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China NewsSeptember 29 - October 7
What the Chinese Media is saying
Greedy professors a product of Chinese culture?
Status-seeking professors looking for personal gains are a product of a Chinese cultural obsession with one-upmanship, says Wang Ting. A vacancy in the division chief position at a Shenzhen university saw 40 professors fighting for the title. China's "once-sublime" universities have deteriorated because professors neglect their studies and focus on networking for higher positions. Such blatant "worship of power and privilege" is the reason for the current pathetic state of academia. This isn't a recent problem. It is part of a larger public tradition that makes "a fetish of official titles" and looks down upon distinguished "underachieving" scholars who don't have an official title. Much of academia is dictated by an ancient saying that "outstanding scholars should move on to become officials." This leaves status-conscious professors "hankering for official titles." The only feasible solution is to separate disproportionate benefits from official positions, a feat that will not be easy given China's entrenched system of values.
Wang Ting • Shanghai Daily
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