Leading Chinese university becomes first to remove English requirements for students
- Xian Jiaotong University says students will no longer have to pass the College English Test to receive a place or to graduate
- There is an ongoing debate about the use of such language tests, with some critics arguing that they are of limited practical value for many people in China
A leading university in China has removed an English language test from its degree requirements amid a growing debate about the subject’s practical benefits for many people.
Xian Jiaotong University, a public research university in the northwestern province of Shaanxi, has confirmed that it no longer requires students to complete the College English Test, or CET, to enter the university or graduate.
The CET is an annual exam for undergraduate and postgraduate students, who usually must pass two levels – Band 4 to be given a place at a university and Band 6 to graduate.
According to the university’s academic affairs office, the change was “a normal measure made by the school according to current developments”. It added that college-level English courses based on the CET would still be taught.
The university belongs to the Double First Class University Plan, an official list of China’s top 5 per cent universities. It is the first on the list to make such a change.
Yu Xiaoyu, a doctoral linguistics researcher at the University of Hong Kong, said that although the removal of CET as a degree requirement would not reduce the importance of the English language in China’s education system at large, students may become less motivated to learn the language.
“What hasn’t changed is that much of the job market for university graduates still considers English to be beneficial, so there’s a high chance that students with higher English proficiency, especially those who can prove it, will come across more opportunities,” said Yu.
