Study abroad graduates fuel hot competition for jobs
Graduate competition for jobs in China will be tougher in 2014 as students returning from overseas universities will join a record 7.27 million students who will graduate in June from China’s own universities. Many returning Chinese graduates have similar degrees – finance and business are the most popular. Returning students find it difficult to distinguish themselves from others.
Source: University World News
URL: http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20140309171443480
Editor’s note: Ten years ago, a returnee with a foreign degree could expect a prestigious VP level role at a major Chinese enterprise. With a foreign degree, only limited work experience and only a small network of professional connections, many of these returnees were actually not qualified to succeed in such high level roles. As experience with international education grows, many labour markets are questioning the prestige of a foreign degree and adjusting the premium they attach to the credential. The reason that many Chinese families invest in foreign study is that the degree will lead to a great job, and a growing number of those families expect their child to return to China at some point after graduation. International colleges and universities will increasingly find that it is a competitive advantage to demonstrate their relevance – not only to Chinese families and students – but Chinese employers as well.
