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168万在校生,“中国大学生第一城”诞生
虎嗅APP·2025-06-10 10:18

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of universities as talent hubs in the context of China's population peak and the ongoing competition for talent among cities, highlighting the need for cities to retain graduates and attract talent to sustain economic growth [5][44]. Group 1: University Enrollment and Distribution - In 2025, the number of national college entrance examination candidates reached 13.35 million, with graduates totaling 12.22 million, both at historical highs [4]. - Eight cities in China have over one million enrolled university students, with Guangzhou leading at 1.68 million, followed by Zhengzhou and Wuhan with 1.508 million and 1.41 million respectively [8][9]. - Chengdu has seen rapid growth, surpassing 1.3 million students for the first time, overtaking Chongqing to rank fourth [10]. Group 2: Quality of Higher Education - Only six cities have over 150,000 enrolled graduate students, with Beijing leading at 470,000, where graduate numbers have surpassed undergraduate numbers [17][19]. - The article categorizes cities into four tiers based on the quality of higher education, with Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing in the first tier, and cities like Wuhan, Xi'an, Guangzhou, and Chengdu in the second tier [20][21]. Group 3: Economic and Educational Disparities - The article notes that major cities with high economic output often lack sufficient higher education institutions, leading to a phenomenon termed "university poverty" in economically strong cities like Shenzhen and Suzhou [24][25]. - Historical patterns show that educational resources have historically concentrated in provincial capitals, benefiting from various national policies over the decades [26]. Group 4: Efforts to Build Higher Education Institutions - Economic strongholds are actively building universities to address educational deficiencies, with Shenzhen leading the charge by rapidly establishing new institutions and attracting branches of prestigious universities [28][31]. - Other cities like Suzhou are also investing in higher education, with initiatives to establish local campuses of renowned universities and develop homegrown institutions [34][35]. Group 5: Talent Retention Challenges - Retaining graduates remains a significant challenge for many cities, as many graduates prefer to move to economically vibrant regions like the Yangtze River Delta and the Greater Bay Area [40][41]. - Cities like Wuhan and Hefei are implementing strategies to retain graduates, while cities with fewer local universities, like Shenzhen, attract a large number of graduates from other regions [39][43].