China lists 42 colleges it wants to make ‘world class’ universities
Injection of financial aid welcomed, but experts say no major difference between latest list and similar initiatives launched in 1990s
China has published a list of 42 colleges it wants to turn into world class universities in the coming decades as it attempts to create a higher education sector that matches its increasing economic power.
Only two mainland Chinese colleges are currently in the top 100 for all four main global rankings for the world’s top universities, Peking University and Tsinghua University in Beijing.
The initiative also aims to ensure that 95 colleges in China will be global centres of excellence for specific disciplines.
Many mainland Chinese students opt to study overseas, with the perception that they will get a better standard of education abroad.
The list of universities was published on Thursday in a joint statement issued by the education and finance ministries, plus the government’s economic planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission.
The government announced a blueprint last year on how to turn some of its colleges into world-class universities, with the colleges making the list getting extra financial support from the government.
