From the Readers
Proper implementation is most critical
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-10-22 08:47
Comment on "Chinese Ivy League?" (Page 8, Oct 21, China Daily)
The editorial "Chinese Ivy League?" is right to praise the formation of the C9. As a student who had studied at one of the universities, I have a few first-hand experiences about the flaws in the college education. It was almost impossible to transfer between universities, especially to "better" ones. It was possible to transfer between school and department, but the threshold was high and the quota was low. Even within a school or department, students sometimes found it hard to obtain credit points from the seminars of other specialities.
Now we have seen a great progress that the C9 universities have agreed on mutual credit recognition and student exchanges. If the policies are implemented properly, it would be a great boon for college students. However, the most critical point is not good intention or good plan, but proper implementation. The rules of mutual credit recognition and student exchanges should be specific, transparent and fair, to avoid rent-seeking and corruption. The process should not be clumsy and bureaucratic.
I hope the C9 would not become a totally exclusive group and could accept new members when the time is ripe.
Mark Chen
via e-mail
