Chinese lecturer demands his students acquire iPads

A Chinese lecturer has raised a storm by demanding students get an iPad, and that anyone unable to raise the funds over the summer shouldn't bother studying the financial industry.

Liang Zhenyu teaches at the Shanghai Maritime University and sent out a tweet (over the Weibo service) explaining that he would be using an iPad for all lessons, handouts and exam material, and that next term's students should get themselves busy over the summer and earn the requisite cash.

His strongly-worded recommendation, translated by MIC Gadget, explains that if you can't raise the money then you should consider an alternative career as financial services might not be the best subject for you.

"I hope every student would go to purchase an iPad, because iPad represents the most modern thinking, and my students must like that. If you don't have money to buy one, then you go to earn money. If you cannot earn merely $4000 Yuan (around $615) within the holiday, then you are not suited to this course, and you are not necessary [sic] to be my student."

Zhenyu also reckons students should wear suits and females don light makeup, which seems to have provoked as much bilious feedback as the suggestion that everyone be equipped with a Cupertino fondleslab.

Justifying himself in postings to his blog, the lecturer explains that he's trying to teach students how to survive in the business world, and that the ability to maintain a smart appearance is a useful skill – an argument with which, sadly, its hard to find fault.

But when it comes to the iPad he's clearly enraptured by the Jobsian dream:

"[The] iPad is not an innovation, it's revolution ... without it the teaching process will be paralyzed."