Prime Highlights
- China is giving universities a stronger role in national science, technology and industrial development.
- International partnerships will continue, but priority will go to high-quality institutions and strategically important subjects.
Key Facts
- China plans to add more than 100,000 undergraduate places at Double First-Class universities.
- The plan targets around 200 high-level, application-focused undergraduate institutions.
Background
China has placed higher education at the centre of its science, technology, talent and industrial development agenda through its new national education plan, which sets priorities through 2030.
The State Council issued the 15th Five-Year Plan for Educational Development in June. The plan builds on changes made during the previous two Five-Year Plan cycles and gives universities a more direct role in supporting economic growth, research and technological development.
The policy calls for closer integration of education, science, technology and talent development. It also expects universities to move beyond discipline-focused growth and contribute more directly to national priorities.
China will continue to support international education partnerships, but the focus is becoming more selective. The plan encourages leading overseas science and engineering universities to develop cooperative education programmes in China. It also supports international research projects and joint laboratories, particularly in fundamental science and strategically important technologies.
The government plans to expand high-quality domestic education. Undergraduate enrolment at Double First-Class universities will rise by more than 100,000. China also plans to establish new research universities, mainly in science, engineering, agriculture and medicine.
The plan sets a target of around 200 high-level, application-focused undergraduate institutions. It also gives greater importance to mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology, along with interdisciplinary research.
Universities will face stronger pressure to connect education with employment and industry needs. China plans to use graduate employment data when deciding enrolment levels and academic programmes, including a system to flag courses with weak employment results.
The policy could create both opportunities and challenges for UK universities. China continues to be a significant destination in terms of student recruitment, research and international education, but any future cooperation will probably rely more on the academic quality, priority topics and impact of research, and national developmental objectives.
