Abstract

Development in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is widely emphasized worldwide. In the past decades, China has become the largest rising economy with a strong forward momentum in STEM advancement and education, which has profoundly impacted the global economy. This study investigates the current trends in STEM career aspirations among Chinese adolescents, who will soon become the future workforce. The results indicate a significant increase of students’ STEM aspirations in comparison to the 2015 PISA outcomes. Further investigation suggests that the rapid change can be attributed to the recent transitions in world politics which have shifted from collaboration to exclusive competition. Insights gained from this study call for a change of mindset to recognize that in the STEM economy, collaboration is the most powerful form of competition.