China's Academic Eden – Hainan University

By B.J Worrell (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-11-07 10:16

BJW – For years China's intellectual elite have been congregating in the northern regions, like Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an. And for more regional institutions, like here at Hainan's 'Haida' University strengthening the academic muscle has always been a challenge.

Eddie Mills, President of IEEA: "I first came as a teacher back in 1993. Our family went home and the Hainan government contacted us about coming back so we came back to Hainan. Throughout the years of teaching here, the government has asked us to form an organization to invite teachers to Hainan since Hainan has difficulties recruiting teachers or having teachers come. So we formed an organization, an education association to help Hainan with education."

BJW – However, in the last decade, things in Haikou and wider Hainan are increasingly looking bright, not just in terms of the economy but also in terms of education.

Eddie Mills: "Well we arrived back in 1993 and were teaching in a small town of Wenchang and when we'd come to Haikou and went down the main street of Haikou it was more like a two lane road - so just the growth of Haikou in the past few years has been unbelievable.

It's interesting to watch the other people talk about maybe the pollution in Beijing or other places but Haikou always has fresh air, very clean. Haikou airport is very accessible and easy to arrive from many places like Hong Kong or Singapore, so the location of Haikou in Hainan offers many opportunities for people to come."

BJW – As a sign of the times, whereas once more Chinese students were leaving the country to study abroad, today this trend is in reverse. 2007 actually saw more international students coming to China, compared to the number of Chinese students going out. For a campus like Haida, its strategically placed to benefit from growth emerging industries such as tropical sciences, marine biology, tourism management and growing numbers of foreigners coming to learn Chinese.

Mikko Kansala, Sweden: "Possibilities in the future. I'm a tourism man. So many possibilities for tourism from the Nordic countries to China. Maybe I can work between these countries as a mediator of tourism.

Marlene Koslowsky, German student enrolled at Newcastle Uni, UK: "It's (Haida) a partner university of my university in England so we had to choose between our six partner universities and this is the one I chose. Yes, it's only been established this year because there's a biology professor who does some research. There's a large research, marine biology department in Newcastle so they do some research over here. But so far its only language exchanges that take place between Newcastle and Haida."

Susanne Johnsen, Sweden: "I'm starting up a new Chinese Saturday school in Sweden. So it (Chinese language) is becoming more and more popular. This one semester we are about 150 children. When I go back I will maybe assist the other teachers teaching Chinese at the school and assisting with other things, helping with the children and so on and probably yes I think I will be teaching Chinese as well."

Giovanni Carini, Italy: "Because I spent a few holidays here and some friends recommended that this university is a good place to learn Chinese."

BJW – And as the rest of the country prepares for the cold winter months, evergreen Haida rolls up its sleeves towards future qualification into the national '211' key education project. And where once the region struggled to attract academics one feels it won't be too long before they have too many teacher's to choose from – all wanting to work at this lovely location.

Eddie Mills: "Just the friendliness of the people. Hainan is just a real typical southern province, what we'd say 'hometown friendliness' like my home town Alabama is a southern state and just 'southern hospitality'".

Marlene Koslowsky: "I like it, I love it actually."