A comparative study of the conference papers of mainland China's double first‐class universities

Abstract

This paper analyses the conference papers published by double first‐class universities from mainland China between 2006 and 2019. The main findings are as follows: first, the number of conference papers from different double first‐class universities varied greatly, with the annual numbers of papers in the China Proceedings of Conferences Full‐text Database (CPCD) and in the Conference Proceedings Citation Index (CPCI) fluctuating during this period. Second, most of the top 10 disciplines of the papers in the CPCD and CPCI were in the natural sciences, with only two in the social sciences. The CPCD papers and CPCI papers had some overlap in their disciplinary distributions. Third, the CPCD and CPCI papers differed little in total number, with the number of CPCI papers being slightly higher than the number of CPCD papers. With the introduction of new regulations from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MST), there will likely be an increase in the number of Chinese‐language conference papers in the future.

Challenges and Limitations Arisen from China's Mass Higher Education Shift and Its Expansion Policies: Perspectives of Students, Institutions and Society

“…Launched in 1999, Project 985 refined 39 universities from the initial "211" institutions, with the Ministry of Education, aiming to allocate limited resources to these institutions to propel China toward world-class status [4]. In 2015, the Chinese State Council introduced the "Double First-Class University Plan," to replace Project 211 and 985 and at the same time, elevate basic research and establish China as a prominent player, possibly even a leader, in international academic research [5]. By providing a substantial budget, resources, and support, these initiatives have propelled China's higher education system toward greater prominence and recognition around the world.…”