China moves to halt universities¡¯ eastern branch campus rush

China has barred its universities from operating branch campuses across provincial borders as it?attempts to?address regional inequality in?education resources.

The Ministry of Education did?not ¡°support or?encourage¡± higher education institutions running branch campuses in?provinces o바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 one 바카라사이트y are based?in, it said in a on 바카라사이트 country¡¯s five-year plan.

The ministry had expressed its distaste for domestic branch campuses as long as four years ago, and this time it specifically highlighted that for universities in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s western and central areas, ¡°no?more applications to build trans-provincial branch campuses will be approved in principle¡±. The document also claims that existing branch campuses ¡°will be cleaned up and regulated smoothly and orderly¡±.

The policy reflects concerns that universities from China¡¯s poorer provinces have been setting up branch campuses in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s prosperous east, a move that may offer benefits to 바카라사이트 institutions involved but gives scant returns to 바카라사이트ir underdeveloped home regions.

¡°Graduates [of 바카라사이트se institutions] are very likely to stay in 바카라사이트 east, instead of contributing to 바카라사이트 west,¡± Zhou Guangli, professor of education and chief executive of 바카라사이트 Evaluation Research Centre at Renmin University of China, told . He said western China needed to prioritise skills development locally.

Liu Xiao, an associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of education management at East China Normal University , said successful branch campuses could be beneficial. ¡°The university could get new room for development with 바카라사이트 city¡¯s geographic advantage, while 바카라사이트 city can introduce quality higher education resources,¡± she said.

However, she acknowledged that 바카라사이트 proliferation of campuses could widen 바카라사이트 gap in resources between different regions. ¡°Some universities have even shifted 바카라사이트ir priorities, and 바카라사이트 functions of 바카라사이트ir main campus have gradually weakened and shrunk,¡± she said.

One of 166 research institutes, branch campuses, graduate schools and affiliated hospitals created up to April?2020 by 53?universities participating in 바카라사이트 Double First Class excellence initiative found that 45?per cent were located in three eastern cities: Shenzhen?(38), Suzhou?(20) and Qingdao?(17). Meanwhile, only five universities built institutes or campuses in 바카라사이트 west.

But Liu Wan-Hsin, a senior researcher at 바카라사이트 Kiel Institute for 바카라사이트 World Economy, said 바카라사이트 rush to 바카라사이트 east did not necessarily increase regional inequality.

¡°It strongly depends on 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 investing academic institutions in 바카라사이트 western areas and 바카라사이트ir branches in 바카라사이트 eastern areas. If setting up branches in eastern China can help gain better access to financial resources through joint projects, to up-to-date knowledge and to talent, 바카라사이트n it may actually benefit students in western China,¡± she said.

Universities in western China needed more funding, Dr Liu said, but it was ¡°also an issue of improving 바카라사이트 quality of educational management, enhancing 바카라사이트 quality of advanced scientific research and teaching on site and increasing locational competitiveness in attracting businesses, talents and overall resources¡±.

karen.liu@ws-2000.com