Review and Critique on the New Higher Education Policy Promoting “The First-Class Major Programs” in China

Purpose:After the concepts of first-class universities,first-class research disciplines,and firstclass undergraduate education,China’s Ministry of Education(MOE)proposed a new concept of first-class undergraduate major programs and also proposed policy initiatives for relevant selection and funding.This article provides an in-depth analysis of the motives,historical background,policy texts,core concepts,and unintended consequences of the policy and proposes six criticisms.Design/Approach/Methods:This education policy analysis article uses two research methods.The first is a content analysis that focuses on policy text.The second is comparative and historical research that focuses on the history of the undergraduate education organization model in China and the background of the four first-class concepts.Findings:This article argues that the first-class major programs in undergraduate education include provincial-level points of these programs,which stealthily narrowed the scope for comparison from potentially the whole world to that of provinces.The policy also essentially strengthened the traditional concept of zhuanye as a physical unit and caused unintended consequences in its attempts to cultivate innovative talents and to adjust the zhuanye structure.Originality/Value:This article addresses a new education policy in China and its unintended consequences.

Review of Quantitative Methods Used in Chinese Educational Research,1978-2018

Purpose:This article reviews the development of quantitative methods in educational research in China since 1978.Design/Approach/Methods:For this summary and literature review,we used data from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),relevant books,and research output from the Graduate School of Education,Peking University.Findings:We divided the development of quantitative methods in Chinese educational research into four stages:the Startup Stage(1978–1988),the Gradual Application Stage(1989–1998),the Growth Spurt Stage(1999–2008),and the Integrated and Diverse Development Stage(2009–2018).Overall,the development of quantitative methods in Chinese educational research shows sustained innovation in numerous aspects,including research methods,data sources,utilization of advancements in computing technology and statistical software,and research topics.However,despite the relatively advanced state of quantitative methods,education measurement and evaluation require further attention.The questionnaire and experimental research data currently available indicate the need to improve the mining and utilization of big data.Moreover,while Chinese educational researchers have demonstrated their proficiency in using quantitative research methods,improvements remain to be made with respect to collaboration and sharing.Originality/Value:This article is the first to analyze systemically the development of quantitative methods in Chinese educational research.It provides an original summary of the development and characteristics of quantitative methods in educational research in China.

Are Confucius Institutes Building Blocks or Stumbling Blocks for Foreign Students in China: An Empirical Study of 190 Countries (1999–2015)

Purpose:This study investigates the impact of Confucius Institutes on China’s international education initiatives.First,it examines whether the establishment of Confucius Institutes has a gravitational effect on the scale of foreign students coming to China.Second,it discerns whether there are any association between the establishment of Confucius Institutes and the attributes of foreign students based on the type of program they select.Third,it identifies whether there are any differences in the impact of Confucius Institutes based on constraints such as the number of foreign students,income levels,cultural distance,and geographical endowment.Design/Approach/Methods:Based on the trade gravity model and the push–pull theory,we estimated a two-way fixed-effects model using panel data of all source countries from 1999 to 2015.Findings:Results show that Confucius Institutes have helped China attract more foreign students on Chinese government scholarships,with each Institute increasing such enrolment by 1.3%.However,Confucius Institutes have resulted in a drop in the total number of foreign students studying in China,especially nondegree students.This substitution effect means that the Institutes actually help China improve the composition of its foreign students.Further heterogeneity analysis shows that the substitution effect is primarily driven by the main source countries.Accordingly,this study suggests that China should establish more Confucius Institutes in Africa and Eastern Europe to maximize the catalyzing effect of Confucius Institutes.Originality/Value:In contrast to previous studies on foreign scholarship in China,this study examines all 190 source countries from 1999 to 2015.This comprehensive study also explores the heterogeneous effects of foreign students on trade across economic,cultural,and geographical domains.