Following up on previous programs, in August, the Chinese government announced World Class 2.0, a plan for its best universities to attain world-class status. As revealed at the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development’s Higher Education Futures conference earlier this month, the program has been initiated despite some budgetary limitations. Under the plan, hubs for international collaboration will be developed close to the top universities. The funds will be used to increase the research base of China’s top nine institutions with the aim of placing them among the leading universities worldwide by 2020 and some into the top 15 by 2030. The government has not yet indicated the amount of support for World Class 2.0, but it is likely to be in the billions of US dollars. The new plan will allow universities not supported by the previous two projects to compete for funds if their academic programs meet high standards. Medium-term performance assessments of the recipient universities will influence the amount of support they receive. Stimulated by World Class 2.0, several provinces have created their own programs to support universities.

Source: University World News