Image generated by AI
As global higher education shifts from scale expansion to quality development, a worldwide reform focusis how to bolster national innovation and talent reserves through high-level universities. The "Double First-Class" Initiative is a cornerstone of Chinese higher education policy. Its implementation offers practical experience in institutional evolution that is highly comparable to the development of higher education systems in other nations.
What is the "Double First-Class" ?
"Double First-Class" is shorthand for World-Class Universities and First-Class Disciplines. It is a major national strategy following Project 211 and Project 985. In 2015, the State Council issued the Overall Plan for Coordinated Advancement of World-Class Universities and First-Class Disciplines, officially launching the initiative as a long-term strategy for higher education reform.[1]
The Initiative prioritizes discipline-driven development, supporting universities to cultivate discipline-specific strengths with a dynamic mechanism. Its core tasks include building world-class faculty, cultivating top-notch innovative talents, elevating scientific research, preserving cultural heritage, and accelerating the commercialization of research products.
The list of Double First-Class universities is adjusted every five yearsbased on evaluations. The list for the second round, announced in 2022, includes 147 universities. Notably, this round moved away from the previous classification of "World-Class University Institutions" and "First-Class Discipline Institutions," unifying them under the single title of "Double First-Class Universities." The Ministry of Education has announced that theuniversity selection in 2026will show regional balanced features, tilting more resources toward populous provinces and the central and western regions of China.[2]
Evolution of China’s University Excellence Strategies
Since 1995, China has successively implemented Project 211 (strengthening 100 key universities for the 21st century) and Project 985 (supporting top universities to become world-class). These projects expanded the scale of higher education system and nurtured a group of high-level institutions.
However, as higher education in China moved from "mass" to "universal" access, the previous strategies, classfication centered on a university's fixed "identity" or "status", led to problems like a lack of competition and redundant discipline overlap. To stay competitive in the global race for talent and tech, the Double First-Class strategy integrated previous projects and introduced dynamic evaluation and competitive selection.[3]
The goal is to propel a group of universities and disciplines into the world’s top tier, modernizing higher education governance in the process. The roadmap is clear: several universities and a batch of disciplines step by step to reach world-class status; by the mid-21st century, China aims to be a global higher education powerhouse, with the strength and number of its first-class institutions ranking among the world's best.[1]
A Global Perspective: Strategies for University Excellence
Using national strategies to drive the development of world-class universities is common among countries looking to boost innovation and global influence. These initiatives are tailored to each nation’s specific scale and long-term needs, focusing on research support, international collaboration, and talent mobility.
Table 1: SeveralNational Strategies for Building World-Class Universities
Country | Strategy Name |
Japan | 世界と伍する研究大学(University of Excellence Program) |
Russia | Приоритет 2030(Priority 2030 ) |
France | Initiatives d'EXcellence/ Initiative Science-Innovation-Territoires-Économie (IDEX / I-SITE)[4] |
South Korea | World Class University Project(WCU) [5] |
Editor: Han Baiqing
References:
[1] State Council. (2015). Overall Plan for Coordinating and Promoting the Construction of World-Class Universities and First-Class Disciplines [EB/OL]. (2015-10-24)[2026-02-05]. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2015-11/05/content_10269.htm.
[2] Wang, P., & Wei, G. Y. (2026). China to launch new round of "Double First-Class" construction [N/OL]. Xinhua New Media. (2026-01-08)[2026-02-05]. https://education.news.cn/20260108/c3970723dac442fb9020de5cee4d788c/c.html.
[3] Wang, Q. H., Zhang, T., & Zhang, L. B. (2017). The intrinsic mechanism of the policy change in China's construction of world-class universities: From the "211 Project" to the "Double First-Class" initiative [J]. Social Scientist, (11), 121-127.
[4] Zhang, H. (2023). The Policy Evolution, Strategic Measures and Implications of Building World⁃class Universities in France [J]. Studies in Foreign Education, 50(07), 28-43.
[5] Zhao, J. F., & An, Z. H. (2016). Practice of South Korea “WCU Project” and Its Review[J]. Journal of Higher Education, 37(09), 101-109.
