CHAPTER 4: Comparison of Chinese and American Higher Education in a Global Context

This is a period of huge ferment and change globally in higher education. There are several themes that can help characterize the context for comparison of Chinese and American higher education. First of all, there has been recognition around the world of the relation of research universities to economic development and economic competition. The World Bank has added establishing a research university to its traditional prescription of expanding slots and opportunity in higher education for developing countries (Salmi, 2009). As the link is established between a world-class research university and a more competitive economy, the aspiration for more competitive research universities grows around the world.