According to Tiller (1998), the evaluation system of postgraduate scholarship is a system which can evaluate whether the standards of undergraduate scholarship is proper or not. With the policy of enlarging the master amount in Chinese universities, how to make sure that each student can be encouraged on their innovation capability in university is the problem that government should consider. Currently the total number of postgraduate in China who have got a master degree is more than 1500 thousand, and the number of postgraduate in campus reach to 1100 thousand which makes China a postgraduate country only after by US.
On this condition, people begin to pay more attention on the quality so the reform on the training mode of graduates for masters degree in China. This reform needs to set up a system of relevant student financial assistance measures, and the assessment system of scholarships is one major part among the measures. After the reform all postgraduate need to pay tuition fee through the dynamic evaluation system. It contains the achievements in study, the research development and other representations. In addition, the hypothesis of the scholarship is that students will study hard for the tuition fee and living expenses, therefore the scholarship has a function of assisting and motivating postgraduates.
Focusing on the university scholarships assessment system, this paper aims to deeply study and evaluate the system in Chinese universities so as to find the impact, the pros and cons of the scholarship assessment. Meanwhile, by comparison with the US system, some recommendations are expected to be made to promote the system in Chinese universities.
2.0 Scholarships assessment system in Chinese universities
2.1 Introduction of current scholarships assessment system in Chinese universities
In general, the scholarships is formed with the background of enlarging policy, and aimed to improving the postgraduate training quality. Since the differences among universities in China, this paper only chooses typical ones so that the analysis can be simple and clear. The current scholarships system can be described as follows.
First of all, the scholarships are divided into four levels.
Level
Special grade
First class
Second class
Third class
Amount per year (yuan)
510,000
170,000
150,000
4,000
In the table, the scholarship of the first three levels includes the tuition fee and living expenses while the last one only contains the cost of living. To speak of, the special grade will continue the same for three years, while the other three levels are assessed once a year. Besides, the first year for a postgraduate is evaluated by the entry requirements, and from the second year the school will evaluate the postgraduate according to the achievement at school, the results of scientific research and comprehensive performance. The figure of postgraduate living subsidies is increased to 400 yuan per month.
2.2 Evaluation on current scholarships assessment system in Chinese universities
On one hand, the amount for the living subsidies per month increases so that it can improve the living level to some extent, and it also can make most postgraduate pay attention to study and science. The pattern of one assessment a year can let students treat courses correctly and maintain the motive power of research and development. Meanwhile, students value the opportunities of learning rather than mix a diploma.
On the other hand, the system of postgraduate scholarships can encourage students to a certain degree. However, through a survey in universities the result shows that most students care more about supporting function, so scholarships are boosting their endeavor in the meantime of bringing them heart pressure (Frenette, 2007). What is more, this method can not prove a student excellent only by the second scholarships or better. That is to say, many postgraduates who get a third level scholarship do not have ability of research or study well, while they just do not want circulate a paper with poor quality. The reason is that it is really hard for the first-year graduate students to publish papers in core journals.
Thus, the function realization of the postgraduate scholarships needs the fair standards in the process of scholarship evaluation. Otherwise it will bring many negative effects, for instance some postgraduate may falsify in order to win over scholarships by publishing more papers (Gary & Ross, 2002). As a result the quality of scientific paper will drop down and the plagiarism will be fostered. Besides, because the quota of students is limited and there are a big gap between the second-class and the third-class, cutthroat competition among students will produce major heart pressure and the relationship of teachers and students will become strained, so it will not be good for the integrated development of postgraduate.
In order to avoid the contradictions in the process of evaluation, many universities in China take a reform which cancels the third-class scholarship from the second year. For example, when a postgraduate in his second year of master, the first-class scholarship is 20,000 yuan a year and the second-class is 18,000 yuan a year, and the living expenses are 9000 yuan and 7000 yuan. In this situation, students do not need to worry about their tuition fee and the living standard will be improved so that the economic pressure will relieve and they will concentrate to study and research. However, it also brings a problem that whether it makes some students lose the activity of study or not. If so, it will breach the original aim of the scholarship reform.
The reform is on the bases of the university character which is the funding of college abundant. Meanwhile it is more important for professors and colleges to enhance the administration of training course. That is to say, not all of postgraduates can get scholarship, and they must reach to basic assessment criteria which includes not only course performance, but also the research attitude and effort. In this way, this method strengthens the duty of deans and perfects the training system. Besides, the common view that both the professors and postgraduates reach is that the major motivation for students to get scholarships is not only for money. The reason is that for postgraduates as higher level talents in universities, the substance incentive is only the basic incentive, however, they pursue the higher level of incentive called spiritual drive which can mobilize the initiative on a higher level, especially some postgraduates with good family economy conditions who has the need of spiritual incentive more urgently than the substance incentive.
3.0 Scholarships assessment system in US universities
3.1 A brief introduction of current postgraduate scholarships assessment system in USA universities
For the beginning, there are four kinds of full scholarships in US universities. Firstly, teacher assistant fellowship is helping professors to deal with teaching affair, which usually provides the postgraduates with a waiver of all or part of tuition, plus a small amount for living expenses. This kind of scholarship is always assisted by professor with some of them supplied by institutes.
Secondly, research assistant fellowship is helping professors with their researches such as collecting material, performing an experiment, and so on. Sometimes those duties are strongly related to the graduate's eventual thesis topic. Research assistantships always supply graduate students with a waiver of all or part of tuition and a small number of living expenses (Wheatley, 1991). It may take a lot hard work to get this item scholarship. Besides that, it belongs to service assistantship, and students who receive this scholarship hold the post of assisted instruction and research work for 12 to 20 hours a week. Most of graduate schools in US universities set this kind of scholarship, however, not all the assistant can cover all expenses of a year just more than two thirds of all amount. To speak of, no matter TA or RA are both needed to pay taxes.
Thirdly, associate instructor fellowship which has more award than the first two ones is teaching individually. Fourthly, administrative assistant fellowship is the secretary of teaching or administration which has a duty of plentiful daily affair and the status is the same level as the first two scholarships. The tuition fee can be exempted if you have got the full scholarship, with the assurance and living expenses. The situation of each college is different, some living expenses are $1500 while some $1800.
Besides, there are also partial scholarships in postgraduate of US universities. The requirements are different in different universities, and the common situation is that you are exempted from tuition fee while the living expenses should be cost by yourself. Meanwhile, there is only partial exemption of tuition fee so the rest of cost needs your own ability.
In the last, you can enjoy professional scholarship if the achievements of your courses are excellent enough. This kind of scholarship is donated by donators.
3.2 Evaluation on current scholarships assessment system in USA universities
First of all, the living subsidy in US universities seems to be proper for you can rent a comfortable room and even buy a second-hand car with the money. If the budget goes better, it will take only half a year to buy a second-hand car with three or four thousand dollars.
Then the part-time jobs for postgraduate are easy to get. The reason is probably that the total number of students is not as big as it in China, so it is much easier for graduate to get a part-time job. Even if the spare time except from study and research is not so much, graduate students can always find a satisfactory job to afford their living expenses.
Besides that, it is meaningful for some donators to donate money to universities where they had studied. This will also help and motivate those who have excellent scores. In US, you can start work from your second year in school if you have got a full scholarship which will last for four years equaling to the complete of doctor's degree. All in all, it seems to be relatively more effective on current postgraduate scholarships assessment system in US universities than it in China.
4.0 Comparison on scholarships assessment system between university in China and in USA
The scholarship system as an effectively motivate resort that its aim is to motivate student to study better. One can exert 20%-30% of his capacity without motivation, but if he receives correct and sufficient motivation he can exert 80%-90% of his ability, even can be higher percent (Bauke, 2007). Besides that, it is good for the justice to see correctly in the relationship between the motivation and assistance so that it can lead postgraduate to develop in a positive direction and promote the realization of scholarships functions.
According to dual stimulant theory, it indicates that there are two kinds of factors to stimulate motivations, which are motivator and maintenance factors (Gomart, 1995). Also, motivator can be divided into two kinds. One kind means the motivation of internal factors such as success, challenge, achievement and approval. Another one stands for external excitation meaning through improve conditions, enhance supervisory administration to stimulate motivate. Internal motivator is base while external one is condition and guarantee, only the two act motivators take combined action can realize the combined function of motivate system. On the basis of the theory, the postgraduate assessment scholarship system includes both hygienic factor and motivator, because it gives an amount of money in substance and also provides spiritual praise in non-substance-a pattern of external and internal factors (Herzberg &Mausner, 1993).
On one hand, the variety of US universities is more affluent than that in China. The more choose which can be selected by students, the more reasonable and effective the assessment of scholarships it will be. In China, it is just only a few years for the history of the scholarships system, so it is easy to understand the number of kinds is less than them in US. What is more, it should not be forgotten that there are much more students in China and the situation seems more complicated.
On the other hand, the phenomenon of cutthroat competition among students shows the wrong idea of receiving a scholarship. It is also the problem which the evaluation scholarship system designed. Though the hardworking can be seen in the system of postgraduate scholarships in China, there is still a long way to go before it functions deeply and fully.
In a word, the assessment postgraduate system has a deep influence on the future of graduate students so that every government of countries should design reasonable evaluation system for the development of the graduate, even the country.
5.0 Recommendation
First of all, for most Chinese postgraduates they have aspirations of economic independence, however, the major motivate is not all about money while the spiritual pursue and achievement can mobilize the graduate students' initiative in a higher layer. As a result, the universities should develop their interest, ability and scientific spirit on research so that the students can go to research in a positive attitude. Meanwhile it is necessary to do the work of enhancing the academic integrity and moral education. The aim of those above is to lead students to changing external pressure to internal motivate, eventually realize the balance of grant function.
Secondly, equity theory shows that people will always compare his effort and reward with another one who has the same conditions, and if the two numbers equal the same people will feel equity. Otherwise, the unfair feeling will appear. Thus, whether a person can be motivated or not depends on not only the actual requirements but also whether be-motivated can appear fair feeling in the process of motivate. It is a common social psychological tendency for people to seek justice. For students, it shows continuing hardworking or drawing rein, even shows rejecting effort. In this case, the evaluation of scholarship system should make graduate student feel equity so that they can work harder. If some students get scholarship by falsification, the negative influence will spread among other students. Besides that, the results of assessment scholarship always have invigorating effect which will let the gainers have more power to study while for the others maybe negative effect can appear. The extent of negative depends on the science and rationality of the assessment scholarship system and process. Thus, the conditions for praise should be clear while adjusted and improved according to the practical situation, and it is most important to insure the justice of evaluation scholarship process. Because it is not only substance praise, but also a spiritual motivate. If the graduate students have proper guidance, it can motivate the interest in study and also can improve the quality of educating postgraduates. Otherwise, it maybe cause the opposite direction and not good for the grown up of students.
Thirdly, it is necessary to adjust the amount of scholarships on the basis of different characters in various schools and majors. On the premise of reflecting the idea of university, considering the background and needs of different schools and majors the university should increase the amount of scholarship and enlarge the cover to shorten the gap between the second-class and the third-class. Because postgraduate education takes the method of using scholarship to replace exempting, which strengthens the leadership function of market system in postgraduate education, it makes students more utilitarian when they choose majors (Farrel & Heyneman, 1989). In this case, for the relatively majors which are not in popular demand or basic ones, the standard of praise and amount should be departed from each other that the amount of scholarship should be higher to insure the tuition fee, and increase the living subsidy appropriately. It is also necessary to adjust the system every year to make sure the fairness.
Last but not least important, one of reasons for setting up scholarship system is to cultivate innovative talents so it is considerable to set innovation scores in the whole scholarship system. If there are new views and ideas in the scientific achievements, it should be given special award to motivate innovation. Besides that, universities should complete the supporting policies, and training of graduate students is the key of the reform of the system responsible for the instructors and funding system. This method which causes professor at the recruitment of graduate students time is more cautious, raises is more careful. On one hand, it can enhance the duty of raising students that students will work hard to join in the task of supervisors. On the other hand, it also can relieve the pressure of graduate students and make them pay more attention on the sense of accomplishment on the process of study, leading them experience the deep-seated need.
6.0 Conclusion
The assessment graduate scholarship system is on the background of increasing enrollment, and the aim is to enhance the raising quality of graduates and innovation ability. The increase in the total number of graduates calls for the reform of scholarship system (Weiss, 2000). Currently, in China different universities have a variety of scholarships standards which makes the reform harder to carry out. In general, there are four classes in the graduate scholarship system. To speak of, the current system in universities of China has some serious problems that may effect the initiative of research or causes cutthroat competition. On the opposite, the graduate scholarship system in US has its advantages in many aspects. Compared with US, we can find that the scholarships systems are more effective than them in China because they are designed more proper and reasonable.
To solve the problems in the assessment scholarship system, the essay gives advice on the students' interest, justice, adjustable amount and innovation to improve the whole situation of scholarship system in China.
