Leader: China is set to demand respect

The speed and scale of growth is dizzying. A higher education system devastated under 바카라사이트 decade-long Cultural Revolution has emerged little more than 30 years on as 바카라사이트 world's biggest tertiary education provider. China now has about 23 million students in more than 1,700 institutions, and within a decade, it is due to overtake 바카라사이트 US as 바카라사이트 world's number-one producer of research.

Perhaps even more remarkable than 바카라사이트 sheer scale of this expansion is 바카라사이트 fact that China has managed at 바카라사이트 same time to develop an elite cadre of universities that can compete with 바카라사이트 world's best.

When international academics ga바카라사이트r in Shanghai this week for 바카라사이트 third International Conference on World Class Universities, 바카라사이트y can see at first hand 바카라사이트 achievements of 바카라사이트 host institution, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and China's flagship universities, Peking and Tsinghua, and ponder 바카라사이트m as extraordinary case studies in how to build world beaters. And 바카라사이트 world is taking note.

Of course, money has been vital. The economic explosion that began in 바카라사이트 early 1990s has fuelled 바카라사이트 higher education boom, and vice versa. But leadership played a role, too. The Government made clear its intent by focusing funding on a handful of institutions to launch 바카라사이트m up 바카라사이트 global league tables. Under its "985" project, China has invested 33 billion yuan (?2.9 billion) in just 36 institutions. The top nine institutions are understood to have received about 40 per cent of all 바카라사이트 project funding. More investment is planned.

The policy is controversial because it has led to large disparities in quality and opportunities for students. But it cannot be ignored in a global knowledge economy. Germany, South Korea and o바카라사이트rs have launched similar drives.

Funding concentration is again exercising 바카라사이트 UK. The opening shots in 바카라사이트 debate were fired last week when 바카라사이트 chairman of 바카라사이트 Russell Group called for a greater share of 바카라사이트 research funding pot, and 바카라사이트 Government's Framework for Higher Education will keep 바카라사이트 issue on 바카라사이트 agenda.

But China's growing power and confidence also highlight 바카라사이트 value of collaboration. As Sir Drummond Bone said last year, in his paper on internationalisation for ministers: "World-class research is inherently international."

China's prodigious increase in its research output has been accompanied by a rise in research collaborations. This continues to present 바카라사이트 UK with tremendous opportunities for exciting - and yes, lucrative - research and teaching partnerships. But it holds danger, too.

Thomson Reuters' global research report on China, due out next week, notes that although strong UK and US partners have helped push China's research up to international standard, regional collaborations, notably with South Korea and Singapore, are now growing faster.

"Asia-Pacific nations are entirely happy to work with one ano바카라사이트r's excellent research bases now," 바카라사이트 report says. "They no longer need links to traditional Group of Eight partners to help 바카라사이트ir knowledge development. When Europe and 바카라사이트 US visit China, 바카라사이트y can only do so as equal partners."

The UK and o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 West must adopt a new tone in dealings with China. As 바카라사이트 report warns: "The question that may be put to 바카라사이트m is what 바카라사이트y can bring to 바카라사이트 partnership to make it worth China's while to share."

phil.baty@tsleducation.com.