Education in China is something crucial, and it is regarded as to be one of the most important aspect of the entire society. In a Country with more than 1.3 billion people this represents a path to be followed in order to emerge or simply to find a good position. This simple statement , of course, it is true all over the world, but it assumes a particular significance here because of the fierce competition to enter the best university in the hope to get a good job and therefore to carve a position in the society later on. Though this concept is perfectly sharable, however not always education alone can determine the future of an individual. Infinite factors can play an unpredictable role and thus influence our expectations, and to have an impact on our future life. Education has almost infinite possibilities and paths. Of course, as this entry is limited in scope and it is not my intention to talk about the complicated structure of this sector in China, but only to concentrate on a single aspect, I am going to spend a few word on legal education because it seems that in only a small period of time this particular field has experienced a boom and a decline.
This entry does not pretend to be complete, of course the driving force for a Nation is the need to produce an increasingly knowledgeable workforce equipped to handle the challenges of an economy, and this is particular true in a Country, China, which not only is growing rapidly, but also becoming increasingly diversified, sophisticated and what is more is taking a leading position internationally not only politically but economically also.
China therefore needs professionals in every field to help and to contribute to its development. One of this fields is represented by the legal course or terrain. Naturally China has adopted a precise plan in order to enhance its educational system. The latest reforms are outlined in a comprehensive plan formally called “State Guidelines for Medium-to-Long-Term Education Reform and Development Plan between 2010 and 2020,” otherwise known as the Development Plan. (http://www.chinanews.com.cn/edu/news/2010/02-28/2142843.shtml).
Two aspects for higher education reform are key: a relaxation of central control, and opening up of the college admission process. The Development Plan specifically calls for the government to release central control, give universities autonomy, and allow presidents and faculty to run their schools. The government’s function is to be limited to providing services and funding, and to making general educational policies. Universities will be governed by national higher education laws combined with regulations set up by institutions themselves. Another striking aspect of the reform plan is modification of the college admission process. The Development Plan states that it will change from the “one-exam-decides-all” method to a thorough evaluation of a student as a whole person using multiple tests and factors.
The defined missions of the Chinese legislators for higher education are to greatly improve the overall quality of education; to advance science, technologies and culture; to accelerate China’s modernization process; and to make China a great nation with strong higher education. The goals of the reform are to advance teaching and scientific research; promote collaboration between universities and research institutions so as to speed discovery and innovation; enhance the ability to serve society by providing knowledge consultation and by transferring technologies and research results into products; nurture outstanding talent; and to cultivate a group of internationally recognized Chinese universities and a number of top- ranked Chinese universities in the world by the end of 2020. In short, the goal is to make China’s higher education internationally competitive.
With particular attention to the legal terrain it must be noted that “over the past three decades, legal education in China has boomed. Numbers of law students and schools have increased exponentially. Legal education has become standardized at universities throughout the country. Prominent legal academics have emerged as public voices for political reform” (
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2128151
). “But Chinese authorities now perceive flaws in these trends. A flood of law graduates faces dismal employment prospects. Schools remain uniformly focused on academic research rather than practical skills.” For this reason students choosing to study law find difficulties in obtaining a position in this competitive market. However, personally, I think that there are plenty of opportunities in China, not necessary they are to be found in the sector strictly connected with this “law industry,” and motivated and skilled individuals can find alternatives or refine their knowledge on a particular subject, because only with a unique preparation not a standard one, it is possible to emerge in this extremely competitive market.
Cristiano Rizzi