Analysis of Major Changes in Chinese Higher Education in past 30 Years

Abstract

Since the end of the 20th century, China has experienced a boom in higher education. By 2021, China’s gross enrolment rate in higher education will reach 57.8%, entering a phase of universal access. In this paper, the author examined the main features of change over the past 30 years, namely massification, decentralisation and marketisation, and internationalisation, and analysed the driving factors from political, economic and cultural perspectives. In addition, along with development, higher education in China has faced several problems. While the most frequently cited problem is the lack of financial support, inequality, social stratification, and low employment rates are prominent issues analysed in detail in this paper.