XJTLU Leads Reform of Chinese Higher Education with Autonomous Admission Assessment

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Apr 13, 2014, 04:53 ET

SUZHOU, China, April 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) was chosen as one of a select group of universities nationwide to be allowed by the Chinese government to admit certain students based in part on its own entrance exam, rather than only using the official College Entrance Examination, also known as the Gaokao.

On Sunday April 13^th, as part of the University's Open Day activities, XJTLU hosted the first independent entrance examinations for prospective students from across Jiangsu Province.

Under the new agreement, XJTLU can admit up to 5% of total new students (around 110 students) from Jiangsu Province using 'Autonomous Admissions.' These students will be evaluated based partly on XJTLU's own entrance exam (30% of admissions weighting), as well as the Gaokao (60% of weighting) and high school performance (10%) - a significant departure from government-regulated traditional admissions policies weighted 100% on the Gaokao.

The decision to allow XJTLU to accept students via the new assessment model makes XJTLU the first Sino-Foreign cooperative university to recruit undergraduate students independently in Jiangsu and also represents another important step taken by XJTLU to adopt a more sophisticated mechanism for selecting students which match its requirements. XJTLU has previously enrolled students from Guangdong Province based on a similar comprehensive evaluation on their achievements. The school's move toward independent admission criterion matches closely with the philosophical beliefs of XJTLU in supporting educational reform and opening up in China.

A total of 671 candidates submitted an online application to take part in XJTLU's Autonomous Admissions process this year with 473 invited to come to Suzhou to sit the assessment this weekend. Rather than focusing on academic credentials alone, this assessment has been designed to assess each student for their professional aptitude, adaptability and creative potential thus providing an opportunity for students to shine in areas not typically associated with higher education in China.

Of the 473 candidates, approximately 220 students can expect to receive an offer from XJTLU on condition of successful completion their Gaokao exam in the summer and the students' performance in their final year at high school. Consequently, the University expects to enroll 110 students from Jiangsu Province as a result of this years' Autonomous Admissions process.

Mr. Shaofeng Zhang, Head of Student Admissions and Career Development Office at XJTLU explained that "if this University aims to train future global citizens, we need to ensure that each candidate has potential in this respect." He continued by suggesting that "the new Autonomous Admissions process allows us to reach students who are more suitable to the teaching model employed here at XJTLU."

In addition to those sitting the autonomous entrance exam, the Open Day event at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University campus is open to all members of the public and visitors can enjoy the chance to interact with faculty, tour the campus and listen to presentations from University senior management and heads of department.

The Executive President of XJTLU, Professor Youmin Xi, highlighted the University's physical and philosophical openness. "There are no walls around our university, meaning that people are welcome to explore our campus, and we can establish ourselves as an important part of wider society with our positive community interactions and mutual development," Professor Xi explained. He added that "the XJTLU Open Day is a perfect opportunity to explore the University but also to get a deeper understanding of the unique philosophy offered by Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University."

About XJTLU:

Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University is an international university jointly founded by leading institutions from both China and the U.K. As an independent Sino-British venture, XJTLU is a pioneer in the field of higher education in mainland China. The campus is located in the World Heritage city of Suzhou on China's Eastern seaboard, which boasts the fourth largest concentration of GDP in China, and offers a unique environment in which to study, live, and thrive.

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SOURCE Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University