Skip to main content

China’s international higher education policies 2010–2019: multiple logics and HEI responses

Abstract

The 2010s witnessed unparalleled policymaking and development in international higher education in China. Whilst research has shed light on the broader historical spectrum of China’s international higher education policies, few studies have focused exclusively on those of the 2010s. This study builds upon the theoretical perspectives of wenjian zhengzhi and institutional logics to offer a timely and comprehensive analysis of the dynamics between Chinese policies on international higher education, practices of higher education institutions, and macro-societal orders. It examines two research questions through in-depth analysis of policy documents and scholarly literature: what institutional logics underpin China’s international higher education policies of the 2010s? How have Chinese higher education institutions negotiated multiple and sometimes competing institutional logics in response to these policies? Findings show the ways that the state, market, corporation, profession, and community logics are embedded in the international higher education policies of the 2010s. Two specific areas of HEI practices are discussed to illustrate how higher education institutions blend and negotiate the competing logics in a search for compatibility.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Data availability

The webpage links to the policies this paper analyzed have been provided in the references section.

Code availability

Not applicable.

References

  • Cai, Z. M., Yang, K. K., Zhang, H. S., Wu, C. P., & Tan, R. (2019). The quality of international students studying in China. Tshinghua Journal of Education, 40(4), 104–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) (2019a). Quality accreditation rules for international higher educationhttp://www.ceaie.edu.cn/newslist/2189.html. Accessed 26 May 2020.

  • CEAIE (2019b). Study in China guide. http://www.chinamission.be/eng/zglx/P020190312852865244984.pdf. Accessed 26 May 2020.

  • Canhilal, K., Lepori, B., & Seeber, M. (2015). Decision-making power and institutional logic in higher education institutions: A comparative analysis of European universities. In R. Pinheiro, F. O. Ramirez, K. Vrangbaek, & H. Byrkjeflot (Eds.), Towards a comparative institutionalism? Forms, dynamics and logics across the organizational fields of health care and higher education (Vol. 45, pp. 169–194). Emerald Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, W. H., & Zhang, H. B. (2020). Opportunities and challenges of international postgraduate education development in China for the new Era. Journal of Graduate Education, 2(56), 27–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, W. H., Zhang, H. B., & Dong, W. C. (2019). Double first class and the education quality of international postgraduates. Journal of Graduate Education, 2019(1), 64–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cui, X. L. (2008). 30 years’ international higher education development since Reform and Opening-up. Journal of Beijing Education, 2008(9), 19–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedland, R., & Alford, R.R. (1991). Bringing society back: symbols, practices and institutional contradictions. In W. W. Powell, & P. J. DiMaggio (Eds.), The New Institutionalism in Organizational Analysis (pp. 232–263). University of Chicago Press.

  • Gan, W. (2018). Challenges and measures in convergent management of international higher education students. Journal of West Anhui University, 34(5), 22–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenwood, R., Diaz, M., Li, X., & Lorente, J. (2009). The multiplicity of institutional logics and the heterogeneity of organizational responses. Organization Science, 21(2), 521–539.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gu, Y. Y., & Qiu, B. (2017). Foreign student education in china and china outward direct investment-empirical evidence from the countries along “One Belt One Road.” Issues in International Trade, 2017(4), 83–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Han, S., & Xu, X. (2019). How far has the state ‘stepped back’: An exploratory study of the changing governance of higher education in China (1978–2018). Higher Education, 78(5), 931–946.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hong, M. (2018). A comparative study of the internationalization of higher education policy in Australia and China (2008–2015). Studies in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2018.1553154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jing, Y. J. (2013). ‘Documental politics’ in China. In National Development School, Peking University (Ed.), The boundaries of public opinions (in Chinese). Shanghai People Publishing House.

  • Mok, Ka Ho., & Han, Xiao. (2017). Higher education governance and policy in China: Managing decentralization and transnationalism. Policy and Society, 36(1), 34–48. https://doi.org/10.1080/14494035.2017.128896.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirby, W., & van der Wende, M. (2018). The New Silk Road: Implications for higher education in China and the West? Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gky1165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kivistö, J. (2008). An assessment of agency theory as a framework for the government–university relationship. Higher Education Policy and Management, 30(4), 339–350.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lepori, B. (2016). Universities as hybrids: Applications of institutional logics theory to higher education. In J. Huisman, & M. Tight (Eds.), Theory and Method in Higher Education Research (Vol. 2, pp. 245–264). Emerald Group.

  • Li, L. (2020). Stages and characteristics of the development in Chinese international student education over a 70-year period. Journal of International Students, 10(1), 6–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luan, F., & Sun, W. (2018). Strategic significance, problems and solutions on education of international students from the Belt and Road countries. Journal of Jiangsu Normal University, 44(1), 1–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Diplomacy and Ministry of Public Security. (MOE, MFD & MPS) (2017). The administrative measures for enrolment and development of international students by universities and schoolshttp://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A02/s5911/moe_621/201705/t20170516_304735.html. Accessed 26 Aug 2019.

  • MOE. (2000). The administrative measures of foreign students for higher education institutions. http://old.moe.gov.cn//publicfiles/business/htmlfiles/moe/moe_621/201001/xxgk_81859.htm. Accessed 26 May 2019.

  • MOE (2009). Overview of international higher education in China in 2009. http://www.moe.gov.cn/s78/A20/A20_gggs/s8479/201007/t20100705_181223.html. Accessed 25 Aug 2019.

  • MOE (2010). Plan for the study in China initiativehttp://www.gov.cn/zwgk/2010-09/28/content_1711971.htm. Accessed 26 Aug 2019.

  • MOE (2012). The 12th five-year plan for national education developmenthttp://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A03/moe_1892/moe_630/201206/t20120614_139702.html. Accessed 26 May 2020.

  • MOE (2015). The action plan on study abroad and study in China 2015–2017https://gjc.cpu.edu.cn/2a/0a/c1020a10762/page.htm. Accessed 26 May 2020. 

  • MOE (2016). The education action plan of the Belt & Road Initiativehttp://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A20/s7068/201608/t20160811_274679.html. Accessed 26 May 2020.

  • MOE (2018). The quality assurance standards for higher education of international students in China (Trial)http://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A20/moe_850/201810/t20181012_351302.html. Accessed 26 May 2020.

  • MOE (2019a). Statistics on international higher education in Chinahttp://www.moe.gov.cn/jyb_xwfb/gzdt_gzdt/s5987/201904/t20190412_377692.html. Accessed 26 Oct 2020.

  • MOE (2019b). Advancing the education plan of the Belt and Road Initiation. MOE News. http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2019-02/20/content_5367017.htm. Accessed 26 Aug 2020.

  • MOE (2019c). Prioritizing quality to advance meaningful international higher education. Press conference transcriptionhttp://www.moe.gov.cn/jyb_xwfb/s271/201907/t20190719_391532.html. Accessed 26 Aug 2020.

  • National People’s Congress. (NPC) (2012). The exit and entry administration law of the People’s Republic of Chinahttp://www.npc.gov.cn/wxzl/gongbao/2000-12/06/content_5004463.htm. Accessed 26 Oct 2019.

  • Ning, J. M. (2018). China profile. Beijing Language and Culture University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ocasio, W., Thornton, P. H., & Lounsbury, M. (2017). Advances to the institutional logics perspective. In R. Greenwood, C. Oliver, T. B. Lawrence, & R. E. Meyer (Eds.), The SAGE Handbook of Organizational Institutionalism (pp. 509–531). SAGE Publications.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Pan, S. Y. (2013). China’s approach to the international market for higher education students: Strategies and implications. Higher Education Policy and Management, 35(3), 249–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peng, Q., & Li, J. (2012). From preferential to convergent management: The past and future of international higher education student management in China. Journal of Henan Normal University. https://doi.org/10.16366/j.cnki.1000-2359.2012.05.069.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phillipson, R. (2018). English, the lingua nullius of global hegemony. In The politics of multilingualism: Europeanisation, globalisation and linguistic governance (pp. 275–304). Benjamins.

  • Qi, J. (2015). Knowledge hierarchies in transnational education. Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Saldaña, J. (2015). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • State Council (1985). The Administrative Measures of Foreign Students. https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E5%A4%96%E5%9B%BD%E7%95%99%E5%AD%A6%E7%94%9F%E7%AE%A1%E7%90%86%E5%8A%9E%E6%B3%95. Accessed 9 Aug 2020.

  • State Council. (2010). Outline of China’s national plan for medium- and long-term education reform and development (2010–2020)http://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/sites/planipolis/files/ressources/china_national_long_term_educational_reform_development_2010–2020.pdf. Accessed 26 Oct 2019.

  • State Council. (2013). The exit and entry administration regulations of the PRChttp://www.gov.cn/zwgk/2013-07/22/content_2452453.htm. Accessed 26 Oct 2019.

  • State Council. (2016). Guidelines for internationalization of education in the new erahttp://www.xinhuanet.com//politics/2016-04/29/c_1118775049.htm. Accessed 26 Oct 2019.

  • State Council. (2017). The 13th five-year plan for national education developmenthttp://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2017-01/19/content_5161341.htm. Accessed 26 Oct 2019.

  • State Council. (2019). The implementation plan for accelerating education modernization (2018–2022). http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/2019-02/23/content_5367988.htm.

  • Sun, J., Hu, P., & Ng, S. (2017). Impact of English on education reforms in China. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 38(3), 192–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teo, P., & Ren, S. (2019). Marketization of universities in China: A critical discourse analysis of the university president’s message. Discourse and Communication, 13(5), 539–561.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thornton, P. H., & Ocasio, W. (2008). Institutional Logics. In R. Greenwood, C. Oliver, K. Sahlin, & R. Suddaby (Eds.), Handbook of Organizational Institutionalism (pp. 99–129). Sage.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Thornton, P. H., Ocasio, W., & Lounsbury, M. (2012). The institutional logics perspective: A new approach to culture, structure, structure, and process. Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Wende, M. C. (2017). Opening up: higher education systems in global perspective. ESRC/HEFCE Centre for Global Higher Education working paper series, 22, 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000265270.61823.f6.

  • Wei, L., & Hu, Y. (2018). The past and future of international higher education: 40 years since the Reform and Opening-up. Journal of Hebei Normal University, 20(3), 19–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wen, M., Zhang, H., & Zhao, L. (2019). Converging logistics management of domestic and international students from the Belt and Road countries. University Logistics Research Journal, 1(202), 13–15.

  • Wen, W. (2018). international student policies in China: A historical perspective. Asian Education and Development Studies, 7(2), 174–183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wen, W., Hu, D., & Hao, J. (2018). International students’ experiences in China: Does the planned reverse mobility work? International Journal of Educational Development. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2017.03.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wihlborg, M., & Robson, S. (2018). Internationalization of higher education: Drivers, rationales, priorities, values and impacts. European Journal of Higher Education, 8(1), 8–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, G. (1995). Documentary politics: hypotheses, process, and case studies. In C. L. Harmrin & S. Zhao (Eds.), Decision-making in Deng’s China: Perspectives from Insiders (pp. 24–38). M. E. Sharpe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu, H. (2018). Three dimensions of China’s “outward-oriented” higher education internationalization. Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-018-0262-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, H., & Li, M. (2019). Three phases of de facto quasi-decentralization of higher education in China since 1949. Higher Education Policy. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-019-00159-9.

  • Yan, Z., Wen, J., & Zong, Y. (2019). English-medium instruction for the B&R students in Chinese universities: A nation branding perspective. Proceedings of the International Conference on Education, Economics and Social Science, 357, 8–12. Atlantis Press.

  • Yang, J. H. (2006). International student constitution and influencing factors. Journal of South-Central University for Nationalities, 6(S1), 104–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang, P., & Wang, R. (2020). Central-local relations and higher education stratification in China. Higher Education, 79(1), 111–139. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-019-00399-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yi, H. (2015). Reflections on and practices in convergent management of international higher education students. Journal of Education Teaching Forum, 38(5), 8–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu, F. Z. (2004). Contemporary tends in international student education in China. Higher Education Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zha, Q., & Hayhoe, R. (2014). The “Beijing Consensus” and the Chinese model of university autonomy. Frontiers of Education in China, 9(1), 42–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, Q., & Cao, L. (2019). Constraints of convergence management for international students in Chinese universities. Journal of Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 32(3), 56–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zheng, G., Shen, W., & Cai, Y. (2018). Institutional logics of Chinese doctoral education system. Higher Education, 76(5), 753–770.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhuang, P. (2019). Chinese students upset by ‘preferential treatment’ of international studentshttps://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3020286/chinese-students-upset-preferential-treatment-universities-give. Accessed 26 May 2020.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jing Qi.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The author declares no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Qi, J. China’s international higher education policies 2010–2019: multiple logics and HEI responses. High Educ 83, 695–710 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-021-00695-7

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-021-00695-7

Keywords