China News Service, Beijing, April 7th (Jin Xu and Wu Kan) Xiamen University celebrated its 100th anniversary on April 6.
Xiamen University was founded by the leader of overseas Chinese, Tan Kah Kee, and was the first university in China founded by overseas Chinese.
Many experts said in an interview with a reporter from China News Agency that since modern times, overseas Chinese have supported the education of their ancestral (home) country and hometown by donating funds to promote education, donating to support education, and have made contributions to the development of China's education.
Zhuang Guotu, Distinguished Professor of Xiamen University and Chair Professor of Huaqiao University, said that overseas Chinese have always been very concerned about the development of China's education. They support and help the sustainable development of national and local education in various forms and channels, and donate funds to run schools. Activities involve various types of higher education, basic education, early childhood education, and vocational education.
“Overseas Chinese support the development of higher education through donations or personal participation in the establishment of the school.” Zhuang Guotu exemplified, the patriotic overseas Chinese leader Tan Kah Kee invested in the founding of Xiamen University and Jimei University, and the Yang En Foundation established by the Myanmar Chinese Wu Qingxing and his family founded Yang En. University etc.
Zhuang Guotu said that since modern times, overseas Chinese have donated funds to run schools in their hometowns and founded a large number of schools, speeding up the process of popularizing compulsory education, and also playing an important role in promoting the development of education in the hometown of overseas Chinese.
"After the reform and opening up, overseas Chinese and compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao have seen an unprecedented upsurge in donating funds to run schools. The donations of overseas Chinese and Chinese have gradually moved out of their hometowns, and the influence of supporting the development of national education is growing."
Professor Chen Yiping, vice dean and professor of the School of International Relations of Jinan University/Institute of Overseas Chinese and Overseas Chinese, believes that in addition to financial, material and human resources, overseas Chinese have also introduced the world’s advanced educational concepts and educational models to domestic schools in China. The establishment of modern education management system plays a pivotal role.
Zhang Chunwang, director of the Institute of Overseas Chinese and Overseas Chinese in China, also pointed out that many overseas students with overseas experience have returned to China to teach, bringing advanced teaching concepts and scientific knowledge, which has promoted the development of natural sciences, social sciences and other disciplines in China. To promote the reform of educational concepts, education has become individualized, civilianized, practical, and scientific."
Talking about why overseas Chinese and Chinese are keen to run schools in their ancestral (home) country, Zhuang Guotu said that overseas Chinese and Chinese people have always attached importance to education. If the country is strong, the country is strong. They tend to invest funds and other help in the field of education to improve the cultural knowledge level of the people. For example, when Tan Kah Kee founded Xiamen University, he had the ideal of "education as the foundation of the country" in mind, hoping to change China's backward situation at that time.
Chen Yiping said that from donating funds to running schools to setting up scholarships to help poor students, the support of overseas Chinese for education in the hometown of overseas Chinese comes from the concern for their homeland and the emphasis on talent training.
"Don't forget your hometown roots and return the love of Sang Zi, which can best interpret the return of overseas Chinese to the education cause of their hometown."
Zhang Chunwang believes that overseas Chinese are carrying forward the education-oriented Chinese national tradition, "Ten years of trees, a hundred years to foster people. The century-old standing of Xiamen University is a true portrayal of overseas Chinese's contribution to China's education." (End)