Rankings dominate higher education policy making, although little is known about the experiences of those involved in perpetuating rankings. This paper explores middle-level academic leaders' sensemaking about university rankings and related policies in East Asia. Since university rankings have affected higher education policies and strategies…

This study focuses on the role of visual resources in constructing the brand identity of Chinese universities. By drawing on the theoretical concept of corporate visual identity (CVI), this study analyzed universities' logos and typography of names from the social semiotic approach. Nine elite Chinese universities were selected as the corpus to…

The purpose of this study is to explore the strategies used by universities to promote their positive images. A university in China known for its success in promoting its image is cited as a typical example of the strategies it employs. The researchers were given permission to review related files of the university offices and relevant university…

Considering the ubiquity, large volume of similar courses, and the huge cost of a course, it becomes imperative to understand factors affecting MOOCs course enrolments. This paper aims to investigate how the home page elements of a MOOC influence students' enrolments. The elements in the home page include course category, course description, team…

Underlying current research on China's world-class university (WCU) policy approaches are analytical foci that privilege the agency of social actors and the problem-solving approach to policy analysis. Foucauldian poststructuralists draw our attention to policy document, which is seen as a discourse that organizes and administers society. Inspired…

To investigate the relationship between Chinese university funding and academic output, we collected data on the scale and the structure of funding and academic output of 36 World-Class universities under construction in China during 2013-21 and 2014-22. Furthermore, we empirically analyzed the effects of funding scale and structure on academic…

In the current hierarchical system of higher education, regional universities in China face the dilemma of homogenization and marginalization. There is an urgent need to find a high-quality development path that suits their own characteristics. From the theoretical perspective of "academic drift", this study focuses on the influence that…

The allocation of financial resources in higher education has always been a hot topic of concern in academia and society. The measurement and evaluation of the allocation efficiency of higher education financial resources from the perspective of 'Double first-class' construction is the most important initiative to improve the quality of higher…

With increased competition for talented students and academic staff, many universities have recognised the importance of brand building to better position in the field. This study selected a recently founded public university in China as the case to explore in what way a young university's brand is constructed and to what extent such a brand is…

Chinese higher education institutions are facing an increasing threat of campus crises, especially the academic and sexual misconduct of faculty members, which have caused severe impacts on the reputation and development of universities and colleges. Crisis communication strategies are one of the critical measures for universities and colleges to…

Objectives: Previous research highlights the strong correlation between certain personality traits and individual career adaptability levels, yet the role of competitive personality remains underexplored. This study aims to fill the gaps by assessing the relationship between competitive attitudes and career adaptability among Chinese college…

The construction of the double first-class university is significant in China's higher education. However, the question of whether students' abilities are better developed at double first-class universities remains unanswered. Based on data from the 2019 Shaanxi University Graduates' Employment and Entrepreneurship Quality Tracking Survey, we…

Amid concerns about creating internationally recognized world-class universities in China, this study aims to explore the factors that influence the selection of two prestigious universities in China, namely Tsinghua and Beida, by high school students. In light of concerns surrounding the establishment of globally renowned universities in China,…

To promote university patent transfer (UPT) and technology diffusion, the Chinese government has implemented a series of economic incentives. One such incentive involves increasing the share rate of faculty inventors from 20% to 50%. We investigate whether such sharing arrangements are effective in encouraging patent disclosure by faculty…

This study aims to develop a comprehensive framework to assess the level of satisfaction among students in their fourth year of undergraduate studies specializing in early childhood education in China during their practical teacher training (PTT). Drawing upon customer satisfaction theory and pertinent literature, the research employs factor…