Asscoiation of the Chinese Graduate Schools The Graduate School, Peking University

Quality Assurance of Graduate Education in China

Shiyi Chen

China has a long history of graduate education

• 1902-1949 ：Beginning and Development

• 1949-1966 ：Recovery and adjustment

• 1978-2011 ：Regularization and fast growth

• 2012 - ??? : Golden time: quality and innovation

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Research Institute for Chinese was established in 1917 at Peking University.

各研究所学生数目一览表（1918年）

国学研究所

冯友兰文科哲学门研究所研究生

范文澜文科国文门研究所研究生

傅斯年

文科国文门研究所研究生

俞平伯

Through 30 years of reform and development, China has made remarkable achievements in graduate education and realized the strategic goal of independently cultivating graduate students.

PhD students enrollment Master Students enrollment2009：242,996 1,161,183 2010：258,948 1,279,466

PhD students admitted Master Students admitted2009：61,000 572,0002010：63,131 583,922

China has become the second largest country for graduate education next to USA.

459

10

670

43

670

94

713

137

762

173

1380

438

2183

848

2990

940

3587

1458

4154

1687

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

85 88 91 94 97 00 03 06 09 11

85-11年北京大学获学位研究生人数柱型图

硕士 博士

Graduate Student Growth Charter for the Last 27 Years at PKU

1917

189

2310

429

2193

472

2780

815

3049

1006

6380

3019

8498

4234

11224

5442

12082

6838

14185

7246

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

85 88 91 94 97 00 03 06 09 11

85-11年北京大学研究生在校生人数柱型图

硕士 博士

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

85 88 91 94 97 00 03 06 09 11

85-11年北京大学研究生招生人数柱型图

874 808 809 1093 11382570 3037

4690 44605317102 166 161

331 399

10561249

1419 16181886

博士 硕士

(Admission)

(Student number)

(Degree awarded)

The graduate education in China is in the Golden time

2010: “National Medium‐term and Long‐term Plan and Outline for Education Reform and Development  2010‐2020 ”

The goal of China’s graduate education shall be by year 2020 “more reasonable structure of higher education, more distinct characters and higher level of cultivating talents”.

2010: “National Medium‐term and Long‐term Plan and Outline for Talent Development  2010‐2020 ”. 

This regulation has specifically deployed the development of talents in the next decade, and clarified the mission of cultivating talents urgently demanded in the areas of social development and talents of innovations.

Graduate  education  in  China  has  been  given  unprecedented national priority. 

“Graduation education is the major resource of high level innovative talents and critical symbol of scientific research potential and the firm backup for enhancing the overall national strength.”

Chinese President Hu Jintao addresses a convention marking the centennial anniversary of the founding of Tsinghua University in Beijing, April 24, 2011.

Hu stresses importance of qualityof education and innovation.

“The overall quality of the entire country's higher education should also be promoted, as education is a fundamental element for the sound and rapid development of China's economy and society," Hu said

It is critically important for China to change the development pattern on the graduate education to emphasize quality and Innovation.

Quality! Quality! Quality!

Quality Assurance of Graduate Education from Chinese Government

Major Measures 

1. State Degree awarding system

2. Regular evaluation of University degree awarding  system

3. Thesis random sampling inspection system

4. Establishment and regular evaluation of national key disciplines

5. Government controlled graduate planning system, fellowship, stipends, graduate students slot allocation  (admission) and etc.

Three Level Quality Assurance in Australia (Dean Skerbis): (Government, ACGS, University), We need to build up an ACGS based quality assurance system

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Some Programs China has established for enhancing innovation and increasing quality of 

graduate research

• Boosting innovation spirit, bolstering students’ morale (peer 

pressure), very competitive,…

• 1284 awardees:  Easy to find an academic job in China,  a postdoc position in US and other countries and…

• Special 5‐year research Fund ($80K) for the recipients of National Excellent Doctorate Dissertation. 

2.   

The Plan focuses on providing financial aid and platform for academic exchange with graduate students

Every year, Peking University undertook “National Doctorial Candidate Academic Forum (science and medical science)”. 

3.  Establishment of 

As a means to cultivate more innovative talents for scientific and technological development, to encourage students to devote to academic research, in 2010 Ministry of Education established the AcademicNewcomer’s Award for doctorial candidates. The Award aims at providing doctorial candidates with financial support to further their research.

● 2010: 695 winners; RMB 30,000 per person as research fund

China  Scholarship  Council  in  2007  created  “National  Program  for  Graduate students  Study  Abroad” by  signing  agreements  with  59  top  Chinese  universities  to provide graduate students with solid financial supports to do research in the world top universities in key research areas. 

● 2007: “National Construction of High‐level Programs of Government‐financed Graduates”

● Two‐way international exchange

● A new financial subsidy system comprised of national basic allowance, university allowance and mentor allowance.

●

a. Studdent Scholarship   Research Assistant positions   teaching assistant positions   Special Scholarship

b. President’s Scholarship

● RMB 51,000 per person per year

● Since 2009, 293 students have won the honor   

● 2008: China initiated the Plan of Thousand Talents Program aiming at recruiting high level senior and junior talents returning China. 

● So far, China has attracted more than 1500 full professor level academic faculty and 800 young TTP faculty from the world. 

National Chair Program,  NSFC Early Career Award,   NSFC Young Investigator Award, 

Role of Students in the faculty research team

Some important factors (challenges) on the quality of graduate education

• Graduate student: vision, self motivated, hard work, …

• Advisor: quality, professionalism, responsibility and ability;

• Research Environment:

• System: degree system, incentive mechanism and management (Awards).

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Some Critical Issues for Further Improving the Quality of Graduate Education in China

• Strengthen government and society awareness: Investment, policy …

• Enhance University Autonomy: admission, University degree

• Curriculum development

• Role of ACGS in quality assurance

• Emphasize “professionalism” spirit for advisors, recruiting  first‐class professors

• Implement higher graduate standards, exiting rate

• Accelerate internationalization of graduate education system (international faculty and students, two‐way traffic)

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In the future,   China shall as always stick to the principle of quality first  to  promote  the  reform  of  graduate  education  system  and reinforce communication with those counterparts from America, Canada,  EN,  Australia  and  other  developed  countries.  Their successful experience shall definitely be an inspiration for China to develop its own graduate education. 

We are confident that by year 2020, China shall have developed its doctoral education into a status that Chinese Ph.D’s are capable of making great contributions to China’s social and economic development and the establishment of innovation-oriented country.

Conclusion 

Thank You!