Routine and Campaign Governance in the Restructuring and Optimization of Academic Program Structures in Chinese Higher Education

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 3:45 pm - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: International Issues in Organizational Culture

Abstract

This study investigates the dual governance mechanisms—routine governance and campaign-style governance—in the restructuring of academic program structures in Chinese higher education. Drawing on institutional complementarity, isomorphism, and policy instrument theory, the research reveals how state-led initiatives alternate between stable regulatory adjustments and mobilized administrative interventions. Based on document analysis and expert interviews, the study illustrates how Chinese universities respond strategically to shifting governance logics. It contributes to global higher education debates by offering a non-Western perspective on governance hybridity and state-university dynamics. The findings highlight the interplay between political mobilization and technical rationality, offering insight into how discipline structures evolve under centralized yet adaptive policy regimes.

Author

• Bowen Song, Renmin University of China