Investigate Differences in Policy Enactment between Chinese and England Higher Education Reforms

• In Event: Virtual Poster Session
  In Virtual iPresentation Only: Division L - Section 7: Policy Implementation, Analysis, and Impact Virtual Poster Session

Abstract

This study aims to investigate and compare how policy enactment varies in different country, institutional, and disciplinary contexts, and how policy actors perceive educational reforms within Chinese and England universities. It conducted two institutional case studies, focusing on curriculum reform at English university E and a Chinese university C. This research began with a comprehensive document analysis of policy artefacts and then 42 interviews were conducted with key policy actors at different levels, including university and faculty leaders, and departmental frontline academics. Despite these differing ideological and structural foundations, both contexts construct a shared logic of ‘reform must not fail’, therefore, policy reform ceases to function as a genuine mechanism for problem-solving and instead becomes a mechanism for institutional self-reproduction.

Author

• Dandan Li, University of Bath