From teacher-education university to comprehensive university: Case studies of East China Normal University, Southwest University and Yanbian University

Abstract

Three different "logics"-that of the internal strategies of the institutions, the economic pressures of the socialist market economy and the political policies of the state drive the development of a university. The dynamic interaction and coexistence of the three logics has determined the transformation models of teacher-education or normal universities in China. This paper aims at describing and analyzing both the process and the forces that led to these transformations by taking East China Normal University (ECNU), Southwest University (SWU) and Yanbian University (YBU) as examples. Reliance on government and market resources has put these universities into a dilemma: On the one hand, they wanted to retain their original features so as to preserve their leading position in the "teacher education" market, and on the other, they needed to merge, expand, restructure and enhance their quality as they pursued overall development. The case analyses show that the teacher-education university's need for self-development, which is the internal determinant, plays a critical role in its transformation. At the same time, the socioeconomic environment and national policies influence the institution while it displays considerable capacity for self-adjustment.

Talent recruitment analysis based on Chinese mainland public colleges and universities in perspective of occupation requirement

“…Currently, there were many deficiencies in personal management system in Chinese mainland colleges and universities. Most staffs were in fixed positions, the flow mechanism of staff was insufficient, thus they were lacked of motivation (Han, 2014; Li, 2014). In contrast, the flow mechanism of American colleges and universities had certain advantages (Feng & Sass, 2017; Hansen, Backes, & Brady, 2016; Li, 2014), it was worthy of reference for China.…”

“…Most staffs were in fixed positions, the flow mechanism of staff was insufficient, thus they were lacked of motivation (Han, 2014; Li, 2014). In contrast, the flow mechanism of American colleges and universities had certain advantages (Feng & Sass, 2017; Hansen, Backes, & Brady, 2016; Li, 2014), it was worthy of reference for China. However, domestic colleges and universities could not completely copy the mobility mechanism of foreign countries; otherwise, it would result in lacking staffs and reserved talents, and the sustainability of higher education would be severely affected.…”

On Factors Influencing Chinese Students' English Acquisition

“…Students only relying on the surface motivation to learn English often regard obtaining external material things as their ultimate goal, and they do not have high requirements for achieving knowledge about English, so they lack initiative and study passively. However the students who have deep motivation usually show great enthusiasm in English learning [6].…”

The Chinese Model of Teacher Education: Retrospects and Prospects over a Century

“…Instead, they provide reflections for alternative development and suggest new directions for teacher education reform based on empirical case studies. For instance, Li (2010) demonstrates how three different "logics," that of institutional strategies, economic demand and state political initiatives have driven the developmental model of teacher education institutions in China, including a detailed comparison of three leading universities for teachers, i.e., East China Normal University, Southwest University and Yanbian University. She concludes that different logics have tended to interact with one another to determine the developmental direction, strategies and model of universities in different historical periods.…”