Development of transnational higher education (TNHE) in China sicne1978

• In Event: "Transnational Higher Education: Internationalization, Sustainability, and Student Perspectives from China and beyond"

Proposal

Title:

Development of transnational higher education in China sicne1978: How it has developed align with shifts of policies and why it has been supported from national level?

Abstract

Transnational education (TNE), was defined as “the mobility of an education program or higher education institution (HEI)/provider between countries” (Knight, 2016, p.36), has grown rapidly since 1990s. As the new platform of international education, transnational education provides a cost-efficient option for students to gain a foreign credit or degree in their home countries; and it has changed traditional mobility of students for study abroad which was dominant around four or five decades to mobility of programs and institutions (Hu & Willis, 2016). 

China, as the largest TNE host country, has developed TNE with implementation of open-door policy and economy reform since 1980 (Huang, 2007; Olson, 2016). After 20 years isolation from western world since the Korean War and 10 years cultural revolution, China’s higher education in 1980s was far behind than other countries, especially behind from western countries which are considered as the success in term of education system, education quality, and research innovation (Altbach, 1999; Pepper, 1990). At the beginning stage from 1978 to 1985, China joined international education field by sending scholars and students abroad for advanced studies; then brain drain issues and outflow of cash altered and urged Chinese government to pursue more efficient ways to improve domestic higher education quality and train urgent needed professionals for economy growth.

Transnational higher education (TNHE) which is regarded as the efficient way to enhance China’s global competitiveness, improve education quality, and increase research innovation has been introduced and encouraged by China’s Ministry of Education in 1995 via issuance of Education Law of People’s Republic of China. It is the first official approval for cooperation education between Chines higher education institutions and foreign institutions (Huang, 2003). Since then, multiple regulations and policies about transnational higher education in China has been promulgated to formulate and diversify Chinese higher education. TNHE activities was increased from 2 programs in 1985 to 2332 programs and institutions by end of 2020.

Transnational higher education, which is officially recognized as Chinese –Foreign Cooperation in Running School (CFCRS) by China’s Ministry of Education, has its own characteristics. According to Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Chinese- Foreign Cooperation in Running Schools in 2003, all TNHE activities in China must be cooperation between foreign institutions and domestic institutions; any activities are established solely by foreign institutions will not be allowed and approved by Chinese Ministry of Education (State Council of the People’s Republic of China, 2003). Therefore, it is obvious that government’ policies play an important role in the development of TNHE in China.

Many research focus on meso-level and micro level to explore TNHE institution’ autonomy and governance, and individual’s study and work experience (Fang & Wang, 2014; Mok & Han, 2016; Mok, 2020; Wu et al, 2022). For macro-level, researchers paid attention to TNHE’s characteristics by doing policy analysis. For instance, He (2016) did policies analysis to compare the actual changes in policies shifts between 1995 and 2003. The results show there is consistency between policy orientation and reality of TNHE development. Huang (2003) discussed major characteristics of TNHE in China by doing analysis of national legislation and policy.

However, there is few research take holistic perspective to explore development of TNHE in China from macro-level. Wang proposed a framework which divides the development of Chinese transnational higher education into three phases in accordance with the shift of policies (2005). This framework needs to be expanded and updated to current situation. Therefore, this study aims to develop a new framework to describe how TNHE has developed in China align with shifts of policies; and discusses rationales of development of TNHE from national level. In order to answer two following research questions: 1) How transnational higher education has developed align with the shift of policies in China since 1978? 2) What are rationales from national level to develop transnational higher education in China, document analysis for legislations and thematic literature review are used as research methods. The results show there are six stages of development of TNHE in China since 1978, which are 1978-1995 (lassie-fair exploration), 1995-2003 (systematic development by standardization and legalization), 2003-2006 (stable development with concern), 2006-2014 (slow development with adjustment and enhanced management), 2014-2018 (quality improvement), 2018 to present (improvement of regulation of implementation and assessment). And increasing of domestic demand for higher education, implementation of education and economy reform, needs of improve of global competitiveness, and reduction of brain drain are main rationales from national level to develop TNHE in China.

This study matches with the conference’s first sub-theme: histories of protest. Learning history and national rationales of development of TNHE in China will help to improve innovation and creativities of TNHE. Meanwhile, the updated six phases and comprehensive overview of TNHE’s development in China will add knowledge in the field. This study also provides deeper understanding from national level of encouragement of TNHE for future collaborators of TNHE programs, policymakers, and stakeholders.

Author

• Yaning Cao, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign