Lecture 'Meet the Expert - How could my classmates become my enemies? Involution behaviours of students at elite Chinese universities'

This dialogic seminar explores the phenomenon of involution (neijuan) in Chinese higher education, drawing on recent qualitative research that investigates how university students experience and respond to intensifying peer competition.

Involution, now widely discussed in China, describes a pattern of escalating academic effort, comparison, and overwork that often yields limited returns.

This dynamic has raised increasing concern about student pressure and mental health, particularly in elite universities where comprehensive and frequently implemented evaluation systems create sustained performance demands.

The seminar examines how the competitive environments shape students’ understandings of achievement, influence their academic and emotional experiences, and gradually narrow their opportunities for broader personal development.

The talk will be delivered by Prof Shuiyun Liu from Beijing Normal University (BNU), whose research focuses on higher education policy and management