Globalization and Decentralization Forces in Chinese Higher Education

Abstract

From a neo-institutional perspective, this chapter investigates the function and interaction of globalization and decentralization in China’s higher education administrative reform. Both the internal and external environments have shaped educational forms and functions. It is not increasingly difficult to understand the impact of globalization of higher education in the Chinese historical context of higher education changes. But it has become more controversial to discuss the decentralization and globalization of higher education administration in terms of the coexistence of the Soviet model and the Western model, which provided the scope of transitions from centralization to decentralization in China’s higher education system. This research suggests that by coordinating the relationship between central–local dual administrative powers, enlarging provincial autonomy, enhancing decision-making power of higher education administration, and expanding the autonomy of universities and institutions, China’s central government can rationally deal with the globalization and decentralization forces in higher education administrative and management reforms.