park, Sichuan province

By Li Yu and Peng Chao    25 Apr 2015

China’s first-tier cities in the conventional sense - Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou - have long been the first choice as bases for start-up companies. Yet the rising property prices, worsening traffic and increasing living costs in these metropolises have led to more entrepreneurs shifting their focus to uprising second-tier cities.

One of them is Chengdu, the capital of Southwest China’s Sichuan province and a major hub for the country’s vast southwest.

Li Xin, CEO of venture capital company Baotuan Tech Ventures, has called the city home for five years. The 32-year-old was born in Lanzhou, Gansu province, and graduated from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2006.

 After first working at a foreign IT company in Hong Kong, he found a job with Chengdu Hi-Tech Development Zone, which has hundreds of hi-tech companies. He went on to establish an internet company and an advertising agency. He said he enjoyed the process and had gained a great deal of experience.

Last year Mr Li joined Baotuan, which since being founded in August 2013 has invested in more than 40 start-ups nationwide, as well as two in the United States’ Silicon Valley, with a total investment of 50 million yuan (£5.5 million). Many of the start-ups have been in Chengdu.

“The IT industry has developed so fast in Chengdu in recent years,” said the CEO, whose wife is a native of the city. “I’m surprised Chengdu has so many good start-up teams, each as good as the best Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou have to offer.”

Most of the start-ups invested in by Baotuan are game developers, as its parent company, Tap4fun, is focused on the industry. Tap4fun is one of the best examples of the fast-developing start-ups in Chengdu Tianfu Software Park. Founded by three partners with 3,000 yuan as startup capital, today the company has 400 employees and annual sales revenue of more than $100 million.

Mr Li said Baotuan not only incubated start-ups in their “kindergarten period” with money and free office space, but also with its rich entrepreneurial experience.

“Most start-ups fail at the very beginning,” he said. “Someone may have very good ideas, but they lack the experience to start a company and realise those ideas, which is a huge loss to the entrepreneur and society. Our experience can help them avoid making mistakes.” He said Baotuan planned to invest more than 100 million yuan in more than 30 start-ups this year.

Rapid development

Over the past three years, Mr Li said he had witnessed rapid development in Chengdu: GDP has risen from 814 billion yuan to one trillion yuan, the number of Fortune Global 500 companies with a presence has increased from 212 to 262, and international air routes available at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport has gone from 48 to 82.

Joining forces: workers from Baotuan Tech Ventures and a Silicon Valley start-up

Great changes have also taken place in the Internet industry. “Chengdu is very quickly catching up with the first-tier cities,” Mr Li said, adding that he believed Chengdu will one day cultivate companies such as Alibaba, China’s largest e-commerce company.

With a good entrepreneurial atmosphere, relatively low living costs, clean living environment and strong government support, Chengdu has become more attractive to business people and workers around China and the world, Mr Li said.

The Entrepreneurial Tianfu project launched in February has added to the city’s charm. The project aims to encourage university students, scientific and technological experts, and top overseas workers to start businesses, as well as encourage venture capitalists and entrepreneurs to invest in Chengdu.

Each month, the city government holds an activity for entrepreneurs, investors, university principals, research institute directors and government officials to share their experiences in starting companies and discuss entrepreneurial programmes.

Tang Liangzhi, the mayor of Chengdu, who attends each one, said he believed that during China’s new normal era of development, innovation and entrepreneurship would be major driving forces for economic growth.

“Chengdu warmly welcomes scientific and technological innovation enterprises and workers,” Mr Tang said. “We promise to provide entrepreneurs with greater development space, a better business environment and a more dynamic innovation atmosphere.”

China's Silicon Valley

According to the plan for Entrepreneurial Tianfu, the city will establish a comprehensive support system by 2020, with 200,000 scientific and technological entrepreneurs.
The number of technology companies is expected to reach 100,000, including 2,000 hi-tech companies. Technology companies will generate annual revenue of 2 trillion yuan, while the number of patents applied annually will reach 50,000.

To encourage universities and institutions nationwide to join in with innovative projects in Chengdu, the city’s science and technology bureau unveiled a range of policies. The package of policies, known as Chengdu 10 Points, vowed to provide people with technology or projects with financial support of up to 1 million yuan if they set up a business in the city.

Bai Yong, who received a bachelor’s degree in Chengdu from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and is studying for a doctorate in bio-medical engineering at the University of California at Los Angeles, said he had been planning to start a business for a long time - and that Chengdu was his top destination.

“Although I am studying abroad, I have been keeping an eye on the entrepreneurial environment in Chengdu,” he said, adding that he had decided to come back to Chengdu and start a business with his friends at UCLA.

“Chengdu is in western China, and Silicon Valley is in the western region of the United States,” Chen Ou, founder and CEO of Jumei, China’s largest online beauty products retailer, said at an entrepreneur activity in Chengdu.

Mr Chen, whose company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in May last year, said he was not allowed to buy a home in Beijing because he does not hold Beijing hukou (a permanent residence permit), nor is he able to buy a car unless he wins the capital’s license plate lottery.

“Why would we start a business if it doesn’t improve our life?” Mr Chen said, adding that cities such as Chengdu appear more attractive to entrepreneurs. 

“Many of my employees are applying to work in Chengdu,” said Mr Chen who in March bought a house in the Sichuan capital. 

“I would like to speak for Chengdu,” he said.  (Source - telegraph.co.uk)

Sichuan University, especially The College of Software Engineering which has very close relationship, collaboration and co-operation with Chengdu's IT industry. Study at Sichuan University in Chengdu may help and provide you added advantage to gain access to this land of abundance opportunities of the Western China's Silicon Valley. 

Click the links below to see the English-medium instructed programs offered by the this top university in Sichuan. Autumn intake for 2015 is in progress. Apply now!

1. English-medium Software Engineering 
2. Sichuan University 
3. A Chinese City Goes After Silicon Valley

Explore Sichuan University - The Land of Abundance and Opportunities

INTRODUCTION TO SICHUAN UNIVERSITY

As one of the national key universities directly under the State Ministry of Education (MOE) as well as one of the State “211 Project” and 985 Project” universities enjoying privileged construction in the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, the present Sichuan University (SCU) was first incorporated in April, 1994 with Chengdu University of Science and Technology (CUST), then a national key university under the MOE, and then reincorporated again in Sept, 2000 with the West China University of Medical Science (WCUMS), a key university directly under to the State Ministry of Health in 2000.

The former Sichuan University was one of the earliest institutes of higher learning in China, with a history dating back to Sichuan Zhong-Xi Xuetang (Sichuan Chinese and Western School), established in 1896. The predecessor of CUST is Chengdu Engineering College, set up in 1954 as the result of the nation-wide college and department adjustment. WCUMS originated from the private Huaxi Xiehe University (West China Union University), established in 1910 by five Christian missionary groups from U.S.A., UK and Canada.scu

Over the course of its long history, SCU has acquired a profound cultural background and a solid foundation in its operation. The university motto “The sea is made great by accepting hundreds of rivers”, and university spirit of “rigorousness, diligence, truth-seeking, and innovation” are at the core of SCU’s raison d’etre.

At present, Sichuan University is a first class comprehensive research university in Western China. The University has established 30 Colleges, a College of Graduate Studies, a School of Overseas Education and two independent colleges, Jin Cheng and Jin Jiang College. These colleges cover 11 areas of study including: Humanities, Science, Medical, Economics, Management, Law, History, Philosophy, Agriculture, and Education.

At Sichuan University there are 46 key disciplines at the national level, 66 key disciplines at the provincial level, 27 first class Ph.D. disciplines as well as 229 other P.h.D. disciplines, 346 Master’s Degree disciplines, 13 specialized degree programs, 126 Undergraduate disciplines, 28 post-doctorate interim-positions, 6 National Innovative Training Bases for Scientific Research and Curriculum Study, and a National Base for the Education of University Students in Culture and Ethics.

To achieve the goal of turning Sichuan University into a world class comprehensive research university, SCU believes that “putting people first, valuing academic research, and pursuing excellence” while targeting “cultivating students into social elites with profound cultural knowledge, solid specialized foundation, strong sense of innovation, and broad global vision”. The student population consists of 38,000 undergraduates, 20,000 postgraduates, 2,100 international students, and 300 students from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.

SCU has fostered co-operative ties with more than 150 world-renowned universities, educational organizations and foundations from 42 countries and regions. It has co-established platforms for high-level academic exchanges such as “Sino-US Institute for University Design”, “Jiuzhaigou International Laboratory for Ecology, Environment, and Sustainability”, “Sino-German Institute for Energy Research”, and “Western China Poverty-Alleviation International Research Center”, and other international level co-operative platforms.

SCU is a member of the “10+10” alliance consisting of the 10 campuses in the University of California system and 10 Chinese Universities. Moreover, it is also co-training students with universities such as the University of Washington, Nottingham University, and Monash University in forms of “2+2”, “3+1”, and “2+1+1”, in order to enhance its international competitiveness.

English-medium Undergraduate Programs by SCU

1. Stomatology

• Study Duration - 5 years
• Degree Conferred - Bachelor of Stomatology
• Tuition Fee - RMB 36,000 per year

2. Clinical Medicine 

• Study Duration - 6 years
• Degree Conferred - Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
• Tuition Fee - RMB 45,000 per year

3. Energy and Environment

• Study Duration - 4 years
• Degree Conferred - Bachelor of Engineering
• Tuition Fee - RMB 22,000 per year

4. Software Engineering

• Study Duration - 4 years
• Degree Conferred - Bachelor of Engineering
• Tuition Fee - RMB 22,000 per year

5. Civil Engineering

• Study Duration - 4 years
• Degree Conferred - Bachelor of Engineering
• Tuition Fee - RMB 22,000 per year

6. Tourism Culture and Management in China

• Study Duration - 4 years
• Degree Conferred - Bachelor of Management
• Tuition Fee - RMB 17,500 per year

7. Chinese Economy

• Study Duration - 4 years
• Degree Conferred - Bachelor of Economics
• Tuition Fee - RMB 17,500 per year

Learn more about the English-medium instructed programs here : Sichuan University 

Foreign University Students - Where Do They Go to Study in China in 2014?

Foreign University Students Abandoning Beijing for Second, Third Tier Cities

Sagging numbers of incoming international tourists is not the end of the story for Beijing: international university students are beginning to avoid Beijing as well.

According to figures released last week by China's Ministry of Education, Beijing's international university student population dropped by 4 percent from 2012 to 2014, virtually the only location in China that has seen a drop in students over the same period. 

In fact, overall international student numbers across China increased by 48,724, or almost 15 percent, from 2012 to 2014. Data for 2013 was not available.

Beijing, however, still remains the top destination for international students with 74,342 enrolled during 2014, while Shanghai is second with 55,911, and Tianjin a distant third with 25,720 students.

Beijing's 2014 student figures are 3,364 fewer than 2012. In sharp contrast, student populations in Jiangsu, Liaoning and Shangdong have seen increases of 4,000+ each, while overall number of foreign students nationwide grew from 328,330 to 377,054.

According to the report, 44 percent of all international students in China are degree-seeking, with the rest enrolled in non-degree programs or studying part time. If we presume Beijing reflects this trend (specific figures for Beijing were not released), that implies the city had about 32,700 degree-seeking students and 41,600 others in 2014.

The data indicates that international students are now opting for second- and third-tier cities instead of Beijing, the country’s long-standing center of higher education and home to the largest number of universities.

The "expat bubble" was cited as one of the primary reasons for students to stay away from Beijing. In an interview with Global Times, a 22-year-old Italian named Denise was quoted as saying that she opted for Kunming because “she can spend more time to practice Chinese there”.

“Most Chinese people in big cities are already used to seeing foreigners and have been to other countries themselves, so they are not curious to communicate with me compared to people in smaller cities,” Denise was quoted as saying.

However, while Beijing's English level is indeed higher than most cities in China, we call bullshit on that as the primary reason for student flight from Beijing: also high on the list of reasons to avoid Beijing are itsinternational reputation for air pollution; overcrowding and skyrocketing living costs.

In terms of national origin, Korea is at the top, representing 17 percent of the total foreign student population. That's more than three times the students of the next largest national student bodies, those of the US (6.4 percent), Thailand (5.6 percent) and Russia (4.6 percent).

Though no Oceanic or African nations are in the top 15, these two regions represent the largest growth in students over the past two years. Student enrollment from Oceania (Australia, New Zealand and surrounding countries) grew by 32 percent, with African enrollment increasing by 25 percent.

The Global Times report also indicated that local governments in second and third tier cities have been leading the charge on providing more scholarships to international students. For instance, since 2010, the provincial government of Jiangsu has set aside RMB 15 million ($2.42 million) each year for a scholarship fund targeting international students.

However, with all that being said, hold on a minute before packing your stuff and leaving. There are always pros and cons. Living in a smaller city can still be inconvenient sometimes. It’s not fun when you can’t find a doctor who can't speak your native tongue, and in some cases dialects and accents different from standard Mandarin can be an issue.

What’s more important is Beijing offers much more job opportunities than smaller cities. Not to mention the pathetically unfashionable nightlife in smaller Chinese cities.

Image: Chinagate

Source - thebeijinger.com

Related story:

1. More Foreign Students Opting for China's Smaller Cities

2. Third-tier expats - The lives of foreigners in China’s less developed cities

1. Top Universities in Hubei:

a. Wuhan University

b. Huazhong University of Science and Technology

c. Wuhan University of Technology

d. Central China Normal University

e. Zhongnan University of Economic and Law 

f. Huazhong Agricultural University 

2. Top Universities in Tianjin

a. Tianjin University

b. Nankai University

c. Tianjin Medical University

d. Hebei University of Technology

3. Top Universities in Jiangsu

a. Nanjing University

b. Southeast University

c. Nanjing Normal University

d. Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics

e. Jiangnan University 

f. China Pharmaceutical University

g. Soochow University

h. China University of Mining and Technology

i. Hohai University

4. Top Universities in Shandong

a. Shandong University

b. Shandong University, Weihai

c. Ocean University of China

d. China University of Petroleum 

5. Top Universities in Zhejiang

a. Zhejiang University

b. Zhejiang University of Technology

c. Ningbo University

d. Wenzhou University

e. Hangzhou Normal University

f. Zhejiang Normal University

6. Top Universities in Liaoning

a. Northeastern University

b. Dalian University of Technology

c. Liaoning University

d. Dalian Maritime University

7. Top Universities in Fujian

a. Xiamen University

b. Fuzhou University

c. Wuyi University

d. Xiamen University of Technology

e. Fujian University of Technology

8. Top Universities in Shanghai

a. Fudan University

b. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

c. East China Normal University

d. Donghua University

e. Shanghai International Studies University

9. Top Universities in Guangdong

a. Sun Yat-sen University

b. South China University of Technology

c. Jinan University

d. South China Normal University

e. Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine

10. Top Universities in Beijing

a. Tsinghua University 

b. Peking University

c. Beihang University

d. Beijing Normal University

e. Renming University of China (RUC)

f. Beijing Institute of Technology

g. China Agricultural University 

Related posts:

1. More Overseas Students Choose China in 2014
2. More Foreign Students Opting for China's Smaller Cities
3. China Poised to Surpass U.S. as Top Destination for Australian Students