After the Ministry of Education announced the end of cross-border distance diploma certification
How to make a soft landing for the era of remote study abroad?
On January 28, the Overseas Education Service Center of the Ministry of Education issued an announcement stating that it will no longer provide certification for cross-border distance diploma certificates this year.
That is to say, for the 2023 Spring Semester (Southern Hemisphere Autumn Semester) and after that, foreign (overseas) diploma certificates obtained by distance learning (including new enrollment and continuing study) will no longer provide certification services.
At the same time, there are only about 20 days left for the start of the new semester in a large number of Australian colleges and universities, and the course selection has basically ended. Many Chinese students who were originally scheduled to study online in the new semester told Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News that they should complete their visas within 20 days. , Changing courses, and renting a house are very difficult.
With the original intention of ensuring the quality of education, how can the era of distance study abroad come to a decent end?
Xiong Bingqi, dean of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, told reporters that the abolition of the special certification system during the epidemic is a timely move to protect the rights of students studying abroad, and use a strict certification system to eliminate "garbage overseas students".
Some international students worry that it will not be possible to stay abroad for 180 days during their study abroad
On January 28, Xiao Ai, who was studying in the UK, had just landed in China when she received the latest announcement from the Study Abroad Service Center.
Xiao Ai told reporters that canceling the special practice of studying abroad during the epidemic and restoring the original certification rules means that she needs to stay abroad for 180 days while studying in the UK.
Before that, all her study abroad plans were designed according to the rules during the epidemic.
Xiaoai said that she has taken enough courses, and she can get credits after several online exams. She is preparing for the exams and preparing for internships and exams in China. Now she will rent a house, apply for a visa, and go back to the UK after going through various procedures. The fastest I can't catch up with the graduation time, and I'm worried that I won't be able to stay for 180 days.
Xiao Ke, an Australian international student who was originally scheduled to start online school in February, told reporters that she decided to study abroad after accumulating some savings after work. The current economic conditions did not allow her to live and study in Australia for two years, but during the epidemic , Australian universities have made it clear that online study is still possible in the first semester of this year, so she started studying abroad, preparing for the first half of the year online and completing her studies offline in one and a half years.
"If there is no change, I will not be able to go out. Originally, the economic pressure was high, and it was just enough to maintain the combination of online and offline study abroad. Now that the rent is soaring, I can't afford it at all." Xiao Ke said.
A Chinese student who is about to enroll in graduate school in Australia said that as soon as the announcement came out, real estate agents began to distribute rental information, and some doubled.
International students who have gone to Australia to attend classes offline: There has long been a trend for offline classes
Chinese students are understood to be returning to Australia, with 3500 arriving so far this month.
Government figures show more than 40,000 Chinese students (on student visas) were still outside Australia in November last year, a figure that doesn't include those still waiting for their visas.
Xiao Ming is one of these Chinese students. Among the many international students queuing up to consult the Overseas Study Service Center of the Ministry of Education, Xiao Ming received a reply from the manual customer service.
The staff of the study abroad center kept reminding her that she needed to "go abroad as soon as possible".
According to The Australian, universities in the Group of Eight (The Group of Eight) enroll nearly three-quarters of Chinese students in Australia.
Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson, which represents 39 universities, said they would work closely with government and industry to ensure universities could respond quickly to the rapid influx of students in the weeks leading up to term one.
Xiao Jiang, an international student, told the reporter that the responses received so far indicate that in special circumstances, materials such as housing and visas can be provided when completing teaching and final degree certification. However, for Xiao Jiang, he is still beating drums in his heart. What should I do if I am told that these materials have not been passed?”
Foreign students facing similar situations spontaneously formed a WeChat group to discuss. In a group where the reporter was, some foreign students said that they planned to postpone their schooling for a semester in order to seek stability.
International students who are more stressed in other times cannot follow this practice. They told reporters that their appeal is to clarify the details of the proof materials, and to make it clear that they can conduct academic qualification certification before investing in preparation.
Compared with some international students who are already preparing to start offline classes as soon as possible, they are not surprised by the New Policy for Studying Abroad.
"I think this has little impact on students like us who are going to go offline, and I don't think it's unfair for us to say that people who used to take online classes can be certified. Because the students who choose to go online and take classes are for a A complete experience of studying abroad, not just a diploma." Xiao Neng, an international student who has gone to Australia in the spring to prepare for offline classes, said so.
The farewell to the era of remote teaching did not happen suddenly. Xiao Neng told reporters that Australian universities have long encouraged offline classes.
"I think international students have always known that online learning is risky. Because Australia has been asking students to return to Australia to attend classes. For example, in our school, old students who return to Australia to attend classes will be given 4,000 Australian dollars. Some international students have been discussing that , I don’t plan to go back, if the school cancels online classes, I will write a joint letter, thinking that the Australian school will agree.” Xiaoneng said.
What should I do if I cannot return to school in time under special circumstances?
Official Response: Can be assessed on a case-by-case basis
The Overseas Education Service Center of the Ministry of Education also made a special interpretation of the new policy. The interpretation emphasized that according to the "Overseas (Overseas) Degree Certification Measures", foreign (overseas) degree certificates and higher education obtained through cross-border distance learning Diplomas are not included in the accreditation.
After the "Announcement" is released, diplomas and certificates awarded in the spring semester of 2023 (autumn semester in the southern hemisphere) and later still using cross-border online learning (including new admissions and continuing studies) will not be certified.
However, if you encounter special circumstances and cannot return to school for study in time, the official response from the Overseas Education Service Center of the Ministry of Education is: For those overseas students who have special circumstances and cannot return to school in the spring semester of 2023 (autumn semester in the southern hemisphere) due to objective reasons, they must Keep the relevant written certification materials and provide them together when submitting the certification application after the diploma certificate is issued.
The Study Abroad Service Center will complete the case evaluation of relevant diplomas and certificates based on specific circumstances.
So, if a student has completed all the degree courses, do they still need to go abroad to complete the thesis writing to pass the certification?
In response to this, the Overseas Study Service Center of the Ministry of Education responded that applicants who study for a course-based degree (mainly taking courses) can continue to complete their studies in accordance with the relevant requirements of the certificate-issuing institution.
Applicants who study for a research degree (mainly conducting research and writing papers) should go to study abroad in the country (region) to complete their study and research in the spring semester of 2023 (autumn semester in the southern hemisphere) and beyond.
expert's point
The new policy is to curb the behavior of mixing diplomas
"In order to effectively protect the interests of overseas students and maintain education fairness, our center has decided to cancel the special certification rules during the epidemic." The announcement of the Overseas Study Service Center of the Ministry of Education reads.
Xiong Bingqi, dean of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, told reporters that many foreign universities have resumed offline classes as early as the fall semester of 2021. It is not clear why some students still choose online classes.
At the same time, Xiong Bingqi told reporters that as almost all destination countries for studying abroad have opened their borders, foreign (overseas) universities have resumed offline teaching, and my country’s epidemic prevention and control has entered a new stage, students studying abroad will receive offline education at the admission school There are no longer any obstacles, and the special certification rules previously adopted for the epidemic situation have no reason to continue to exist.
It is the right choice to cancel this special certification rule.
Xiong Bingqi said that this is also a positive inspiration for those who choose to study abroad. First of all, they must choose a study abroad education program that can be certified. Not for a paper diploma.
Xiong Bingqi also pointed out that as the scale of studying abroad increases, the value of "returnees" is depreciating sharply. If students studying abroad only value obtaining a diploma instead of improving their own ability and quality, the loss outweighs the gain.
In my country's study abroad, there are some "junk study abroad" that have no educational value. To eliminate "junk study abroad", we must not only rely on a strict certification system, but also rely on students who study abroad to treat their study abroad choices rationally.
(Xiao Ke, Xiao Ai, Xiao Jiang, Xiao Ming, and Xiao Neng are all pseudonyms)
Chengdu Commercial Daily-Red Star News reporter Wang Chenyuan Wu Yang