MEGA Education

Sunday, January 11. We drove to the Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center. This is a new complex of ten higher education institutions. It takes up an entire island near the city. The island is encircled by an outer ring of six lane highway.

The entrances to each of the ten universities are located just inside this ring. Each competes with the other to have a very grand entrance. A series of spokes connect to an inner highway ring. Residence halls, service, shopping, and even a hospital are located inside this ring. At the very center is a park. http://www.gz2010.cn/08/0306/15/46C3CCUS00780033.html

Ok, think of the largest building at UNC Chapel Hill -- picture the hospital. Now think of a large flat land area with over 350 buildings of this size. The Guangzhou Mega Center has been under construction only since 2000. The buildings were created by architects who competed internationally. The entire island had previously been farmland. The current student population is 100,000. It is expected to rise to 500,000.

These universities house the undergraduate populations; with the graduate centers located in the city proper. Each university admits its own students. Students do not transfer between colleges -- ever. Admission is by the nationwide exam. Only the top students attend university. Shanghai is the only city with its own exam. The cost of an education is RMB 30,000 (US $7,500). Students may qualify for scholarships to bring the cost to RMB 6,000. Students are assigned to a university and to a major course of study.

The area is serviced by subway, bus system, and a major toll road. Faculty live in the city and commute to the centre. Students do not have cars but there were many bicycles. Students may marry. A recent debate team topic asked the question of whether students of the opposite gender may share a residence hall.

Each university has its own athletic facilities including basketball courts, tennis courts, soccer fields.

Educational mega centers are a popular model in China. Beijing has one and Shanghai has three such centers.

Some of the institutions include:
Guangdong Pharmaceutical University
Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Guangdong University of Foreign Studies
Sun Yat Sen University (Considered one of the top ten in the nation.)
Xinghai Conservatory of Music
South China Normal University
Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts
South China University of Technology
Guangdong University of Technology
Guangzhou University

You can read the blog of a student who studies here at: http://abnerfan.blogspot.com/2009/01/guangzhou-higher-education-mega-center.html

Our group had an arrangement to take a look at the library of the Sun Yat Sen University. The guard at the gate was not aware of the appointment. It took some time and conversation via cell phone for him to allow us to park the bus and walk the half mile across the beautiful plaza to the library.

The building was stunning. Large staircase up to an immense entry way. Semi circular glass roof above. The entire staircase is lined by pots with either yellow or red mums in full bloom. There were hundreds of pots. Inside are more tropical plants in pots. The large first floor was covered with dozens of tables with students studying quietly. This was at ten on a Sunday morning.

BTW: Guandong is the name of the province and Guangzhou is the name of the city.
Next, we toured the Chen Family Museum which contains the Guangdong Folk Art Museum. This was started in the 1890s as the grand temple for the Chen ancestors. For lunch our Chinese guide took several of us through the neighborhood near the hotel to a 24-hour dim sum restaurant. Dim sum is a lunch in which the diner selects several small servings. For instance dumplings, sticky rice, chicken wings, etc. http://chinesefood.about.com/od/diningout/p/dim_sum.htm

We are staying at the White Swan Hotel. It has Internet connections and has supplied a transformer! This is the hotel used by couples who come to China to adopt. I have seen several couples with their babies in the lobby.