Harvard Exports Education to China

Aug. 8, 2007 — -- It's the middle of summer as 44 Harvard students sit in a room eagerly brushing up on their expository writing skills.

They're going to need them.

For the next eight days they will work as Harvard's — and America's — cultural ambassadors to China, teaching gifted Chinese high schoolers about everything from chocolate to ballet, international relations theory to America's global influence.

The conference takes place over grueling 13-hour days at the High School Affiliated to Fudan University in Shanghai. The intention of the 2-year-old Harvard program is to offer the Chinese students a sample of American university life.

Participants choose six courses such as Stem Cells - An Ethical Debate, CLICK! Considering Culture Through Photography and Trade, Foreign Aid & Multinational Corporations.

These courses have piqued interest among the Chinese students, not just for their subject matter, but because they offer the opportunity to participate in Western-style teaching. While still relatively uncommon, many students in China desire to go abroad for their university education, specifically to American schools.

"Here in China higher education is not really satisfactory," said Nan Cheng, a high school student from Shanghai. "If you want to really study something, and you want to do it here in China, you can't really get that education."

Shiyun Lin, a journalism student from Xiamen in the country's southeast, said: "I know that journalism is more advanced in the U.S."

'Advantages,' but …

Yaru Wu agrees. Originally from Shanxi, in China's north, she moved to Mount Holyoke College, Mass., to complete her studies.

"After a year studying in America I see the advantages in the American method of study," she said.

But China isn't forgotten because many students see their experiences overseas as a way of advancing their mother country.

"I really want to bring American thinking home to China," said Wu.

The Harvard Summit for Young Leaders in China, known affectionately to participants as "H-silk," nurtures this interest in American universities.

To be considered for the 300-student program, applicants submit a Chinese language essay, an English language essay and information about their extracurricular activities. An extended judging process follows, with a combination of Chinese and Harvard students helping to select the participants.

Back in the prep rooms, with the air conditioning whirring, the Ivy Leaguers pitch problems to the coordinators about teaching their Chinese high schoolers.

It's hot, but the college kids want to leave no stone unturned.

"I want it to be perfect," said Becca Friedman, from Oakland, Calif., who is entering her junior year. "We've come all this way and it's important to give it our best shot."

The Harvardians have been preparing since early in the spring semester. Because the conference has received so much attention here in China, they're eager to put on a good show.

Think for Themselves

"I'm confident that my seminar is well researched and I know the subject matter," said Nasser Hussein, a political science student at Harvard. "I just hope that the preparation I've put in over the last months will create a good atmosphere for discussion … that the students will interact well with me."

For the Harvard students, it wasn't just the chance to act as cultural ambassadors that enticed them across the Pacific. Seeing the interest of the Chinese students, many in the Harvard contingent want to capitalize on the opportunity to export some of the best elements of American academic life.

"I want to shake things up a bit here," said Michelle Parilo from Sacramento, Calif. "Teaching the students the freedom to think for themselves is really important in order to foster a more creative intellectual climate."

"Critical thinking" is the buzzword for the conference and the academic aim of all the courses.

Abigail Crutchfield said, "It's showing students how to form personal analytical opinions about the subject matters that their seminars are addressing."

Across the hall in the packed conference headquarters, Buck Farmer, an economics student from New Orleans, works on his course. Farmer mulls over the best method to teach critical thinking.

"So much of Chinese education is focused on final examinations that there's very little room outside of the classroom to learn about critical thinking," he said. "But in the real world that's the only thing that matters. You need to understand what's going on below the surface."

"It's hard to teach," said Crutchfield, "but we'll get them there somehow."

Bede Moore is a participant in this year's conference.