A Chinese province is seeking to encourage students to stay local after graduating by offering to help them find a spouse.

Anhui¡¯s ¡°marriage assistance project¡± will include speed-dating events for university-leavers designed to ¡°increase the successful rate of marriage matching¡±, according to an ?by the province¡¯s Department of Human Resources and Social Security.

The plan was drawn up after a local member of the Chinese People¡¯s Political Consultative Conference ¨C an important state advisory body ¨C questioned how the eastern province could maximise the economic potential presented by its annual cohort of graduates, numbered at more than 300,000, and avoid losing them to more prosperous regions.

In her proposal, Li Yuyun, a dean at Bengbu Medical College, mentioned the need to ¡°help well-educated spinsters to get married as soon as possible and settle down¡±.

ÖйúAƬ

As well as speed dating ¨C some of it online ¨C the province plans to publish magazines on topics such as love, marriage and family, run a digital dating platform on the WeChat social media platform, and form a network of community workers and volunteers who ¡°have in-depth knowledge about the single population in local households¡±, according to .

The plans have triggered heated debates on Chinese social media networks, with some questioning whether it was ¡°too naive¡± to expect a province to be able to retain talent simply by encouraging weddings, and others debating whether local authorities were trying too hard to improve the marriage and birth rates.

ÖйúAƬ

Many complaints were aimed at the traditionalist mindset that largely ignores the role of free will in relationships for younger people. Even the word ¡°assistance¡± in the project title was seen as problematic, perceived as suggesting that single people needed help.

However, a senior leader of the magazine who leads the project told??that all activities were for the benefit of public welfare and were based on ¡°the principle of voluntariness¡±.

Other talent retention measures announced at the same time included new tax benefits and financial support, housing benefits and regular career-progression events.

karen.liu@timeshighereducation.com