BEIJING, April 25 -- Philosophy departments at local universities have had a tough time in recent years as few high school graduates are willing to take the abstract subject as their first major choice.

    During Fudan University's admission open day last weekend, officials said that several parents tried to prevent their children with interest in philosophy, from applying for the major.

    "Everybody wants a good job after university life, but God knows what a guy with a brain of strange thoughts can do after graduation," said Yuan Chunfen, mother of a local high school boy.

    However, the first batch of three philosophy graduates who were honored as elite alumni and invited to address students during the 50th anniversary celebration of Fudan's philosophy department yesterday turned out to be renowned entrepreneurs.

    Guo Guangchang, president of Forsun High-Tech Group who was listed seventh among China's Top 400 Richest by Forbes 2005; David Yu Feng, co-chairman of Focus Media Holding Ltd; and Dai Zhikang, real estate entrepreneur and president of the Shanghai Zendai Group, studied philosophy in the 1980s.

    "The country's economic boom in recent years has made the public near-sighted. They look for quick and short-term profits," said Wu Xiaoming, dean of Fudan's philosophy department. "And this has hurt the whole philosophy education."

    For instance, Fudan officials said that the department was able to recruit only seven students in 1990, its worst year.

    Only half the freshmen it recruited in the city last year listed philosophy as their first major choice.

    The percentage of non-first-choice philosophy students even reached 90 percent at other universities. In fact, some scholars had suggested scrapping philosophy as a subject at undergraduate level, according to Chen Jiaying, dean of East China Normal University philosophy department.

    Many philosophy graduates have taken up business jobs, officials said.

    Unlike other disciplines of practical skills, philosophy leaves students with a basic method of thinking, which helps them ponder over their choices and thereby become wise decision makers, Wu said.

    He added that many business leaders return to basic philosophy courses after undertaking fashionable golf training and Master of Business Administration programs.

    (Source: Shanghai Daily)