Changing Chinese Education and Collaboration between Chinese and UK Educational

Institutions

Dr. Hu ZhengrongVice President

Communication University of China

1 ， Changes in Chinese Higher Education

A, Expansion of Scale, Increasing of the number of the universities and students.

In 1990s, the top priority of education of the administration of Premier Zhu Rongji was to build more comprehensive universities.

The specialist universities were either merging to form comprehensive universities, which were either under the supervision of MOE, or transferred supervision to the respective local governments.

Number of University and college:

1100 (1998) 1909 (2007)

Number of undergraduate university students (4 & 2 years):

3.40 million (1998) 4.13 million (1999) 5.56 million (2000) 7.19 million (2001) 9.03 million (2002) 11.08 million (2003) 13.33 million (2004) 15.61 million (2005) 20.00 million (2010)

The rate of enrollment:

8% (1998)

21% (2005) 25% (2010)

B, To build up Universities of Excellence with priority funding from government:

Since the mid 1990s, two state program described as “pivotal” in modernizing and enhancing the quality of higher education have been introduced: Project 211 and Project 985.

Project 211literally means “to build 100 top universities in the 21st century”. The project was established in 1995, and aims to build hundreds of first class universities and a number of key fields of study for the 21st century. It is a project that deliberately concentrates larges sums of money to provide high-level institutions.

Project 985 was launched in May 1998, which is intended to develop world-class universities and world-famous research universities. It was created to concentrate high-level funding on a much smaller number of top universities. This project currently involves 38 institutions.

Some specialist universities will be listed into Project 985 like geology, mining, petroleum, communication…

C, To focus on quality, uniqueness, governance; emphasize diversity

“Opinions of the Ministry of Education & the Ministry of Finance on the Implementation of Project of Quality and Reform of Undergraduates in Higher Schools”. (January 22, 2007)

For the current administration of Premier Wen Jiabao, the world-class universities are still the priority; meanwhile, the government also emphasizes the diversity of universities. The specialist universities regained favor with their featured disciplines and majors.

2, Innovative State & Innovative Higher Education

A, Innovative State Originality Creativity

During the the next 20 years, China will face a major restructure of economy. The current dominating labor-intensive development model will change into a technology and capital-intensive one, and that requires more management personnel, and specialists who are competent in the related economic sectors.

China is in need of state-of-the-art technology and talents. 

B, Innovative higher education provides creative human resources.

New labor force graduated from higher

education 7% (2007) 10%

(2010)

“Project of Quality” (2007) Programs broadening Modules reform Flexibility to meet student personality

“Project of University Students Innovative Practice” (2007)

internship enhancement practice improvement

3. International Collaboration

China has a huge education market for there are tens of millions of school-aged youngsters need a place to get higher education.

10 million students applying for home universities

(2007-2010) 100 thousand students applying for oversea

universities (2002-present)

The ideal partners for educational collaboration are top class comprehensive universities around the world.

Universities with top class disciplines and majors, and the specialist universities are welcome too.

The successful international cooperation for Chinese universities means the similar disciplines in the first place.

4. Sino-UK Educational Collaboration

A, UK is one of the favorite destinations of Chinese students when they decide to pursue their studies abroad.

The studying-abroad Chinese students

with master degrees, who come back to China after their graduation, are mostly from UK, Japan.

2006 年 10 月 14 日，中国学生向英国一所大学的老师咨询相关事宜。郭铁流 摄

B, Studying in and with UK higher education will still be increasing.

Going to UK: many potential

students Studying with UK higher education

in China:

C, Some noteworthy phenomenon:

Since 2005, the number of students going to study abroad is dropping.

-- the number of Chinese students to UK for bachelor degree dropped 35% (2006)

Moving from low end ( bachelor) to high end (master, doctorate).

The studying-abroad Chinese

students with doctor degrees, who come back to China after their graduation, are mostly from Japan, the USA and Germany.

Chinese students, who hope to study abroad, have more options.

West and North Europe Australia, New Zealand Canada…

Little opportunity of internship, job for Chinese students.

Qualities of students, and education

The number of students ready for higher education will drop from 2008 on, very sharply down in 2013 or so.

Thank You!