If one word is used to describe the global study abroad market, then 2020 will be a "downturn" and 2021 will be a "recovery".

After experiencing the panic and confusion at the beginning of the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, with the large-scale vaccination of vaccines in the major study destination countries, various universities have opened their campuses this semester, and the entrance exams for overseas students have basically resumed. The offline test center.

The world disrupted by the epidemic is back to work.

  Among Chinese students studying abroad, postgraduates are still the main group and the backbone of Chinese society in the future.

On October 17, the overseas study institution Qi Tak Education released the "2021 Chinese Students Postgraduate Study Abroad White Paper" (hereinafter referred to as the "White Paper"). The overall situation of Chinese students studying abroad, their plans for studying abroad and their employment prospects are sorted out and analyzed.

Subtle changes in the choice of study abroad destinations

  According to data from the International Education Association (IIE), in 2020, there will be more than 5.6 million international students studying at the higher education level worldwide.

The 10 countries with the largest number of Chinese students are the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Germany, Russia, France, New Zealand and the Netherlands.

  At present, the number of Chinese students studying in the United States still ranks first in the world.

However, due to continued tensions in Sino-U.S. relations, fluctuations in U.S. visa policies, and rising domestic anti-China sentiment in the U.S., the number of Chinese students studying in the U.S. has dropped from 470,000 in 2019/2020 to 370,000 in 2020/2021. The new school year of 2021 The number of Chinese students applying to study in the United States has also decreased by 18% year-on-year.

As a destination country for studying abroad, the United States is becoming less attractive to Chinese students year by year.

  At the same time, Britain has surpassed the United States for three consecutive years and has become the "first choice" for Chinese students' intention to go abroad.

According to data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), in the 2018/2019 academic year, the total number of mainland Chinese students studying in the UK hit a record high, exceeding 120,300.

Data from the UK University Admissions Service (UCAS) shows that as of June 30, 2020, the number of mainland Chinese students applying for undergraduate courses in UK universities has increased by 23% compared with the same period in 2019.

  The most popular majors in the UK are finance and accounting.

According to the introduction of Kai Tak Study Abroad, the United Kingdom is the first country in the world to have the accountant profession and the establishment of accounting professional groups. The graduate majors related to finance and accounting can be regarded as the most powerful majors in the UK universities to apply for “volumes”. Excellent students from all over apply.

This type of profession involves taxation, insurance, investment, business administration, etc., and is highly professional and practical, and generally cannot be transferred to a major.

  Compared with the previous year, the number of international students and prospective students going to Japan, Germany and other places to study has also increased significantly.

For international students, Japan and Germany are relatively stable, orderly, and safe. Coupled with the advantages they have always had in terms of the quality of higher education, the popularity of studying abroad has increased significantly compared with previous years.

According to data from the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), in 2019, the number of students from mainland China who went to Japan to study in Japan exceeded 120,000, accounting for nearly 40% of the total number of international students in Japan, making it the largest source of international students in Japan.

  Germany promotes "education for all" and admission to public universities is free. In recent years, it has become more and more popular among Chinese students.

The "Science Metropolitan 2020" report jointly issued by the German Academic Exchange Center (DAAD) and the German Center for Higher Education and Scientific Research (DZHW) shows that the number of Chinese students studying in Germany has increased from 23,883 in 2012 to 39,871 in 2019 Per person, with an average annual growth rate of 8.4%.

Epidemic and safety are the most concerned issues for international students

  In 2020, the rhythm of the world will be disrupted by the sudden new crown pneumonia epidemic.

As the world's largest group of international students, Chinese students have deeply experienced the "dilemma" and "dilemma" during this year.

  According to a survey of 30,000 international students conducted by QS 2020, a global higher education analysis organization, more than half of the respondents indicated that their study abroad plans were affected. Among them, the number of Chinese students was the largest, accounting for 66% of the total.

Among the affected Chinese students, nearly half decided to postpone their study abroad plans, and some decided to change their study destinations.

However, although the proportion of Chinese students affected is the highest, the proportion who decides to give up studying abroad is the least, only 4%.

In other words, the vast majority of Chinese students will still persist in the "dream of studying abroad" despite adversity.

  The "White Paper" mentioned that under the combined influence of the new crown pneumonia epidemic and the international environment, "safety factors" have become the most concerned factor for Chinese students when choosing a destination for studying abroad.

58.6% of intending international students said that they can "study abroad with confidence" after being fully vaccinated against the new coronavirus.

In addition, whether the school has resumed offline teaching, whether the number of confirmed cases in the country of study has declined, and whether the entry and exit restrictions have been lifted are also factors that Chinese students are most concerned about.

  The current overseas epidemic situation is still severe. Educational experts remind Chinese students not to take the epidemic lightly, take preventive measures in accordance with the epidemic prevention regulations, and refrain from participating in or organizing gathering activities.

In addition, it is necessary to memorize the emergency number and alarm number of the location, understand the medical system of the destination country, and purchase medical insurance in time.

  In addition to health, safety is also one of the factors that Chinese students care about.

Recently, violent incidents against Chinese students have occurred from time to time.

For example, beginning in late September, the University of Sheffield has experienced several consecutive violent incidents against Chinese students, especially female students; a Chinese student at Cambridge University was beaten by 10 people.

The Chinese Embassy in the UK issued an emergency call to remind Chinese students to improve their self-prevention and response capabilities, especially to be vigilant against "hate crimes."

  "'Hate crime' refers to the hostility and behavior of a criminal suspect due to the victim’s disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, or transgender identity. The crime forms include abuse, intimidation, threats, harassment, assault, and bullying. Ling and property damage.” The Chinese Embassy in the UK stated that if you encounter similar situations, please avoid danger immediately, flee to a crowded or safe place, and seek help from the surroundings.

The British police attach great importance to "hate crimes", and such reports are usually recorded by the police and prioritized for investigation.

The victim should report to the police as soon as possible, and at the same time report and seek help from the school.

Studying abroad should not only look at the direction of the wind, but also pay attention to basic research

  China's policy toward studying abroad has always been "support studying abroad, encourage returning to the country, come and go freely, and play a role."

Under the guidance of this kind of study abroad policy, since the reform and opening up to 2019, the total number of Chinese students studying abroad has reached 6,560,600.

  In the past 10 years, the number of Chinese students studying abroad has increased from 229,300 in 2009 to 703,500 in 2019, and the number of returning students has also increased, from 108,300 in 2009 to 580,300.

The ratio of returning students to those studying abroad increased from 47.2% in 2009 to 82.5% in 2019.

According to Zhaopin's "2020 China Overseas Returnees Employment and Entrepreneurship Survey Report", the number of overseas returnees who submitted their resumes to domestic positions in 2020 has increased by 33.9% compared to 2019, and international students have shown a stronger intention to return to the country for development.

More and more international students choose to return to China, which reflects the increasingly powerful Chinese national strength and the broader talent development space.

  However, international students also have certain concerns about their employment prospects after returning to China.

"It's not easy to find an ideal job" and "there is a big gap between actual salary and expectations" are the two issues that international students generally worry about the most. Nearly half of international students worry about "unclear future career planning and development direction."

Since most of the returnees plan to develop in large cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, settlement is also one of their concerns.

  The "White Paper" believes that international students should combine professional applications with future social development.

China is in a period of important strategic opportunities for industrial upgrading.

Since the “Made in China 2025” plan was proposed, the transition from “Made in China” to “Created in China” has become a strategic theme of China’s manufacturing industry. With big data, Internet, Internet of Things and other industries as the key development direction; under the global "carbon neutral" trend, new energy will usher in historic development opportunities.

  Although Chinese students' choice of majors for studying abroad has been lagging behind in responding to the demand for talents in domestic economic development, this response has already appeared.

According to the 2019-2021 study abroad data, "Electronics and Computer Engineering", "Computer Science and Information Systems", "Electronic and Electrical Engineering" and other high-end manufacturing-related majors have always been hot majors in the postgraduate study period, while "Electronics and Computer Engineering" The application trend with "electronic and electrical engineering" has continued to heat up in recent years.

  China proposes to strive to achieve "carbon peak" by 2030, and strive to achieve "carbon neutrality" by 2060.

In the process of promoting energy conservation and emission reduction, renewable energy and new energy vehicles have become emerging "tracks", and the popularity of overseas study majors related to photovoltaics, wind power and other new energy sources is also increasing.

In the past three years, "Mechanical and Energy Engineering" has been a popular major for Chinese students in the postgraduate study period, and ranked first in the top ten popular overseas majors in Germany (21.56%).

In addition, the proportion of "environmental engineering" applications is also getting higher and higher.

  "In the past economic development process, the problems we solved can in fact be solved with money. In the next stage of development, China will face more problems that cannot be solved with money. It may be solved by knowledge and technology. . And whether it is an industry that focuses on development in China, or an industry that students and parents find not so "sunrise", it is equally important, including basic research in the social and humanities." Guo Bei, senior vice president of Qi Tak, said, " We encourage students to find their favorite fields in a variety of majors, study hard, and play a role after returning to China."

  Our newspaper, Beijing, October 20th

  China Youth Daily·China Youth Daily reporter Hu Wenli Source: China Youth Daily