Over 4 mln Chinese students studied abroad since 1978: report

Over 4 million Chinese students studied overseas in the last 38 years of which 2.22 million returned home to work, according to an official report.
A report by the Ministry of Education (MOE) which oversees employment for returning graduates said since 1978 of those who went abroad for studying, 2.22 million returned home to work.
About 4.04 million Chinese students studied or are studying overseas since 1978, the report said.
In 2015, over 520,000 Chinese students went abroad for studies and 409,100 came back, it said.
Most of the returnees, about 75 per cent of interviewees, were willing to work in eastern coastal cities and 49 per cent were willing to stay in China's biggest cities -- Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

Only 3.32 per cent of interviewees hope to start their own businesses and career development space is the most important factor for them in choosing jobs, followed by location and salary.

Students majoring in management, science and economics are in greatest demand after they come back to China followed by those who majored in engineering, arts and laws.
Qi Mo, an MOE official, said 97 per cent of students were studying abroad at their own expenses.
The report will help students and their parents to make better plans and choose the right majors, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.