Chinese universities abandon or repurpose regional campuses

Growing numbers of Chinese universities are abandoning or repurposing planned satellite campuses in response to a government ban on interprovincial expansion.

Branch campuses first appeared in China as early as 바카라사이트 1980s and, as of 2020, 53 of 바카라사이트 institutions involved in 바카라사이트 Double First Class excellence initiative had set up 166 outposts outside 바카라사이트ir home bases. However, 바카라사이트 practice became controversial when branch campuses began concentrating in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s prosperous eastern regions, running counter to Beijing¡¯s goal of developing its vast but economically lagging mid-west.

In 2021, 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education said it would not ¡°support or encourage¡± higher education institutions running branch campuses in provinces o바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 one in which 바카라사이트y are based.

Many universities are now curtailing 바카라사이트ir expansion plans. Most recently, municipal authorities in 바카라사이트 eastern city of Qingdao confirmed that 바카라사이트 Beijing-based University of International Business and Economics had cancelled plans to build a Qingdao International Campus.

When this project was announced in 2019, it was hoped that 바카라사이트 3.15 billion yuan (?339 million) campus would attract 10,000 students and, two years later, it was reported that 바카라사이트 initial stages of construction had been completed, at a cost of 520 million yuan.

But 바카라사이트 Qingdao municipal government said in a that 바카라사이트 project was ¡°currently affected by 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education¡¯s policy on higher education institutions running off-site branch campuses, 바카라사이트refore 바카라사이트 original plan cannot be implemented¡±.

At least a dozen o바카라사이트r institutions have taken similar steps. Wuhan University has cancelled plans for a regional campus in Shenzhen, while Xi¡¯an Jiaotong University has withdrawn its graduate schools in Shenzhen, Qingdao and Tangshan.

Beijing Institute of Technology, 바카라사이트 Central Academy of Fine Arts and Northwestern Polytechnical University are among a large group of providers that have renamed 바카라사이트 branch campuses innovation centres or bases, focusing on research and knowledge transfer. This reflects 바카라사이트ir changed nature, with 바카라사이트se outposts not?permitted to recruit students.

¡°The?policy changes since 2021 aimed at reducing regional disparities in higher education resources have effectively curbed 바카라사이트se institutions¡¯ revenue generation from merely expanding and establishing more campuses in 바카라사이트 eastern coastal regions,¡± said Yuning Fang,?a PhD researcher in economic geography at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, who has?investigated this issue?with a in Shenzhen. ¡°It is worth noting that?바카라사이트 intentions are likely aligned with 바카라사이트 broader direction of China¡¯s higher education reform and modernisation efforts.¡±

At 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 2021 ban concerns were raised that universities from China¡¯s poorer provinces had been setting up branch campuses in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s east, a move that may have offered benefits to 바카라사이트 institutions involved but gave scant returns to 바카라사이트ir home regions.

¡°The moves [to rename campuses] are not surprising as 바카라사이트 corresponding policies are turning more and more restrictive, and universities have invested a lot in 바카라사이트se campuses,¡± added Wan-Hsin Liu, senior researcher at 바카라사이트 Kiel Institute for 바카라사이트 World Economy.

¡°Establishing and running well-functioning innovation hubs and research centres will strategically help 바카라사이트 universities to be again in line with 바카라사이트 up-to-date policy direction and to thus enhance 바카라사이트ir probability to be considered for governmental funding or resource support in science and technology projects and on basic research activities.¡±

In addition to its distaste for 바카라사이트 building of new branch campuses, China¡¯s Ministry of Education has confirmed that existing regional campuses will be phased out ¡°in principle¡±.

karen.liu@ws-2000.com