(Ecns.cn)--Vowing to provide "a real college education," a little-known school in a small town in Qichun County of Huanggang, Hubei Province, has attracted several famous professors and more than 100 students nationwide.
Since Li Ren Summer School began recruiting two months ago, more than 100 students from over 17 provinces have applied. 80 applicants were admitted by the time the school started its 15-day summer program on July 1.
The professors at Li Rffen all come from reputable universities, including Tsinghua, Peking University, Nankai University, Capital University of Economics and Business, and Beijing University of Technology.
Wan Yongsheng, a senior high student from Henan, was one of the lucky applicants. After attending a lecture given by Guo Yukuan, a senior media professional, Wan said he felt satisfied and had made a good choice for his summer vacation, even though it took him four hours to get there.
Reform needed in college education
The college was set up by Li Yingqing, who was born to a local farming family in Qichun, and later earned a master's degree in economics at Peking University.
"I did not have many chances to read when I was young," said Li. Because he received very little education in his childhood, Li understands the cultural impoverishment of China's small counties and towns.
In 2007, supported and encouraged by his wife and friends, Li established the Li Ren Library in his hometown, which now has 10 branches all over the country.
Devoted to "changing the world by enriching minds and improving life through reading," Li found that reforms in China's college education system were far behind compared to other fields.
That's when he came up with the idea of a special summer 'camp' which would teach college candidates and freshmen how to get the most out of university life.
"It is, in essence, a summer camp," explained Li, "but since people always associate summer camps with sightseeing, I named it 'Summer School'."
Feedback encouraged
When Li Ren Summer School first opened, Li encouraged the students to voice their opinions of the school, and for professors to enhance independent thinking skills.
Any advice is welcome, noted Li. "If the suggestion is applicable, we will adopt it immediately."
Debates between professors are frequently held to help students broaden their horizons, and various teaching methods have been adopted to make lectures more compelling.
In a lecture on July 6, Professor Yu Zhihai used the "Richman" games as an example to explain some social problems.
In the games, players must make every attempt to increase their own investment and beat down their opponents. Those who go bankrupt will be kicked out and only the richest can win, explained Yu.
As the saying goes, "life is like drama and drama reflects life," Yu continued. "The "Richman" games reflect real society to some degree. For example, many charitable organizations are trying their best the assist the poor. However, so long as the deep-rooted cause of the polarization exists, assistance to the impoverished and criticism of the rich will be of no help."
On the beach of the Qi River on July 8, a debate themed with "what would you do if you had 600 billion yuan ($93 billion)" attracted both students and professors. The stimulating debate finally ended with a shocking proposal "to burn it in order to curb inflation," at which everyone burst into laughter.
Students have bigger say
Students are given freedom to form various associations and can also participate in managing the school, which, according to Li, is what "a real college education" should provide.
"You (the students) came here not only to study, but also to run the school together with me," said Li at the school's opening ceremony.
Though made up of only about 100 people, including the school staff, many student groups can be found on the campus, such as the "Movie Appreciation" and "Study Abroad" groups.
"Decisions like 'what lecture should be prepared' and 'who should be the lead lecturer' are all made by students and the staff together," stressed Li.
Students, professors and the school are like cooperative partners, Li added, and all the teachers should get to know each student's education, background, age and habits, and then prepare their lectures accordingly.
Teachers are also asked to share their learning experiences with students and recommend books that are worth reading.
