Growing up under communist rule in Wenzhou, China, Chunying Cai never knew freedom of the press. Now a doctoral student in the university’s journalism school, she’s practicing that freedom as an assistant editor at the faculty newspaper.
“People come here to learn to help their own countries,” Cai said, expressing her hope that one day, China will have freedoms similar to the ones she practices here.
As one of more than 1,000 Chinese enrolled here, Cai came to explore the opportunities American higher education offers and discover the political contrasts between the two countries.
The university has proved an attractive option for international students because of its proximity to Washington and its renowned graduate research programs, particularly for Chinese students because of strong ties to Chinese universities built over the past two decades.
The Institute for Global Chinese Affairs and the Confucius Institute, both housed at the university, have drawn in many Chinese nationals, students said, because they provide opportunities that have been lacking in China for years. And as word about the institutes has spread among Chinese students seeking higher education abroad, so has the reputation of the university as a whole.
“Chinese students know about the university before even applying here,” said public policy graduate student Yi Zhang.
The two institutes were created to work with Chinese students and to involve faculty in promoting Chinese language and culture on the campus. The Confucius Institute in particular operates with support from China’s National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language.
“The purpose of the institute is to help teach Chinese language and culture, because there is a growing need for Chinese teachers in this country,” said Chuan Liu, the institute’s director.
The positives of Chinese students’ enrollment here cut both ways, university President Dan Mote said, as the “best and the brightest” Chinese students are chosen to participate in research, to help bridge cultural gaps and exchange ideas with American peers.
This university has also joined the ranks of other world-class institutions including Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard and Yale universities, which have collaborated with Peking University, one of China’s premier institutions. Celebrations are held at Peking in honor of the universities, which hold up the institutions to students as ideal destinations for obtaining advanced degrees.
As part of International Education Week, which began Sunday, the Confucius Institute organized an event yesterday to facilitate dialogue on “why we do what we do with China.”
The event – which brought together university minds from various disciplines – allowed participants to delve into specified fields of interest.
Jing Lin, a panelist and professor in the school of education, spoke of the Chinese government’s increased focus and funding for higher education. She emphasized, however, that the higher education system in this country far exceeds that of China.
“American universities still have a lot of advantages, but what I noticed is the spirit [in China],” Lin said. “You’d be amazed at how eager Chinese students are to learn from different people.”
Expanding Chinese business interests within the United States was also emphasized by the panel. As globalization increases, having an understanding of Chinese customs becomes more marketable within the world’s business circles, Liu said.
“A lot of people have an interest in doing business in China, but you can’t do that without understanding Chinese culture,” he said.
Students such as Cai and Zhang said they hope to provide the cultural bridge that stands to connect a developing China with the United States. One of their goals, they said, is to bring a more modern concept of China to their fellow students by showing they are not oppressed by communism, but empowered by a sense of the optimism for the future.
“China is now catching up in a lot of domains,” Cai said. “Our government is more than an ideology, it is very complicated. We have a great hope for China.”
Staff writer Raquel Christie contributed to this report. Contact reporters Arelis Hernandez and Kevin Rector at rectordbk@gmail.com.
