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text | guo yingjian (vice president of capital development and strategy institute, renmin university of china)

recently, the american "chronicle of higher education" published an article titled "customers in the classroom". this article is part of a series of reports on "generation z education". the so-called "generation z" refers to people born between the mid-1990s and the early 2000s. they are the generation currently receiving higher education (including undergraduate, master's and doctoral studies).

this article explores the current phenomenon of students viewing college education as a transaction, and analyzes the origin, manifestation and impact of this trend on higher education. based on a brief introduction to the main points of this article, i will further reflect on this issue.

college education is becoming a transaction

the article first describes the phenomenon that students view college education as a consumption transaction. as the cost of higher education increases and the job market becomes increasingly competitive, students and parents increasingly view college education as an investment. their focus has shifted from traditional academic growth to the direct returns of education, including employment opportunities and salary levels. this shift has led to a significant change in students' expectations of colleges - they not only pay attention to course content and academic quality, but also require colleges to provide high levels of services and facilities.

secondly, the article explores the impact of this marketization trend on universities. students are increasingly paying attention to their role as "customers", making educational services more focused on market demand and service quality. at the same time, in order to attract students and improve competitiveness, many universities have adjusted their operating models and curriculum settings, including lowering academic standards, increasing market-oriented courses, and improving campus facilities. although these measures may help improve student satisfaction, they have also triggered public concerns about the quality of education and academic rigor.

the article points out that excessive marketization may lead to a deviation from educational goals, causing universities to focus more on service quality and neglect academic depth.

finally, the article discusses the question of who should be held responsible for this phenomenon, and points out that this trend may not only be the result of students and parents' expectations, but may also be related to the marketization pressure of higher education itself and the commercialization attitude of society towards education. the article argues that when responding to market demand, colleges and universities must find a balance between providing high-quality services and maintaining the quality of education. society, education policymakers and universities themselves must all bear some responsibility for this change and look for solutions.

the significance of this article lies in revealing the deep-seated problems of the marketization of higher education. viewing university education as a transaction not only changes students' attitudes towards education, but also affects the university's operating model and educational goals.

excessive pursuit of marketization may lead to people neglecting the core values ​​of education, such as academic rigor and the all-round development of people. therefore, universities and education policymakers need to seriously consider how to find a balance between market demand and education quality.

behind the transformation from "education" to "transaction"

in my opinion, the reasons why universities are currently changing from "education" to "transaction" are complicated.

first, the role of students has changed, that is, they have or are changing from "learners" to "consumers". this means that on the surface, students have higher expectations for educational services, and universities are required to provide market-like service quality, but the core is that students regard themselves as customers and expect universities to meet their needs in terms of services, including course quality, teacher level, academic support, campus facilities, etc.

traditionally, students are considered participants in learning, focusing mainly on the acquisition of knowledge and personal academic growth, but the market trend has made students pay more attention to the actual returns of education, such as whether they can find a job, what their future salary level will be, etc. this shift has greatly changed the university operation model and educational goals.

at present, it is a common practice in universities to lower academic standards in order to cater to students' needs, and even require teachers to give the green light to students' unsatisfactory grades; universities focus on providing short-term vocational training and neglect basic academic research and the cultivation of critical thinking.

second, the profound impact of the marketization of education. now is the era of consumerism. it is the general trend of consumerism and marketization that has driven universities to be student-oriented and even adjust curriculum settings, teaching methods and evaluation standards to improve student satisfaction and market competitiveness.

although this adjustment may improve the quality of some services and make students and their parents feel satisfied to a certain extent, it will also lead to a decline in the quality of education. the most common practice at present is undoubtedly that universities have opened many courses that are popular with students but have low academic content, or lowered admission requirements and classroom teaching thresholds in order to attract students. this market pressure will eventually lead to insufficient depth and breadth of education, and academic research will be greatly affected.

it is undeniable that the marketization of education will indeed bring resources and innovation, but it may also bring many negative effects. therefore, in the process of adapting to market demand, universities must maintain academic dignity, academic rigor and the inherent quality of education. of course, this does not completely deny the marketization of education, but it means that higher education must find a balance between providing high-quality services and maintaining the core values ​​of education.

third, universities have made mistakes in their response. currently, universities have taken some measures to deal with the challenge of student consumerism, including improving service quality, adjusting curriculum settings, and re-examining educational goals. this is reasonable and has positive significance. however, educators must not forget that universities must maintain their academic depth; even if they re-examine educational goals, they must ensure that education focuses not only on vocational skills, but also on the comprehensive development and academic growth of students.

in other words, in the process of dealing with consumerism and marketization, it is necessary for universities to take corresponding countermeasures, but they must also be implemented with caution. for example, improving service quality is a direct way to improve student satisfaction, but we should avoid lowering education standards just to meet market demand; adjusting the curriculum can make education more practical, but we must ensure the academic and ideological depth of the course content; re-examining the educational goals is to maintain the core value of education, and for this reason, universities should find a balance between providing high-quality services and achieving educational goals. in short, all improvement measures need to take into account student needs, education quality and academic standards to ensure the overall effect of education.

defending the core values ​​of university education

as mentioned above, with the intensification of the marketization trend of higher education, universities are increasingly seen as service providers, while students see themselves as customers. it is in this sense that universities are becoming more and more like stores, and students are becoming more and more like customers. this change has had a huge impact on the university operation model, making it face the severe challenge of finding a balance between meeting market demand and maintaining the core values ​​of education. the marketization trend and the rise of student consumerism often affect the quality of education and the traditional mission of universities.

universities always need to defend their core values, including providing high-quality academic education, promoting knowledge innovation, and cultivating critical thinking and all-round development capabilities, so as to avoid the erosion of these core values ​​by marketization trends and consumerism.

first, we must uphold academic rigor and place it at the core of education. this means that in terms of curriculum setting and teaching quality, universities cannot simply pursue short-term returns based on market demand, but should maintain high academic standards. course content should have depth and breadth, and teaching methods should promote the improvement of students' critical thinking and comprehensive abilities. even in a market-oriented environment, universities should insist on providing high-level academic education to ensure that students can truly grow in depth and breadth of knowledge.

second, we should strengthen the social responsibility of education. education is not only vocational training, but should also focus on social development and public interests. universities should be committed to solving social problems, promoting scientific and technological progress, and promoting cultural heritage through research and teaching.

third, advocate the all-round development of students as individuals, beyond simple vocational skills training. education should focus on students' personal growth, moral literacy and social responsibility. by providing diversified courses and practical opportunities, universities can help students develop leadership, innovation and interpersonal communication skills on the basis of mastering professional knowledge. the concept of all-round development of education can help students better adapt to future challenges while maintaining the core values ​​of university education.

fourth, focus on combining innovation with tradition. universities can introduce innovative teaching methods and technologies while maintaining the core values ​​of traditional education. modern educational technologies and teaching methods, such as blended learning, flipped classrooms, and project-based learning, can enhance students' sense of participation and practical ability without losing the rigor and depth of education. innovation should serve the core goals of education, rather than just replacing traditional teaching methods.

fifth, establish an effective feedback mechanism to understand students’ needs and expectations and make reasonable adjustments based on feedback. the feedback mechanism should not only include student satisfaction, but also focus on educational quality and academic standards.

college students should realize their responsibilities

from my observation, generation z has unique characteristics and experiences that are different from previous generations, and are deeply influenced by the technological and social environment in which they grew up.

as digital "natives", generation z has been exposed to the internet, smartphones and social media since childhood. they are very familiar with technology and accustomed to instant access to information and digital communication. they are the most culturally diverse generation group to date, and they value inclusion and social justice.

generation z is also more concerned about economic and social issues. having experienced the economic turmoil since the 21st century, both their parents and themselves are pragmatic and cautious about financial issues, and are very concerned about issues that affect the international community (such as climate change).

at the same time, they have a clear awareness of mental health, are more concerned about and willing to discuss mental health issues, and compared with previous generations, they are more willing to seek help and pay attention to mental health and well-being.

in terms of education, generation z has clear educational and career goals. many individuals are very focused on practical and entrepreneurial career paths. they value education, but are skeptical of traditional paths to success (such as having to complete four years of college to obtain a degree), so they will consider a variety of educational and career development methods.

in addition, social platforms such as tik tok, wechat, and xiaohongshu occupy a central position in the social interaction and self-expression of generation z, and their words and deeds are influenced by the popular content they follow and the different communities they participate in.

based on the above understanding, facing a new generation, the mission of higher education today is even more important. universities should let the students of generation z deeply understand the core value of education and the responsibilities they shoulder.

first, look at education rationally. students should view university education as a process of comprehensive individual development, not just vocational skills training. the value of education lies not only in obtaining a degree and having career prospects, but also in personal growth and the cultivation of social responsibility. students should realize that high-quality education not only requires universities to provide it, but also requires their own active participation and efforts.

second, actively participate in the entire education process. students should actively participate in classroom learning, extracurricular activities and practical projects to enhance learning effects and comprehensive abilities. active participation can not only improve personal academic level, but also cultivate leadership and teamwork skills. through active participation, students can better adapt to future career challenges, while also helping universities maintain the core values ​​of education.

third, balance your expectations. students should find a balance between personal expectations and reality, and avoid viewing the university as a mere service provider. the value of university education lies in its comprehensiveness, as well as the depth of thought and height of practice. to this end, students should see the full picture and comprehensive value of education. by balancing expectations, students can better adapt to university life and achieve their personal academic and career goals.

in short, in response to the challenges of marketization and student consumerism, higher education needs to start from its core values, always maintain its academic rigor, strengthen social responsibility, advocate all-round development, combine innovation with tradition, and establish an effective feedback mechanism. at the same time, students should also look at education rationally and balance expectations with reality. through the joint efforts of colleges and students, universities can fully meet market demand while fulfilling their core mission of cultivating comprehensive talents.