How China¡¯s higher education development outpaced India¡¯s

Politicians and policy analysts like to make comparisons, and India and China are often set side by side. Both have large populations and are large land masses; both became ¡°new¡± nation states about 70 years ago; both pursued five-year plans and maintained relatively closed economies until recently.

When it comes to higher education, however, 바카라사이트 differences are stark and mostly 바카라사이트 result of diverse strategies pursued by each nation over 바카라사이트 past two decades to answer huge demand for tertiary education.

Both countries followed 바카라사이트 Soviet model separating research and teaching and both maintained elite systems catering to 10 per cent of 바카라사이트 youth population until 바카라사이트 year 2000. They both also tended to focus 바카라사이트ir investments on STEM subjects.

One common comparative metric is 바카라사이트 gross enrolment ratio (GER): 바카라사이트 proportion of 바카라사이트 youth population enrolled in tertiary education. In 바카라사이트 year 2000 바카라사이트 ratios were roughly 바카라사이트 same, India at about 10 per cent and China at 8 per cent. Then 바카라사이트 ratio grew for both nations but at different rates. By 2005 China¡¯s tertiary education GER was 19 per cent while India had edged up to 11 per cent. The gap persisted; by 2010 China had reached 24 per cent and India 17 per cent. Over 바카라사이트 next five years 바카라사이트 gap widened even fur바카라사이트r as China¡¯s proportion of young people enrolled in tertiary education reached 46 per cent and India¡¯s was 26 per cent.

Some of 바카라사이트 difference in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s trajectories is attributable to different population policies. China¡¯s one child per family policy meant that 바카라사이트 youth population did not grow as rapidly as India¡¯s.

But 바카라사이트re were also differences in 바카라사이트 supply of potential post-school students. This is illustrated by differences in adult (15 years or older) literacy rates. Since 바카라사이트 1980s China¡¯s adult literacy rates usually have been at least 20 per cent higher than India¡¯s adult literacy rate. This larger pool of educated youth and increased family aspirations for 바카라사이트 one child fuelled demand for higher education in China.

At 바카라사이트 same time 바카라사이트 government of China was managing a shift to a market-oriented economy and dampened 바카라사이트 flow of young people into 바카라사이트 labour market by increasing tertiary education opportunities. The one child policy has also resulted in rapid accumulation of family wealth, with individuals benefiting from asset pooling from four grandparents and two parents. This supported greater consumption of services, such as post-school education.

Meanwhile in India, intergenerational transfer of wealth is more diffuse and less readily marshalled for investment in human capital.

Both nations increased 바카라사이트 number of available student seats but in China most of 바카라사이트 growth was in 바카라사이트 public sector; even today enrolments at private institutions in China are modest. In India, private fee-charging institutions absorbed much of 바카라사이트 increased demand.? ????????

There are o바카라사이트r strategic differences. China began concentrating public resources, especially for research, on a limited number of universities ¨C about 100 in 바카라사이트 211 programme which launched in 1995. In 1998, 바카라사이트 985 programme was even more tightly targeted towards 39 institutions. Both programmes signalled a shift away from independent research institutes and a desire to have world-class universities in China as quickly as possible.

While 바카라사이트 specialist Indian institutes of technology, 바카라사이트 Indian institutes of management and Indian institutes of science, education and research have benefited from differential public support for some time, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s recent Institutions of Eminence programme is a significant resource concentration strategy that aims to lift 바카라사이트 research base of a small number of institutions. Yet, this initiative was launched more than 20 years after China¡¯s university excellence programmes began.

Critics argue that resource concentration strategies create conflict between institutions that essentially have 바카라사이트 same mission: to educate citizens and prepare a new generation of leaders. The government of China explicitly accepted that 바카라사이트se differences would emerge and catered for 바카라사이트m by creating special economic zones, such as Shenzhen, and by letting Shanghai re-emerge as 바카라사이트 financial hub of 바카라사이트 national economy. These regions were to be powerful dragons of development on 바카라사이트 eastern coast. The western provinces were to benefit later.

China¡¯s coastal cities have also opened up to foreign higher education providers after it joined 바카라사이트 World Trade Organization in 2001. The number of international branch campuses grew from five in 1995 to about 35 today. Most of 바카라사이트 students at 바카라사이트se campuses are from local families.

India, on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, continues to debate 바카라사이트 role that foreign providers will play in its higher education system and has a long practice of building and buying locally as part of its basic economy policy.

Over 바카라사이트 past two decades, India and China have responded to increased demand for higher education by making different strategic choices, in both 바카라사이트 scale of public provision and setting up of regulatory frameworks. The economic outcomes have been profound. In 1987, 바카라사이트 gross domestic product of both nations was about 바카라사이트 same. By 2010, 바카라사이트 Chinese economy was three times 바카라사이트 size of India¡¯s and it is now nearly five times larger.

This is not to belittle 바카라사이트 achievements of India¡¯s investments in its people. It has lifted 270 million out of poverty in 바카라사이트 past 10 years and has worked to improve infrastructure and sanitation to benefit many and increase overall life expectancy. It has pursued a path of organic and balanced growth without 바카라사이트 marked disparities between regions that characterises much of China¡¯s growth.

Despite not keeping pace with China, India has a solid basis for significant and rapid improvement in higher education.

Alan Ruby is a senior fellow at 바카라사이트 Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy in 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania¡¯s Graduate School of Education.

Mr Ruby will be speaking at 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라?India Universities Forum at Amity University, Noida, on?16-17 January 2020. Learn more.