小確暖! 高校貧困生獲隱形補助

A college in eastern China that uses big data to identify students in financial difficulty says it has paid out millions of yuan in "stealth subsidies" over the past 13 years.

我國東部一所高校利用大數據甄別經濟困難的學生，稱其在過去13年裏已發放了數百萬元的“隱形補助”。

The University of Science and Technology of China introduced a computer system in 2004 that records and analyzes spending in its campus canteens, and began using it to identify struggling students.

中國科技大學於2004年引進一個電腦系統，記錄和分析校園食堂裏的消費情況，開始用其甄別生活困難的學生。

Those who make the list for a subsidy receive an email and have 160 yuan credited to their canteen card. The list is updated on a monthly basis.

進入補助名單的學生會收到一封郵件，其餐卡獲得160元充值。該名單每月都會更新。

According to figures from the student affairs office, the university has paid a subsidy 40,000 times since 2004, providing a total of 6 million yuan to needy students.

根據該校學工處的數據，自2004年至今，該校已向貧困學生髮放補貼4萬次，共發放補助600萬元。

"Interestingly, we have found that the canteen expenditures of the credited students does not rise considerably, while their expenditures in campus fruit stores and bookstores will rise after they get the money," said Li Feng, deputy director of the student affairs office.

學工處副處長李峯稱：“有趣的是，我們發現，在得到這筆錢後，那些受補助的學生的食堂花費並沒有顯著增加，而他們在校園水果店和書店的花費則有所上漲。”

"The stealth subsidies are aimed at helping students while protecting their privacy and dignity," he said.

他說道：“隱形補助旨在在幫助學生的同時也保護他們的隱私和尊嚴。”