China has signalled its intent to work more closely with foreign universities in a new blueprint for the country’s education system – and analysts believe the focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics could have international appeal despite security concerns.
The strategy, announced as China hardliner Donald Trump was inaugurated for a second term as US president, focuses on “opening up” China’s education system, including encouraging “high-level” foreign science and engineering universities to offer programmes and set up institutes in China.
China already has a significant transnational education market, with joint articulation programmes between Chinese and foreign universities common. It is also home to an estimated 47 foreign branch campuses, many of which were set up in partnership with Chinese universities.
So, while this new strategy may seem counter to China’s rhetoric about “self-sufficiency”, experts agreed this was not necessarily the case.
This policy “is in response to challenges faced by the Chinese economy, including economic sanctions on high-tech industries, which have further aggravated the war for talent”, said Hongqing Yang, chief executive of the Educationist Group, a Hong-Kong based consultancy. “Therefore, China seeks to cultivate talent domestically by opening up to foreign universities, especially as it faces challenges in sending its students abroad for education, particularly STEM education.”
The blueprint also shows China plans to “expand academic exchanges and educational and research cooperation with the rest of the world”, as well as supporting its universities in “initiating and participating in international scientific programmes”.
“The Chinese government, as well as universities in the mainland, realise the strategic importance of engaging in regional [and] international research collaborations to enhance [the] standing of universities based in the mainland,” agreed Ka Ho Mok, provost and vice-president at Hang Seng University of Hong Kong.
Beijing has previously announced its intention of attracting more students from countries like the US for short-term exchanges, and continues to provide incentives to students from “Belt and Road” countries to undergo full degree programmes at Chinese universities.
But the new blueprint comes as many international universities are decoupling from China, amid concerns about national security. In the US, links to China face particular scrutiny from politicians and academic relations between the two countries are expected to deteriorate further under Trump’s leadership.
Most recently, the University of Michigan announced in January it was ending its joint institute with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, after Chinese students who came to the US as part of the partnership were found at a military site. Similarly, last September Georgia Tech announced it would exit its institute in Shenzhen following concerns about military ties.
“Just as America slams the door on China, China opens the door to America,” said Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at the University of Oxford.
However, academics believe other countries may be more open to collaboration.
In particular, “non-Western countries such as Russia have shown increased interest”, said Futao Huang, a professor at Hiroshima University’s Research Institute for Higher Education.
“Most existing collaborations focus on bachelor’s degree programmes, particularly in non-sensitive fields,” he said. “Concerns about security and political dynamics remain limited to specific sectors rather than general academic engagement.”
“The pitch to international STEM education offers something tangible because partnering with China in STEM is partnering with Chinese education in its strong area,” Marginson added.
“There’s also significant trust involved as STEM technologies are subject to global competition. This is China behaving like the US used to behave, using open relations, not confrontation and closure, to achieve policy objectives.”
