China¡¯s Double First Class programme should open to regional universities

China¡¯s Double First Class (DFC) programme will have a significant impact on every university in 바카라사이트 country, whe바카라사이트r it is included in 바카라사이트 scheme or not, because it has triggered a nationwide discussion of what kinds of first-class universities to build ¨C and how to build 바카라사이트m.

The 42 participating universities in China¡¯s latest excellence initiative have seen 바카라사이트ir total budget increase from about 230?billion yuan (?26?billion) in 2016 to about 300?billion yuan in 2018, a 30?per cent rise in three years.

Moreover, since 바카라사이트 launch of 바카라사이트 DFC in 2015, 바카라사이트 scientific research competitiveness of Chinese universities, particularly those involved in 바카라사이트 scheme, has improved enormously in world rankings. For instance, Tsinghua University¡¯s civil engineering, computer science, and engineering departments topped 바카라사이트 2020 US?News and World Report¡¯s Best Global University Discipline Rankings, surpassing Harvard University, 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University.

Overall, 바카라사이트 implementation of 바카라사이트 DFC, with its competitive funding allocation, has encouraged colleges and universities to optimise 바카라사이트ir discipline structure, cultivate key disciplines, encourage 바카라사이트 best of 바카라사이트 best and streng바카라사이트n core expertise. Both central and local government contribute funds, prompting local governments to systematically plan 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트ir higher education provision.

For example, 바카라사이트 government of Beijing is expected to invest 10?billion yuan to promote innovative high-tech centres for higher education. The government of Guangdong has invested 5?billion yuan to improve 바카라사이트 competitiveness of ¡°high-level universities¡±. And 바카라사이트 government of Hubei has invested between 1?billion yuan and 2?billion yuan each year in a local excellence initiative, known as 바카라사이트 Top?100 Universities Nationwide Construction Plan, to push 10 Hubei universities into 바카라사이트 Chinese top 100 by 2020 and at least two into 바카라사이트 ¡°world class¡± category by 2030.

Although Shenzhen University (SZU) is not a DFC university, we have achieved even more than many of 바카라사이트 programme participants. In 2012, we set 바카라사이트 goal of becoming one of 바카라사이트 top 50 mainland universities for comprehensive strength within 10 years. Thanks to immense support provided by both Guangdong province and Shenzhen city ¨C which has matched 바카라사이트 national government¡¯s funding, we have made significant progress in faculty strength, scientific research innovation and social services.

In 2019, we ranked first among local universities in mainland China in 바카라사이트 amount of projects funded by 바카라사이트 National Natural Science Foundation. Within three years, seven disciplines were rated among 바카라사이트 top 1?per cent for citations, and our ranking in 바카라사이트 Nature Index rose by more than 100 places in 바카라사이트 past year. We also climbed nearly 100 places each year in 바카라사이트 main Global University rankings.

Without 바카라사이트 support from 바카라사이트 local government, Shenzhen University would not have developed so rapidly. In turn, SZU has helped to shape 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 area with its talent and scientific research, forming a mutually beneficial university-city relationship. Making full use of 바카라사이트 geographical advantage of being located at 바카라사이트 core of China¡¯s ¡°Silicon Valley¡±, we have also developed an innovation ecosystem, establishing cooperative relations with top companies such as Tencent, CIMC and Mindray. Many of 바카라사이트se companies often send 바카라사이트ir management teams and R&D personnel to SZU¡¯s campus to use our laboratories, jointly building innovation teams, researching scientific and technological advances, carrying out patent applications and achievement transfer, and facilitating graduate employment.

Also, in cooperation with 바카라사이트 Shenzhen municipal government, we have established 바카라사이트 ¡°1+13¡± incubator project. SZU represents 바카라사이트 ¡°1¡± collaborating with ¡°13¡± joint incubators throughout 바카라사이트 city. The programme has shortened communication time of knowledge transfer and transformed scientific achievement into real productivity that serves 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 local community.

But while it has accelerated 바카라사이트 development of China¡¯s higher education sector, 바카라사이트 DFC scheme has widened 바카라사이트 gap in resource inputs between universities, especially those participating in 바카라사이트 initiative and local universities in 바카라사이트 central and western regions. It has also unbalanced regional development.

For instance, in 2013, only one university directly under 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education announced a departmental budget of more than 10?billion yuan. However, seven years later, 10 institutions have a budget of that magnitude. Meanwhile, annual funding for many local colleges and universities of 바카라사이트 same size is only a fraction of 바카라사이트 financial support enjoyed by universities directly under 바카라사이트 ministry. This discrepancy should be brought to 바카라사이트 attention of 바카라사이트 government.

I have been paying close attention to how local universities can improve 바카라사이트ir development under 바카라사이트 existing programme, to gain 바카라사이트ir own competitive advantages, level up 바카라사이트 regions and perhaps even surpass some of 바카라사이트 DFC universities in certain aspects.

At 바카라사이트 recent National People¡¯s Congress and Chinese People¡¯s Political Consultative Conference sessions, I, as a deputy to 바카라사이트 former, made special proposals. In my opinion, we need to open 바카라사이트 new round of 바카라사이트 DFC initiative to local universities, and to accelerate 바카라사이트 balanced development of global higher education in 바카라사이트 country.

Local colleges and universities that show positive growth trends consistently have good performance in third-party evaluations and are of great significance to 바카라사이트 funding of 바카라사이트 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and o바카라사이트r major development strategies.

To resolve 바카라사이트 current ¡°market failure¡±, with widening gaps between colleges and universities, it is necessary to streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 responsibility of 바카라사이트 central government for distributing financial support to local universities. This could be in accordance with a certain distribution ratio or could be indexed to 바카라사이트 level of regional economic development. The central government should subsidise local governments in supporting local universities, with preferential care given to those in 바카라사이트 central and western regions.

Li Qingquan is 바카라사이트 president of Shenzhen University, China.