April 27, 2014, by Student blogger

Why Hong Kong students should consider studying in mainland China

By Lucy Wong, International Business with Communications Studies.

Hong Kong students are known to enroll into top universities across the globe – whether it’s the best universities in the United Kingdom or the Ivy Leagues in the United States of America. Of course, we also have elite local universities such as the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Chinese University of Hong Kong. However, let’s not neglect the fact that all eyes are on China and as a Hong Kong citizen, you have the best of both sides.

So why should you consider studying in mainland China?

Increasing global attention

With the growing influence of China, foreign direct investments are constantly flowing into the mainland. Major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai are experiencing huge increases in population density and urbanisation, while tier two and three cities too are undergoing fast, lucrative developments.

For example Ningbo, only a 1.5 hour train ride away from Shanghai, is responsible for driving China’s economic growth on the east coast, focusing on raw materials, oil and energy technology, textiles and many more. Expansion and opportunity is evident across the city. By choosing to study in China you will gain extensive knowledge of a growing economic power, which will be very attractive to employers around the world. You’ll also be in the best place to take advantage of the opportunities in China itself, among its many simultaneously growing sectors.

International exposure

Many Hong Kong students choose to study in mainland China because of business opportunities and, more importantly, networking opportunities. They meet other students from both China itself as well as those from across the world who understand growing China to its full extent. At the same time, you will have the opportunity to learn the world’s most spoken language Mandarin, which along with Cantonese is crucial to business in the region.

And if you choose to study at one of the many foreign universities in China, you can improve your other languages too. At The University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) all classes are in English and the University offers degree courses with additional languages such as Spanish, French, German and Japanese. One of a few Sino-foreign universities in China, UNNC celebrates its 10-year anniversary this summer, has more than 6,000 students from over 60 countries and is considered one of the best schools in the field. The increasing number of international students – they now make up around 10% of the student population – is further evidence of how important China is on the world stage.

Land of opportunity

Many say a university degree is merely an “entrance pass” to your career, and indeed this may be case but it is equally important to find what suits you as a student. China is different – it is a tangled web of difficulties and is not for the light hearted. Many presumptions and stereotypes of China are set in stone, but are they necessarily correct? In the land of opportunity and competition, where the American dream has been replaced by the Chinese one, if you’re looking for an adventure, wish to acquire extensive skills and take on reality, China offers all this and more.

Only one question remains – are you ready?

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