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Chinese students debate education after Fields Medal winner Wang Hong remarks
The Fields Medal winner said she lost confidence as a young undergraduate at Peking University before regaining it while studying in France.
South China Morning Post reports that Wang Hong, the first Chinese woman to win a Fields Medal, has sparked fresh debate among young students in China after she described feeling “discouraged” during her early years at an elite university.
The outlet notes Wang is 35 and was among four mathematicians awarded the Fields Medal on July 23, the first time two Chinese mathematicians received the prize in the same year alongside fellow mathematician Deng Yu, 37.
SCMP Economy says Wang has recounted how her confidence faded while she was a young undergraduate at Peking University, but later returned as she continued her studies in France, a shift that has resonated with students weighing how support is provided.
The discussion has broadened beyond her personal story to questions about whether China’s education system gives students the support needed to build confidence and pursue original ideas, according to the report.