With over 2,000 universities and colleges, higher education is continuously growing and developing in China, where more than 6 million students are enrolled, including those from foreign countries.

More than 2,000 years ago, students from East Asia and the Arab states came to China for studies. After 1949, China built many modern higher educational institutions. In 2010, China's Ministry of Education launched the Study in China plan, which aims to attract 500,000 foreign students by 2020. In 2014, there were almost 380,000 foreign students from more than 180 countries studying at Chinese mainland's various higher education institutions.

In China, the higher education system is comparatively comprehensive and complete, as the institutions mainly take responsibility of teaching, scientific research, and social services like institutions in Europe and the U.S. do. One thing that is clear also is China's awareness of the problems with its higher education system (such as rote learning and memorization to pass an exam) and has adopted a decade-long plan (2010-20) to reform the university system.

Within a centralized educational system, the Ministry of Education administers the higher education institutions through policymaking, legislation, planning, funding, and evaluation. For Chinese students, university selection is based on each student's marks in the entrance exam, and due to the huge number of people who take the exam, getting into university is highly competitive.

For foreign students, admission in Chinese universities is highly encouraged. It is very clear that the world welcomes graduates of the Chinese universities because of their qualifications and excellence. Many graduates from the Chinese universities are accepted by leading universities in the U.S., Europe, Australia and other developed countries. Places like Silicon Valley and Wall Street, and leading universities and laboratories have opened their doors to graduates from Chinese universities. Most significantly, the Chinese government has signed mutual agreements of recognition with 64 countries and regions.

Usually, a Chinese university or college has two semesters in one school year. Early September is the start of the first semester while mid-February is the beginning of the second semester. There are 20 weeks in one semester, with two days of rest per week. In China, the universities are divided into several categories: some directly under the Ministry of Education, others run by provincial, autonomous region, and municipal governments, and still others run by local cities or communities.

Scientific research in the universities and colleges is an important driving force for developing science and technology and fostering economic construction. Some education experts criticize the university system for failing to turn out the kind of creative thinkers on which innovative societies depend for future growth. Almost halfway through the plan period, not much has been achieved. The government will have to reconsider its plan to overhaul the system.

Minhas Justin is a fellow of the Beijing-based Renmin University of China in media studies. He is a journalist based in Lahore , Pakistan.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

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