地方政府参与中外合作办学的法律问题

The Legal Issues on Local Government Involved Chinese-foreign Cooperation in Running Schools

近年来,地方政府积极参与和推动中外合作办学事业,在各地办学实践中起到了重要的推动甚至主导作用。但现行法律法规对地方政府参与中外合作办学合法性、形式和责任等规定不足,形成了实践与规制的落差。因此,应将实质参与中外合作办学的地方政府视为办学参与方,通过规范协议行为来明确其权利义务;同时,由于政府参与的中外合作办学协议在行政性上弱于典型的行政合同,具有突出的民事合同色彩,实践中政府可以参照政府采购或PPP模式对中外合作办学协议进行管理。

Recently,Chinese local governments are active in Chinese-Foreign cooperation in Running Schools.Although the governments are permitted by law to be involved in the cooperation,the governments’rights and obligations are not so clear.That has led to misunderstandings and improper actions with potential legal risks,which need to be recognized and be corrected.This article is trying to make the local governments which substantially invested in running schools be legally recognized as participants.Through regulating the contracts,the governments’legal rights and obligations would be clearer.The cooperation contracts signed by governments are of a civil nature rather than an administrative one.The government can regulate the cooperation contracts on running schools by reference to procurement model or PPP model.