A university in east China that lavished millions of yuan on a grand gateway has sparked a national debate over the use -- and abuse -- of education funding. 

Liaocheng University in Shandong Province has been under fire for its 140-meter-long gateway, with Internet users and newspaper columnists demanding to know why education funds were spent in such a way.

The huge gateway came to public attention when pictures of it were posted anonymously on the Internet with claims that had cost 80 million yuan (US$10.1 million) to build.

Gateway of Liaocheng University

However, university spokesman Liu Shushan said the cost was only three million yuan (US$380,000) while fending off queries from media across China.

The two-storey curved gateway had 27 gates on the ground level, while the second floor contained an exhibition hall on the university's 32-year history, said Liu.

It also functioned as wall, he said in its defense.

However, his comments failed to quell the criticism.

"Such a gateway is totally unnecessary," said Xu Maoyan, an architecture professor with China's prestigious Qinghua University. "I do not know what kind of campus buildings deserve such a gateway."

"Three million yuan! I cannot imagine how many books we could buy, how many good teachers we could employ and how many poor students we could help with this money," said a student of Liaocheng University who asked not to be named.

A China Youth Daily report said the public debate reflected growing concern on how education funding was spent.

It said Chinese universities were eager to catch up with world-class universities, however, many chose to start with world-class buildings instead of investment in scientific research and teaching.

The newspaper said the gateway reflected the university's lack of confidence in its academic strength, which should be the priority in the development of any university.

Gateways and gates were a symbol of social and economic status in the traditional Chinese architecture, and provided grand entrances to the homes of emperors and rich merchants.

Defenders of the university gateway say modern education is an industry in which universities are "providers" and students are "consumers", which forces universities to attract students with many different methods, including building grand gateways.

Lou Yan, of the Institute of Education at Qinghua University, said he knew of freshmen who had chosen to return home upon their arrival at a university in northwest China where the gate was in disrepair.

(Xinhua News Agency November 4, 2006)