CHINESE HIGHER EDUCATION UNDER A MARKET ECONOMY : FROM CENTRAL CONTROL TO INSTITUTIONAL AUTONOMY

1999 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 09610306
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Educaion
• Research Institution: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MULTIMEDIA EDCATION
• Principal Investigator: YUAN Fujie NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MULTIMEDIA, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, 研究開発部, 助教授 (80249929)
• Project Period (FY): 1997 – 1999
• Keywords: Chinese Higher Education / Market Economy / Higher Education Reform / Private Higher Education / Graduate Labor Market / Financial Reform / Higher Education policies

Research Abstract

Twenty years ago, the higher education system in China was deeply imbedded in the socialist society and economy. With the shift from the system of the planned economy dominated by the centralized power to that of the market economy since the end of the 1970s, there have been radical reforms of higher education system in China. Yet, as there are twists and turns in the road to the market economy, the process of higher education reform has not always gone smoothly.
How did China struggle with this formidable task? How did the policy evolve over the twenty-years period? What have been the major issues behind the series of policies? In this report, a brief survey of the higher education policies in China over the past twenty years. Will be undertaken to answer these questions.
Higher education policy, and higher education itself, in China have evolved very rapidly in the past two decades. In this short period, China has succeeded in laying out legal foundation of higher education system and found ways to support it. Now, it is focusing on raising academic standards to enhanced its status and compete in the world economy. However, to achieve these goals, she must solve some serious and pervasive problems, and reinvent itself.
There are several barriers to the development of a sustainable, globally competitive higher education system. Legal framework of the system is far from complete. But, the more serious and deep problem is that of financing. In a sense, this is the major critical issue underpinning many new reforms as the country proceeds from a planned to a market economy. The balance between growth and expansion on the one hand, and maintenance of equity and sense of justice on the other is very delicate.
How will higher education policy respond to these enormous issues? This is still an open question. One thing certain is that next decade will be even more critical for Chinese higher education than the past two decades.
Here the first chapter will described Chinese higher education system, focusing on the regular higher education and the adult higher education systems. Then analyzed the changes higher education policies. There are six market phases of reform have taken place. They are (1) the design of higher education reform in China, (2) Introduction of Market Mechanism to higher Education (3) the development and legitimization of private higher education (4) the introduction of graduate labor market, (5) financial reform of higher education, and (6) the adoption of major policy actions. The chapter will provide a context to discuss the nature of the present issues and future challenges