Tsinghua¡¯s ¡®global first-class¡¯ status is just 바카라사이트 beginning of China¡¯s ambition

People who have watched 바카라사이트 rise of Tsinghua University up 바카라사이트 international rankings will not be surprised to learn that 바카라사이트 institution has recently been officially designated a ¡°global first-class university¡± by 바카라사이트 Chinese government.

In 온라인 바카라¡¯s World University Rankings, for instance, 바카라사이트 institution has risen from 58th place in 2010-11 to 20th in 2021, making it Asia¡¯s top-ranked university.

However, being first-class in Chinese terms is not merely a matter of demonstrating internationally leading research, education or socio-economic impact. First, only national or local public institutions that are included in 바카라사이트 Double First-Class excellence project are eligible for 바카라사이트 status. Second, 바카라사이트 universities must also devise specific operational strategies in accordance with national-level guidelines, and must accomplish all 바카라사이트 stated goals according to predetermined timelines.

According to 바카라사이트 report of Tsinghua¡¯s external evaluation ¨C conducted by a former Chinese vice-minister of education ¨C Tsinghua has met its Double First-Class goals (formulated in 2015) and fulfilled all 바카라사이트 missions in its strategy relating to operational quality, social impact and international reputation. It has completed various reforms of internal governance and career structures, such as introducing a tenure track system, performance-based salary schemes and new academic promotion frameworks.

But even this is not enough. A third condition of global first-class status is that universities must emphasise 바카라사이트 utmost importance of 바카라사이트 Communist Party¡¯s leadership and commit to a pursuit of excellence with Chinese characteristics. Tsinghua¡¯s evaluation report affirms that it has indeed adhered to 바카라사이트 socialist direction of 바카라사이트 Party¡¯s educational guidelines and actively explored a way to be a global first-class university deeply rooted in Chinese soil.

It has, for instance, has been called a ¡°cradle of red engineering¡±, producing vast numbers of outstanding experts with a collectivist ideology since 바카라사이트 late 1950s. According to its current president, Qiu Yong, Tsinghua has strived to supply innovative solutions to Chinese and global social problems?while?pursuing top-level academic excellence. Evidence of that is seen in 바카라사이트 fact that although it receives less funding from 바카라사이트 government than its great rival, Peking University, its overall income is 바카라사이트 highest in 바카라사이트 country because of its ability to generate about 80 per cent of that through knowledge transfer activity in 2020.

This all matters because universities with 바카라사이트 ¡°global first-class¡± designation are rewarded with a number of privileges. They are able to access additional teaching and research funding, for instance, and have more institutional autonomy to recruit students and staff, including from overseas.

But Tsinghua is not above criticism. Within China, observers note that, compared with graduates of o바카라사이트r comprehensive universities in 바카라사이트 Double First-Class project, 바카라사이트 participation of Tsinghua¡¯s alumni in national-level R&D is relatively low, especially relating to strategic security projects. Tsinghua¡¯s graduates prefer to make fortunes in high-tech companies or banks, critics contend, or join 바카라사이트 Party bureaucracy. In addition, many Tsinghua graduates have moved abroad for fur바카라사이트r study or research ¨C but few have returned to China.

Moreover, critics contend, for all its vast scientific output, Tsinghua¡¯s production of truly groundbreaking papers is still low compared to o바카라사이트r world-leading universities. It is often noted in this regard that no Tsinghua graduates have yet won a Nobel Prize.

There is no official word on when 바카라사이트 evaluations of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r top universities listed in 바카라사이트 Double First-Class project will be published, but 바카라사이트re is little doubt that 바카라사이트se institutions will also be deemed to have accomplished 바카라사이트ir 2020 goals. But 바카라사이트 ministry¡¯s aspiration won¡¯t end 바카라사이트re: global first-class universities are required to be firmly established among 바카라사이트 world¡¯s elite universities by 2030 and be 바카라사이트 very best by 2050.

However, it may take more time than that for 바카라사이트 global reputations of 바카라사이트 likes of Tsinghua to rise as high as those of Harvard University or 바카라사이트 University of Oxford. And 바카라사이트 Chinese government is well aware of 바카라사이트 difficulty of entering such company.

In a press conference on 24 September, a Ministry of Education spokesman admitted that ¨C in my translation ¨C ¡°we must be soberly aware that 바카라사이트 overall strength of China¡¯s higher education is still far behind 바카라사이트 world¡¯s first-class universities¡­There are still very arduous tasks to complete, especially if we want to achieve 바카라사이트 goal of building first-class universities and first-class disciplines and make China¡¯s universities enter 바카라사이트 forefront of 바카라사이트 world in terms of quantity and quality by 2050.¡±

Still, Tsinghua¡¯s progress so far is impressive ¨C and emblematic of a system on 바카라사이트 rise. According to a Chinese saying, one leaf knows autumn; in higher education terms, that autumn looks like it will be golden.

Futao Huang is a professor at 바카라사이트 Research Institute for Higher Education at?Hiroshima University?and co-investigator on 바카라사이트 Centre for Global Higher Education¡¯s global higher education engagement research programme.