This book provides an overview of the growth of the private higher education sector in China and in addition provides an analysis of some of the key drivers of this growth and impediments to it. What is new about the book is that it combines the results of a series of interviews with work that is more quantitative in nature. The book is of use to not only those engaged in academic research but also those who more generally wish to know more about an educational sector that is growing in importance. The most obvious factors promoting expansion of this sector have been the growth in per capita incomes, higher levels of participation in secondary school education, the strong growth in demand for graduates and the inability of the public sector to keep pace with demand. All of these factors intermingled with the involvement of government regulation. This regulation, however, is not uniform across all of China given the different provincial government departments of education that are also involved in dealing with private higher education institutions. In particular, this book looks at the way in which the Chinese government’s regulatory framework (both national and provincial) influenced the development of the sector and the way in which it operates, especially the private higher education component of that sector. The analysis undertaken finds that there is a link between regulation and the private higher education sector growth and a link between the funding of the government sector. The more intense regulation was, and the more funds provided to the state sector, the less scope there was for the private sector to expand. Growth of the private sector, therefore, did not just depend upon rising demand for higher education overall, but also to a fair degree of tolerance on the part of government. Much of this work, in subsequent years, has been supported by the further changes that have been undertaken in the Chinese higher education sector. Over the years, the growth of the Chinese higher education sector has stabilised, as has the private segment of this sector.

Examines how the private sector in China manages to grow without secure property rights.

This open access handbook brings together the latest research from a wide range of internationally influential scholars to analyze educational policy research from international, historical and interdisciplinary perspectives. By effectively breaking through the boundaries between countries and disciplines, it presents new theories, techniques and methods for contemporary education policy, and illustrates the educational policies and educational reform practices that various countries have introduced to meet the challenges of continuous change. Based on an analysis of the nature of education policy and education reform, this volume focuses on education reform and the concept of education quality. Adopting a historical and comparative perspective, it examines the dialectical relationship between education policy and education reform in various countries, assesses theoretical and practical issues in the process of moving from regulation to multiple governance in contemporary education administration, and explores the impact of globalization on national education reform and the interdependence between countries. In addition, it presents studies addressing educational policy research methodology from multiple perspectives. Highlighting the changes in national education macro policies, this volume comprehensively reveals the complex relationship between contemporary education reform and social change, and explores the links between contemporary social, political and economic systems and educational policy research and practice, offering a holistic portrait of macro trends in contemporary education reform.

Prior to the initiation of economic reforms and trade liberalization 36 years ago, China maintained policies that kept the economy very poor, stagnant, centrally-controlled, vastly inefficient, and relatively isolated from the global economy. Since opening up to foreign trade and investment and implementing free market reforms in 1979, China has been among the world's fastest-growing economies, with real annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth averaging nearly 10% through 2016. In recent years, China has emerged as a major global economic power. It is now the world's largest economy (on a purchasing power parity basis), manufacturer, merchandise trader, and holder of foreign exchange reserves.The global economic crisis that began in 2008 greatly affected China's economy. China's exports, imports, and foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows declined, GDP growth slowed, and millions of Chinese workers reportedly lost their jobs. The Chinese government responded by implementing a $586 billion economic stimulus package and loosening monetary policies to increase bank lending. Such policies enabled China to effectively weather the effects of the sharp global fall in demand for Chinese products, but may have contributed to overcapacity in several industries and increased debt by Chinese firms and local government. China's economy has slowed in recent years. Real GDP growth has slowed in each of the past six years, dropping from 10.6% in 2010 to 6.7% in 2016, and is projected to slow to 5.7% by 2022.The Chinese government has attempted to steer the economy to a "new normal" of slower, but more stable and sustainable, economic growth. Yet, concerns have deepened in recent years over the health of the Chinese economy. On August 11, 2015, the Chinese government announced that the daily reference rate of the renminbi (RMB) would become more "market-oriented." Over the next three days, the RMB depreciated against the dollar and led to charges that China's goal was to boost exports to help stimulate the economy (which some suspect is in worse shape than indicated by official Chinese economic statistics). Concerns over the state of the Chinese economy appear to have often contributed to volatility in global stock indexes in recent years.The ability of China to maintain a rapidly growing economy in the long run will likely depend largely on the ability of the Chinese government to implement comprehensive economic reforms that more quickly hasten China's transition to a free market economy; rebalance the Chinese economy by making consumer demand, rather than exporting and fixed investment, the main engine of economic growth; boost productivity and innovation; address growing income disparities; and enhance environmental protection. The Chinese government has acknowledged that its current economic growth model needs to be altered and has announced several initiatives to address various economic challenges. In November 2013, the Communist Party of China held the Third Plenum of its 18th Party Congress, which outlined a number of broad policy reforms to boost competition and economic efficiency. For example, the communique stated that the market would now play a "decisive" role in allocating resources in the economy. At the same time, however, the communique emphasized the continued important role of the state sector in China's economy. In addition, many foreign firms have complained that the business climate in China has worsened in recent years. Thus, it remains unclear how committed the Chinese government is to implementing new comprehensive economic reforms.China's economic rise has significant implications for the United States and hence is of major interest to Congress. This report provides background on China's economic rise; describes its current economic structure; identifies the challenges China faces to maintain economic growth; and discusses the challenges, opportunities, and implications of China's economic rise.

Reveals how international competition for university students is impacting higher education and explains the benefits of this competition, which allows students to choose from diverse educational settings and programs.

This two-volume set offers a comprehensive overview of major challenges faced by cities worldwide in the 21st century, and how cities in different geographic, economic, and political conditions are finding solutions to them. This two-volume encyclopedia examines ten critical issues that face cities across the globe today—environmental and societal struggles that affect the daily lives of city dwellers. Readers will gain a better understanding of our global neighbors and will be able to use this book in order to compare and contrast different approaches to critical issues in our world. Volume One examines employment and jobs; energy and sustainability; green spaces; housing and infrastructure; and migration and demographic changes. Volume Two discusses pollution; schools; traffic and transportation; violence, corruption, and organized crime; and waste management. Each issue begins with an introduction providing an overview of the issue from a global perspective. Following the introduction are ten alphabetically arranged world city profiles of cities that are struggling with the issue and cities that have found innovative solutions to deal with the crisis. The profiles explain how the problem came to be; consequences inhabitants face, such as compromised health, limited access to education, and high taxes with low wages; and failed and successful initiatives taken by city management.

This much-needed new textbook introduces readers to the development of China's welfare polices since its conception of an open-door policy in 1978. Setting out basic concepts and issues, including key terms and the process of policy making, it overcomes a major barrier to understanding Chinese social policy. The book explores in detail the five key policy areas of employment, social security, health, education and housing. Each is examined using a human well-being framework comprising both qualitative and quantitative data and eight dimensions: physical and psychological well-being, social integration, fulfilment of caring duties, human learning and development, self-determination, equal value and just polity. This enables the authors to provide not only factual information on policies but also an in-depth understanding of the impact of welfare changes on the quality of life of Chinese people over the past three decades. A major strength of the book lies in its use of primary Chinese language sources, including relevant White Papers, central and local government policy documents, academic research studies and newspapers for each policy area. There are very few books in English on social policy in China, and this book will be welcomed both by academics and students of China and East Asian studies and comparative social policy and by those who want to know more about China's social development.