(Information current as at 22 October 2015)
Under the Chinese educational system, there are three broad types of educational cooperation in running joint Sino-Foreign programs (Sino-Foreign Cooperation in Running Schools). These three broad types include: joint institutions established as independent legal entities; institutions without legal status within or attached to an existing Chinese institution; and joint education programs. Each of these programs requires approval from the relevant Chinese education authority (the local education bureau, the provincial education department, the provincial people’s government or the Ministry of Education). Applications are made through the Chinese partner.
From the point of view of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Sino-Foreign Cooperation in Running Schools is largely about capacity building for China’s education system. To date, most Chinese institutions partnering to establish joint institutions as independent legal entities are significantly lower ranked in international rankings than their foreign partners. As a capacity building venture, this type of educational cooperation involves the systemic introduction of educational resources, including teachers, teacher development, curriculum, assessment and student support. Institutions and programs must comply with the four one thirds rule[i]. Tuition fees for students are based on the running costs of the cooperatively run institutions and programs, rather than being for profit.
As well as these formally approved programs, a large number of foreign providers also operate articulation programs with Chinese educational institutions, which do not need formal approval from education authorities.
Sino-foreign joint education institutions
Chinese and foreign education providers can establish joint education institutions in China to provide education services mainly to Chinese students. These can include two different types of joint institutions:
Joint institutions established as independent legal entities are Chinese institutions that are able to sign legally binding agreements in their own right. Currently there are eight approved joint institutions of this type at the undergraduate and above levels (no Australian institution has currently established such an institution). The most recent independent legal entity is Wenzhou-Kean University in Zhejiang province, bringing together Wenzhou University and Kean University from the United States.
For these types of joint institution at undergraduate and above level, the Chinese partner submits an application to the provincial education department, who examines and makes initial comments on the application before submitting it to the provincial people’s government. The provincial people’s government also examines and makes comments on the application, before submitting it to the Ministry of Education (MOE). The MOE examines the application and makes its decision. If approved, the MOE issues a “Chinese-Foreign Cooperative Education License”. If the application is not approved, the MOE gives its reasons in writing.
Joint institutions established without legal person status (which means that the host Chinese institution has to sign legally binding agreements on the institution’s behalf) are built within or attached to an existing Chinese institution. Also known as a ‘campus-on-campus’ model, these institutions offer a number of different courses. All three Sino-Australian joint education institutions (involving Monash University, Victoria University and the University of Technology, Sydney) are joint institutions established without legal status.
The approvals process for these institutions at the undergraduate and above levels is the same as for joint institutions established as independent legal entities.
For joint institutions established without legal status at the diploma level, applications are submitted to the provincial education department, who examines and makes comments on the application and then submits it to the provincial people’s government. The provincial people’s government examines the application and makes its decision. If approved, the provincial people’s government submits the approved application to the MOE for registration. The MOE registers the approved application and issues a “Chinese-Foreign Cooperative Education License”. If the application is not approved, the provincial people’s government gives its reasons in writing.
For joint institutions established without legal status at the non-award higher education level, applications are submitted to the provincial education department, who examine and make a decision. If the application is approved, the provincial education department submits the approved application to the MOE for registration. The MOE registers the approved application and issues a “Chinese-Foreign Cooperative Education License”. If the application is not approved, the provincial education department gives its reasons in writing.
For joint institutions established without legal status at the senior secondary education, basic education and non-higher education non-award levels applications are submitted to the local education bureau for assessment. The bureau examines and makes comments on the application then submits it to the provincial education department. The provincial education department examines the application and makes a decision. If the application is approved, the provincial education department submits the approved application to the MOE for registration. The MOE registers the approved application and issues a “Chinese-Foreign Cooperative Education License”. If the application is not approved, the provincial education department gives its reasons in writing.
Sino-foreign joint education programs
Joint education programs are another type of Sino-foreign joint education venture, where Chinese and foreign education providers establish a partnership to offer joint education programs. Both Australia and the United Kingdom have a large number of MOE approved joint education programs with Chinese institutions, across all levels of education.
For joint education programs at undergraduate and above levels, applications are submitted to the provincial education department, who examines and makes comments on the application before submitting it to the MOE. The MOE examines the application and makes its decision. If approved, the MOE issues a “Chinese-Foreign Cooperative Education License”. If the application is not approved, the MOE gives its reasons in writing.
For joint education programs at diploma and non-award higher education levels, applications are submitted to the provincial education department, who examine and make a decision. If the application is approved, the provincial education department submits the approved application to the MOE for registration. The MOE registers the approved application and issues a “Chinese-Foreign Cooperative Education License”. If the application is not approved, the provincial education department gives its reasons in writing.
For joint education programs at the senior secondary education, basic education and non-higher education non-award levels, applications are submitted to the local education bureau for assessment. The bureau examines and makes comments on the application then submits it to the provincial education department. The provincial education department examines the application and makes a decision. If the application is approved, the provincial education department submits the approved application to the MOE for registration. The MOE registers the approved application and issues a “Chinese-Foreign Cooperative Education License”. If the application is not approved, the provincial education department gives its reasons in writing.
Articulation Programs
Articulation programs are a common form of cooperation between Chinese and foreign education providers. They are not treated as a form of Sino-Foreign Cooperation in Running Schools, and do not require approval from the Chinese education authorities.
Articulation programs take the form of Chinese students combining study in China and study overseas, with students receiving credit for this study based on credit transfer and articulation arrangements agreed between the partner institutions. These arrangements vary depending on the participating institutions’ own training methods and teaching plans.
Typical articulation programs might be based on “2+2” or “3+1” models, ie where a student spends two years in China and then two years in the partner institution, or three years in China and one year in the partner institution respectively.
Under these articulation programs, the Chinese provider and the foreign provider may work together to develop some form of common curriculum, but the joint educational programs do not involve any systematic introduction of foreign courses and educational resources, and it does not involve an change in tuition for students (students pay tuition to their Chinese institution during their time in China, and to their foreign partner during their overseas study).
[i] The Four One Thirds rule states that:
• the introduced foreign units shall account for more than 1/3 of all units for the Chinese-foreign cooperatively-run education program
• the introduced foreign specialisation core units shall account for more than 1/3 of all core units for the Chinese-foreign cooperatively-run education programs
• the number of the specialisation core units of the responsible teaching staff of the foreign education institution shall account for more than 1/3 of all the units of the Chinese-foreign cooperatively-run education program
• the academic hours of the responsible teaching staff of the foreign education institution shall account for more than 1/3 of all academic hours of the Chinese-foreign cooperatively run education program.