Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of universities as talent hubs in China, highlighting the competition among cities to attract and retain university students amid a changing demographic landscape and economic demands [2][3][41]. 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 [2]. - Eight cities in China have over one million enrolled university students, with Guangzhou leading at 1.68 million, followed by Zhengzhou and Wuhan at 1.508 million and 1.41 million respectively [5][7]. - The density of university students in these cities is significant, with nearly one in ten residents being a student, indicating a high talent concentration [10]. Group 2: Quality of Higher Education - Only six cities have more than 150,000 enrolled graduate students, with Beijing leading at 470,000, surpassing the number of undergraduate students [14][16]. - The article categorizes cities into four tiers based on the quality of higher education, with Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing in the top tier, followed by Wuhan, Xi'an, Guangzhou, and Chengdu in the second tier [17][18]. Group 3: Economic and Educational Disparities - Major cities with high university enrollment are primarily provincial capitals or directly governed cities, while economically strong non-capital cities often lack sufficient higher education institutions [21][24]. - The article presents a table showing the number of universities in cities with varying GDP levels, illustrating the correlation between economic strength and educational resources [22]. Group 4: Efforts to Build Universities - Economic strongholds are actively building universities to address educational deficiencies, with Shenzhen being a prime example, rapidly establishing new institutions and attracting renowned universities to set up branches [25][27]. - Other cities like Suzhou are also investing in higher education, with local initiatives to establish campuses and enhance educational offerings [31][32]. Group 5: Talent Retention Challenges - The article discusses the challenge of retaining graduates in their respective cities, noting that many students from cities with high university enrollment often migrate to economically vibrant regions for better opportunities [36][38]. - Cities like Wuhan and Hefei are striving to improve their graduate retention rates, while cities like Guangzhou continue to attract talent despite their already high student populations [40][41].

Group 1 - The core viewpoint emphasizes the importance of university students for future talent acquisition and economic growth, highlighting the ongoing competition among cities to attract and retain talent [1][3][57] - In 2025, the number of national college entrance examination candidates reached 13.35 million, while the number of graduates was 12.22 million, both at historical highs [2] - Major cities with a high number of university students are identified, with Guangzhou leading at 1.68 million, followed by Zhengzhou and Wuhan [6][8] Group 2 - The article categorizes cities based on the number of graduate students, noting that only six cities have over 150,000 graduate students, with Beijing leading at 470,000 [15][17] - The analysis reveals a disparity in higher education resources, with non-provincial capital cities often lacking sufficient universities despite strong economic performance [24][25] - The article discusses the trend of economic strongholds like Shenzhen and Suzhou actively building universities to enhance their educational landscape and attract talent [32][34][44] Group 3 - The challenge of retaining university graduates is highlighted, with many graduates from cities like Wuhan and Hefei moving to more developed regions for employment opportunities [48][50] - Cities are increasingly competing to attract talent, with initiatives like Guangzhou's "Million Talents Gathering in South Guangdong" campaign [56][57] - The article concludes that the ability to retain and attract talent will be crucial for cities as the population growth plateaus [58]