Chinese Universities are Rising in the Rankings

China’s economy is growing rapidly, and its universities are moving quickly up international rankings  

The largest network of universities and the majority of graduates in the world are found in China, with over 2,000 universities and over 7 million students graduating each year. China is home some of the most prestigious universities in the world, such as Tsinghua University, which has recently been ranked as No.1 for Computer Science in the world, as well as others like Zhejiang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Peking University, etc.

Here are the top 10 universities in China:    1. Peking University (PKU)  2. Tsinghua University  3. Fudan University   4. Zhejiang University (ZJU) 5. Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) 6. University of Science and Technology (USTC)  7. Nanjing University (NJU)  8. Wuhan University (WHU) 9. Tongji University   10. Beijing Normal University (BNU)

Feel free to reach out to us to find out more about universities in China! 

How Are Chinese Universities Ranked?

Chinese Universities are ranked by domestic and international university ranking publications, namely the Wu Shulian and CUAA rankings. 

 Wu Shulian Ranking  As the name implies, Wu Shulian is the leader of this university ranking program. Wu Shulian is, according to his claim, a researcher from Guangdong. According to the program, a list of the top 100 Chinese universities will be released every year, since 1996. 

  [Insert pic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_university_ranking_(Wu_Shulian) ]     CUAA (Chinese Universities Alumni Association) Rankings  The CUAA  is among the most prominent rankings for Chinese universities. It is a ranking system based on the number of billionaires that have graduated from each university, including its alumni.

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How Are Universities Classified In China?

While these are not official, Chinese universities are commonly classified according to four government projects: Project 211, Project 985, the C9 League, and last but not least, the Double First Class University Plan. Read below for further details of each project!   Project 211  

Project 211 was launched in 1995 by the Ministry of Education of China to improve research standards at comprehensive universities and cultivate socio-economic development strategies. The significance behind the name ‘Project 211’ was the goal to “manage 100 universities successfully for the 21(st) century”. At present, there are 116 universities funded by Project 211, the government's highest-funded program. Many of the 'Project 211' universities are considered to be some of the most prestigious in China. 

Project 985  

As Project 985 was founded in May 1998, it was given the name 985. The project aims to improve China's higher education system's reputation and development by securing financing from local and national governments for the construction of facilities, conferences, and the recruitment of new talent for the 21st century.   'Project 985' is a network of elite academic institutions that accept students through a highly competitive process called the National Higher Education Entrance Examination (Gaokao) for undergraduate students. Members of 'Project 985' are classified as doctoral universities with high research activity. According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities, 32 universities in Project 985 ranked in the Top 300, including 24 Top 200 universities and 8 Top 100 universities. 

C9 League  

The C9 League is an alliance of nine leading public research universities in China, namely:    

- Fudan University (Shanghai)

- Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Shanghai)  Peking University (Beijing)

- Tsinghua University (Beijing)

- Nanjing University (Nanjing)

- Harbin Institute of Technology (Harbin)

- University of Science and Technology of China (Anhui)

- Zhejiang University (Hangzhou)

- Xi’an Jiaotong University (Xi’an)   

There are special resources allocated to C9 League schools, and they have special arrangements for resource-sharing. National and local governments provide substantial funding for these universities to build new research centers, improve facilities, host international conferences, attract world-renowned faculty, and fund the attendance of conferences abroad.   Additionally, they have a higher percentage of elite academics with top academic honors, compared to other institutions. Members of the C9 League are viewed as some of the most prestigious universities of all in China and they consistently rank among the best in the world. Their graduates are also in high demand around the world and have one of the highest levels of employability. 

Double First Class University Plan

As a government-backed initiative founded in 2015, it aims to develop and strengthen individual faculty departments of elite Chinese universities in order to transform them into world-class universities by 2050. As part of the target, 42 world-class universities will be built by 2050, including 36 class A universities and six class B universities. Double First-Class Universities are among the most prestigious institutions of tertiary education in China, representing an elite 5% of universities and colleges.  

Are Rankings Important When Choosing A Chinese University?

The ranking of Chinese Universities can be helpful, but it should not be the only factor to consider when you're choosing one to study at. Rather, university rankings should serve only as guidelines for assessing their standings and helping you make an informed decision. Ultimately, each university has its own strengths and specializations, but one thing is for certain: each offers a unique educational experience. The university you choose should have a strong reputation in the discipline or program that you are interested in pursuing. In a nutshell, the choice of a university should not be solely based on prestige, but also on the holistic quality of education. What's most important is to choose the university that suits your needs and preferences!