Zhu Yongxin Cao Dewang Talk: Graduates do not adapt to society, how to break the shackles of university education

"Glass king" Cao Dewang decided to invest 10 billion yuan to establish a university.

Since the "official announcement" in May, the applied research university "Fuyao University of Science and Technology" (tentative name, the same below) has been determined in November to choose Fuzhou.

With huge investments, coupled with Cao Dewang's "first good" aura, the public and the education community are full of expectations for Fuyao University of Science and Technology: can this well-funded university have both hard power and soft power to become a new boost for the development of vocational education in China?

On December 4th, Cao Dewang, founder and chairman of Fuyao Glass Group, attended the 8th annual meeting of the China Education Forum online, at which he systematically expounded the original intention and future vision of the university: Fuyao University of Science and Technology will explore an educational reform and a new school-running system.

In the "high-end dialogue" session, Cao Dewang and Zhu Yongxin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and an educator, held a remote video dialogue to carry out a 45-minute mutual question-and-answer session on topics such as entrepreneurs running schools and university education.

Zhu Yongxin (right) video conversation with Cao Dewang.

"A university diploma is not equal to a level"

The first question Cao Dewang asked Zhu Yongxin was: "It is said that it is difficult for college students to find employment, why is it difficult for our factory to recruit college students?" Why do many graduates now prefer to send couriers and takeaways, waiting for the civil service examination, rather than working in enterprises? ”

Zhu Yongxin believes that on the one hand, it is difficult for college students to find employment, and on the other hand, there is a shortage of people in enterprises, which is a structural contradiction. In a sense, it is not that it is difficult for college students to find employment, but that the college students trained by the school cannot adapt well to the needs of society.

Zhu Yongxin observed a phenomenon: many people study, not to really improve their ability, but to get a diploma, which has become a marker and a symbol. He argues that "when a society strives for symbols, for external signs, it is in the wrong direction." "Therefore, many college graduates cannot meet the employment requirements of enterprises, and they do not really have entrepreneurial spirit and feelings, and even have low eyesight."

"College diplomas are not equal to level, academic qualifications are not equal to academic strength", Zhu Yongxin pointed out, China urgently needs a new period of development from a society of academic qualifications to a society of academic strength.

Zhu Yongxin believes that in the future, by strengthening industry-university-research cooperation, so that schools and enterprises have more exchanges, the problem of employment difficulties will be alleviated. Ideally, the graduation time of students is flexible and constantly flowing, and there is a constant interaction between learning and work. "A person can work when he wants to work, and he can learn when he wants to learn, and he will not be crowded on the road to employment at the same time." He said.

What does China's "richest" university look like?

In a conversation with Zhu Yongxin, Cao Dewang made a vision for the Fuyao University of Science and Technology, which is under construction.

Half a month ago, the Fuzhou Municipal People's Government and the Heren Charity Foundation (founded by Cao Dewang) just signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement, the Heren Charity Foundation invested 10 billion yuan to prepare for the establishment of Fuyao University of Science and Technology in the form of "private office assistance", and the Fuzhou Municipal Government provided certain funds and construction management support, and supervised the school to a certain extent.

Fuyao University of Science and Technology is defined as a private, non-profit, new applied research, high-level university, Cao Dewang reiterated the purpose of running this university at the meeting: "I want to explore an educational reform, but also want to promote a new school system. ”

Cao Dewang imagined that in the future, this university will adopt a dual-teacher system: the college students in the school will have two tutors, one is an academic tutor; the other tutor guides students in practice, and this tutor will be served by experienced people in the enterprise, such as senior engineers of the enterprise.

The university's way of running schools follows the example of Germany and Japan, aiming at the shortcomings in the current training of manufacturing talents, and cultivating industrial craftsman-like leadership talents.

"We connect with businesses around the world and will use these resources for school development." Cao Dewang promised. In his planning, students usually study in the school's laboratory, and during the holidays, they go deep into the enterprise to solve real problems and cultivate hands-on ability.

When talking about the relationship between capital and education, Zhu Yongxin believes that education needs the power of capital, social elites and social capital enter education, education can have better development space, but in the past, some barbaric growth training institutions and education network companies wanted to make a sum of money by doing education, and this direction was wrong.

In this regard, Cao Dewang has a similar view, "The state must stipulate that capital is absolutely not allowed to use education to make a profit, and capital enters education, which is unfair to the people." If capital enters education to make money, then there is a problem with running education. He said. This is also why Cao Dewang chose to donate universities in the name of the foundation, and he hopes that there will be more universities in China in the future that are donated by the foundation rather than for profitable capital.

Fuyao University of Science and Technology, which already has 10 billion yuan as a start-up fund, is known as "China's richest university", which will launch advanced hardware facilities, build a strong laboratory, and the information supercomputing center is also planned. Cao Dewang revealed that after the completion of the school, he will also raise 10 billion yuan as an incentive fund.

In the future, the principal of the school will be openly recruited, and the principal will form an education team and a teacher team, "Professional things should be done by professional people, in my lifetime, I hope to run this university well." Cao Dewang said.

Zhu Yongxin has high hopes for Fuyao University of Science and Technology, he believes that universities have their own special regularities in cultivating talents, but while respecting the law, we must break some restrictions, such as whether enrollment can not pass the college entrance examination? Can universities have some autonomy? Can students work while studying?

"I look forward to it completely breaking the shackles of the current university and using innovative thinking to run a university in the true sense." Zhu Yongxin said.

Nandu reporter Song Lingyan sent from Beijing