When China Opens to the World: A Study of Transnational Higher Education in Zhejiang, China

Abstract

The economic transition in China since the late 1970s has led to not only drastic social transformations but also rapid advancements in science and technology, as well as the revolution in information and communications technology. In order to enhance the global competence of the Chinese population in coping with the challenges of the knowledge-based economy, the higher education sector has been going through restructuring along the lines of marketization, privatization, and decentralization. Responding to the globalization challenges, the Chinese government has opened up the education market by allowing private/minban higher education institutions and even overseas universities to offer academic programs in the mainland. Hence, we have witnessed the proliferation of education providers, the diversification of education financing, and the increase in private—public partnership in education provision since the policy of educational decentralization was introduced in the mid-1980s. After China’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Chinese government has allowed overseas universities in collaboration with local universities to co-launch higher education programs. In this policy context, we set out in this chapter to examine the current developments of transnational higher education in China. More specifically, we focus on how students in Zhejiang province enrolling in these overseas programs evaluate their learning experiences. We also identify and discuss major issues arising from the onset of transnational education in China.

The authors want to thank the World Bank for supporting the research project conducted in Zhejiang, China, in 2006. Special thank s are extended to all participants and participating institutions in the survey and fieldwork.