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Higher Education Transition and Academic Mobility in China

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Globalization and Transnational Academic Mobility

Part of the book series: East-West Crosscurrents in Higher Education ((EWCHE))

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Abstract

This chapter discusses the issues of higher education globalization and academic returnees within a wider context of China. It shows how China pursues a program of reform to revitalize its higher education system against the backdrop of global higher education transition as well as how China adopts new policies to mobilize overseas talents.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For details about Academic Ranking of World Universities 2013, see http://www.shanghairanking.com/ARWU2013.html.

  2. 2.

    According to Martin Trow (1972), there are three stages of higher education: elite, mass, and universal education. The elite-education stage refers to gross enrollment rate less than 15 %; the mass-education stage refers to a rate between 15 and 50 %; and the universal-education stage refers to a rate more than 50 %.

  3. 3.

    Independent college is a new type of higher education institution in China. It is attached to a state-owned university but invested by non-governmental organizations and individuals. The first independent college was founded in 1999. As of 2010, there were a total of 323 independent colleges in China.

  4. 4.

    In June 2016, the Ministry of Education of China announced that the Project 211 and Project 985 are no longer valid. The invalidation of these two projects has been interpreted as bringing to an end of a national plan of establishing a few world class universities and colleges in China. The national plan for higher education now focuses on deepening reform in a comprehensive way, through implementing measures to establish world first-class universities and world first-class disciplines, also called double first-class (“shuang yiliu”). Supporting measures are in progress.

  5. 5.

    The figures of 21 and 1 within the name 211 comes from an abbreviation of the twenty-first century and approximately 100 universities.

  6. 6.

    Throughout this study, the currency exchange rate used was 1 Chinese Yuan ≈ 0.16 US dollars as per the exchange rate on March 1, 2014.

  7. 7.

    The C9 League is an alliance of nine top universities in Chinese Mainland including Tsinghua University, Peking University, Harbin Institute of Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Fudan University, Zhejiang University, Nanjing University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Xi’an Jiao Tong University.

  8. 8.

    “Iron rice bowl” is a Chinese term used to refer to a government-funded job with steady income and benefits and guaranteed job security.

  9. 9.

    Chinese universities adopt a dual-leadership governance structure. That is, the university Communist Party Committee, directed by the Party Secretary, works in parallel with the administrative system led by the university president in internal governance. Both the party secretary and the president are appointed by the Chinese government.

  10. 10.

    Gaokao is a Chinese term for the national college entrance examination, which is a prerequisite for entrance into almost all higher-education institutions in China. It takes place only once per year in early June (June 7–June 8 or 9) and spreads over 2–3 days. All high school graduates throughout the country sit the exams during the same period. As this exam is essentially the only criterion for college admission, it is understandable that students become extremely stressed before the exam. Given the numbers, the repercussions, and the stress involved, gaokao has been described as one of the most pressure-paced examinations in the world.

  11. 11.

    For details of the study abroad movements before 1978, see Li’s (2005) study on “Coming home to teach: Status and mobility of returnees in China’s higher education,” in Bridging Minds across the Pacific: U.S. China Educational Exchanges, p. 72.

  12. 12.

    The Cultural Revolution is a 10-year period of turmoil in China from 1966 to 1976. During this period, students and scientists were sent to the countryside for hard physical labor when research and higher education were virtually halted.

  13. 13.

    The Tiananmen Incident was student-led popular demonstrations in Beijing in spring 1989 to protest for greater democracy.

  14. 14.

    Traditionally, Chinese universities were tuition free. The government provided stipends for students that covered most of the costs of accommodations, books, and living expenses. In 1994, some universities began to charge tuitions. Since 1997, all students have to pay tuitions and fees.

  15. 15.

    Southern Tour: In early 1992, the former leader Deng Xiaoping paid a tour to a few cities in the south of China, including Shenzhen. During the tour, he stressed the importance of developing a market economy in China and urged the Chinese people to further emancipate their minds, opening up to the outside world.

  16. 16.

    For details see http://www.1000plan.org/.

  17. 17.

    For details, see http://www.shanghai.gov.cn/shanghai/node2314/node2319/node12344/userobject26ai18845.html.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China

    Qiongqiong Chen

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Chen, Q. (2017). Higher Education Transition and Academic Mobility in China. In: Globalization and Transnational Academic Mobility. East-West Crosscurrents in Higher Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-886-1_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-886-1_2

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