Chinese university development plan
The World First Class University and First Class Academic Discipline Construction (Chinese: 世界一流大学和一流学科建设), together known as Double First Class (Chinese: 双一流; pinyin: shuāngyīliú),[1][2] is a tertiary education development initiative designed by the People's Republic of China central government in 2015,[3] which aims to comprehensively develop elite Chinese universities into world-class institutions by the end of 2050 through developing and strengthening their individual faculty departments.[4][5] The Double First-Class University Plan has made new arrangements for the Chinese higher education institution development. The universities included in this plan are called Double First Class Universities.[2][4][6]
The Double First-Class Universities are considered to be the most elite institutions of Chinese tertiary education, representing the top 5% of overall universities and colleges in Mainland China (approximately 3,000 higher education institutions).[2][7]
History
In October 2015, the State Council of China published the 'Overall Plan for Promoting the Construction of World First Class Universities and First Class Disciplines' (Double First Class University Plan), which made new arrangements for the development of higher education in China.[4][8]
In September 2017, the full list of the universities and their disciplines of the Double First Class University Plan was published by the Ministry of Education of China, the Ministry of Finance of China and the National Development and Reform Commission of China. According to the list, 140 universities have been approved as ‘Double First Class Universities’ by the State Council of China. The Double First Class University Plan underlines that driving the overall development of universities by building and strengthening their faculties and departments, and eventually developing the 140 listed elite universities into world-class universities by 2050.[4][9][1]
The Double First Class University Plan represents a new way of ranking universities in China.[9] In 2019, the Ministry of Education of China reconfirmed that both Project 211 and Project 985 had been coordinated into the Double First Class University Plan.[10]
By 2021, the 140 Double First Class Universities accounted for roughly 4.65% of the 3,012 universities and colleges in Mainland China,[7] representing the most elite part of higher education institutions in this country.[11][12]
In December 2021, the 23rd meeting of Central Comprehensively Deepening Reforms Commission chaired by General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping deliberated and approved 'Some Suggestions on Further Promoting the Construction of World First Class Universities and First Class Disciplines'.[13]
In February 2022, the 'Some Suggestions on Further Promoting the Construction of World First Class Universities and First Class Disciplines' were published by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, and the National Development and Reform Commission.[14] In addition, with the approval of the State Council of China, the list of "Double First Class Universities" has been updated and released. According to the Phase 2 List of the Double First Class University Plan, the previous university classifications have been abolished,[15][16] and 147 universities have been included in the plan, after 7 universities newly adding into the list since February 2022.[17]
Valuation
The Double First Class University Plan underlines that developing the listed Chinese elite universities into world-class universities by 2050 through strengthening their developments of disciplines and faculties.[4]
On 18 September 2020, the members of "Double First Class" expert valuation group, which was headed by Lin Huiqing, Chairman of the Medical Education Expert Committee of the Ministry of Education and former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education, unanimously agreed that Tsinghua University has been fully established as a world-class university.[19]
