As lifelong education has become a trend, China's middle-aged and elderly people are no longer content with the classes provided by domestic institutions for seniors. Instead, they set their sights on broader opportunities abroad. After talking to several elderly people with studying abroad experience, reporters from the Global Times found that the reason most of them decided to study overseas was as they that they had a desire d to explore more possibilities in their lives, and that although studying abroad posed a lot of difficulties for them, they found pleasure in it.
"I shocked myself when I came up with the idea to apply to study abroad. It's quite challenging for me," Wang Xiaoxi, 57, a student majoring in the archaeology, history, and literature of ancient Greece in the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, told the Global Times. It is an undergraduate program taught entirely in English, with the added course of Modern Greek, Greek and Latin, Wang said.

"Upon applying, I wasn't sure if I would be able to complete the course (at this age), But on second thought, if I don't try, I'll never know," said Wang.

There are increasing number of seniors like Wang in China. Studying overseas is no longer exclusive to teenagers and young adults, it has emerged as a growing trend among the elderly, according to Jiemian News.

According to data from a private education company in China that centered around language learning, educational travel and degree programs, the proportion of individuals aged above 50 participating in overseas study programs in their institution was approximately 3 percent in 2019, but this figure has surged to 20 percent by 2024, the Jiemian News reported.

Popular destinations favored by older adults include New York, Boston, London and Malta, an industry insider told the Global Times.

Fifty is the new twenty-five

Like energetic young people, the elderly possesses the determination to chase their dreams, the courage to embark on new journeys and a curiosity to explore the world.

"In fact, when my parents and some of my friends learned about my plans to study abroad, they were not very supportive. They felt that at my age, there was no need to travel abroad and study," Jia Daming, a 50-year-old man who recently earned a degree of Master of Education from the University of Sydney, told the Global Times. Some of his friends even told him that he was already at the top of his field, and considering the many difficulties and high costs, it wasn't necessary for him to go through with it.

"However, I believe that if I want to maintain a competitive edge in international school education field, it is essential for me to enhance my educational qualifications," Jia said, adding that only through personal experience can one achieve perfection. Therefore, he resolutely embarked on his overseas studying journey in February 2023.

Jia said that at the beginning of the academic year, many of his classmates called him "uncle Jia," but after they became acquainted with each other, they called Jia "bro." Jia mentioned that sometimes while walking down the street or even reading in the library, classmates greet him as if they were peers. He sometimes hanged out with his classmates. For example, he has been to the Great Barrier Reef with them. And some film majors have even invited him to appear as an extra.

However, compared to those in their twenties, elder international students encounter more difficulties and challenges along their courageous journey.

As Wang noted, at any age, you have to be determined to study abroad. However, studying at an older age is even more of a challenge. Even with a good educational background, Wang feels that there are "mountains after mountains to climb" during her studies abroad.

Before the semester started, Wang prepared many electronic devices, such as a voice recorder, an iPad and a Kindle. "As soon as the first week of school started, I was ready to use these devices. But I was fumbling with which buttons to press to turn them on and lower the volume," said Wang, adding that "I can only type with two fingers, and I can't type fast enough to keep up with the professor's speaking pace."

Wang said that when she looked around at her classmates, they were all typing quickly on their laptops. She was the only one writing with a pen.

"It's all Greek to me," Wang described her first two weeks of school, saying that her teacher has quite a thick Greek accent that she could not understand even with the tape recorder, and once she did not even know that her teacher was giving a quiz in class, so she was not prepared.

On that test, Wang only scored 40 points and was "criticized" by her daughter.

"I quickly turned my sorrow into motivation for learning. After class, I copied, translated, understood and memorized every word of the professor's lecture slides. Although it required a lot of effort, the results were quite rewarding," Wang said.

Later on, Wang scored 92 points in her archaeology class test.

Go for it, enjoy it

Wang said that studying abroad is a natural progression for her, as she has always been self-educated and she has always studied whatever she was interested in. "I noticed that the course is taught in English. I realized that I must seize this opportunity to learn English," said Wang, noting that she has always worked hard and embraced new challenges in life.

Since she has been studying abroad, Wang has felt that each day is fulfilling and she always lives in the moment. Wang said she walks to school these days, basking in the sunshine and recounting how she also walked to school as a child. But back then she had a completely different mindset.

She feels grounded, taking one step at a time, and genuinely believes that she has a bright future.

"For me, studying abroad at this age marks the beginning of the 'middle-aged woman' era. The most exciting phase of a woman's life is no longer the traditionally emphasized years of 16 to 25, but rather a woman's entire life is filled with infinite possibilities," said Du Liping, a Chinese woman in her fifties, who kicked off a journey to learn French in Paris a few months ago.

Du told the Global Times that starting her study journey made her feel as though she had suddenly returned to her twenties, but not the impoverished version of her twenties.

Du also mentioned that she never imagined she would have the opportunity to study abroad in her fifties, which makes her feel unique and surrounded by love.

Instead, it felt more like the twenties of a luckier girl, with more life experience.

"My life is extremely rewarding," Du told the Global Times.

Most Tsinghua graduates who studied abroad have returned to China, with 91.7% of verified alumni currently based in China, according to data from the Tsinghua Alumni Association's official WeChat mini-program, as released by Tsinghua University on Friday. Among the 2002-2011 graduates, 92.4% of verified alumni are in China, with over 60% of those who studied abroad having returned. 

The proportion of Tsinghua University's 2024 graduates pursuing further studies abroad or overseas is 9.6%, including 18.4% of undergraduate students and 7.3% of master's students. Over the past decade, the average proportion of Tsinghua graduates pursuing further studies abroad or overseas has been 10.5%, according to the Tsinghua University official account.

The employment rate of the 2024 cohort in key domestic sectors and major organizations exceeded 85%. Employment in the manufacturing and energy industries grew by 11% year-on-year, marking five consecutive years of growth. Among doctoral graduates, 47.8% pursued academic careers, a rate that has remained above 45% for five consecutive years.

The university unveiled that the employment rate of Tsinghua graduates in key domestic fields and important units has been above 80% for over a decade. The industries with the highest number of graduates employed historically include information transmission, software and information technology services; education; and scientific research and technical services.

For the 2024 cohort, 56.2% of graduates found employment outside Beijing, a rate that has remained above 50% for 10 consecutive years. 

Additionally, the number of graduates employed in the western and northeastern regions of China increased by 16.5% year-on-year and has doubled compared to 2020. Examples include students returning to their hometowns, such as Xinjiang, to become doctors; graduates teaching at Lanzhou University; and others serving in grassroots public sectors in Liaoning.

There were previous rumors online claiming that "80% of Tsinghua graduates go abroad and never return."

"For many vocational school graduates today, the label of 'blue-collar' has been shed, as we are no longer confined to the traditional occupations typically associated with vocational education," said a vocational education graduate surnamed Chen. 

Chen is working at a renowned technology company in China's tech hub Shenzhen. Many of his classmates are now employed at reputable companies, engaged in high-skill, high-barrier professions, and enjoying attractive salaries.

In China, students are required to complete nine years of compulsory education, which consists of six years in primary school and three years in junior high school. Following this, they have the option to attend a senior high school to take the gaokao, the national exam for university admission, or to enroll in a vocational senior high school and subsequently a vocational college.

Receiving vocational education in China has typically been viewed as low-quality; however, recent evidence shows that graduates from vocational schools are also likely to secure in-demand jobs, Che Yanqiu, a professor from Tianjin University of Technology and Education, told the Global Times. 

China's economy has entered a phase of industrial upgrading, eliminating outdated and low-value technologies. According to Chen, this is where vocational school students can effectively meet the demand.

Recently, China's Ministry of Education introduced 40 new vocational education programs for 2024, setting a record. This increase represents the most significant update by the Ministry since the 2021 introduction of the vocational education program directory.

Among the additions, new programs in areas such as electronic information materials application technology, aerospace composite materials intelligent manufacturing engineering technology, and precision manufacturing technology for aerospace equipment, stand out as key areas of focus. 

All of the above-mentioned programs align with strategic emerging industries and advanced manufacturing.

China's progress in technological innovation and industrial upgrading is driving demand for skilled professionals in emerging fields like smart manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and big data, underscoring the growing need for high-tech talent, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

As sectors including artificial intelligence generated content (AIGC), large-scale AI model, new energy vehicles (NEVs) and smart manufacturing evolve into the latest investment hotspots, employers are scrambling to hire professionals with the mastery of machine learning, natural language processing and battery engineering, said job-seeking service provider Liepin's vice president Ba Ran, Xinhua reported. 

"I truly believe that stereotypes about vocational education need to be challenged, as it is no longer synonymous with low wages and minimal entry requirements, my classmates and I are real examples of this transformation," Chen said.

Top-level scientists who receive general education are still needed to turn scientific discoveries into useful applications, products or services that sustain the modern society, which makes the skilled technicians graduates from a vocational college valuable, Che told the Global Times. 

A student, surnamed Wang, majoring in electronic information engineering, also shared her current course schedule with the Global Times. Reporters noted that the courses for this major include fundamentals of circuit analysis, Python programming, and analog electronic technology, which are quite precisely designed and emphasize practical application.

"The vocational education places greater emphasis on practice and application, allowing us for a deeper and more practical mastery of professional skills," Wang told the Global Times on Tuesday. Wang said that during school time, they will receive skills training and participate in projects that are directly related to their careers, noting that these skills will also serve as the foundation for their employment.

Notably, in recent years, over 70 percent of the newly added frontline workers in modern manufacturing, strategic emerging industries, and modern service industries come from vocational schools, according to the Ministry of Education (MOE).

Vocational schools serve as China's primary hub for training skilled craftsmen, workers, and high-level talent, the MOE said. 

Wang said that students who receive general education has a broader range of classes, providing them opportunities to build a solid theoretical foundation and pursue a wider range of job opportunities in the future. 

"We focus exclusively on technical courses, and the school places a strong emphasis on career orientation, offering us a clearer understanding of our career paths," Wang said. 

A clear career positioning enables vocational students to more effectively select jobs that align with their skills and aspirations, according to Wang.

"The school also encourages us to participate in competitions and form teams to create projects. These activities allow us to apply what we have learned in practice and stimulate our innovative thinking," Wang added.

Wang also said that some of her senior classmates are working at major companies, living in first-tier cities.

According to Che, the frequent practical training focused on mastering professional skills makes graduates highly sought after by companies in their respective fields. In particular, a number of state-owned companies place great importance on attracting and nurturing talent with vocational education, offering them competitive salaries and positions. 

Against the backdrop of global power competition, certain countries are using cutthroat competition to suppress China. Skilled professionals with vocational education backgrounds could play a critical role in countering these efforts, Che said. 

For those students who demonstrate excellence in specific skills at a vocational college, there are paths for them to further upgrade their academic studies in general education at universities, or even go for postgraduate studies, Che said. 

As of 2023, there are a total of 11,133 vocational schools (including technical schools) in China, with nearly 35 million students enrolled, forming a complete tiered system of secondary vocational, associate, and bachelor's education, according to the MOE. In terms of scale, vocational education supports half of the country's secondary education and higher education, the MOE said.

In countries like Germany, vocational workers in trades such as plumbing, shipbuilding, blacksmithing, and metalworking are well-compensated and highly respected. Che notes that shifting societal attitudes toward vocational education remains an ongoing challenge in China.

The good progress is that, at least, vocational education currently shows promise in overcoming its traditional bias as a second-tier option for personal growth, Che said, adding that fundamentally, it is crucial to recognize the value of individuals who possess practical skills and create tangible value.