FROM IDEALISM TO THE REALITY: A HISTORICAL REFLECTION ON THE “FALL” OF “2011 PLAN”

Peng Zhu¹, Moda Hu², Xinya Tang³ and Lin Pan⁴*
¹ Associate Prof. Dr. Mr., Jinan University, PR China, szkzp@126.com
² Graduate student. Mr., Jinan University, PR China, 2817242295@qq.com
³ Graduate student. MS., Jinan University, PR China, 624370790@qq.com
⁴ Assistant Prof. Dr. MS., Jinan University, PR China, 149768127@qq.com
*Corresponding author

Abstract
The "2011 Plan" is the first major reform project in higher education launched by the Chinese government in the 21st century. It is also the third strategic project in the field of education following "211 Project” and "985 Project" since the reform and opening up in 1978. In the hope of promoting the collaborative innovation among universities, research institutes, enterprises, local authorities and foreign research institutions to settle the strategic issues urgently needed by the country, forward-looking problems of scientific and technological cutting-edge areas and major public welfare affairs, the government has determined to implement the plan, trying to support the socioeconomic development transformation in an effective way. But the plan failed to achieve the success as what "211 Project "and "985 Project" could, only three years to be abolished. Because of the lack of official explanations and little discussion and research in the academic community, it was generally believed that the "fall" of the "2011 Plan" was attributed to the change in leadership of the Chinese government. In fact, the fatal flaws in the top-down design of the "2011 Plan" is the main cause of the failure. First, the objectives of the policy, being too utilitarian, deviated from the basic law of higher education development. Second, the mechanically copied organization model found difficulties getting practical collaboration. Third, unrealistic and anxious in the implementations, the operation once again fell into the trap of "movement-style cooperation". Last but not least, the rectifying mechanism was incomplete, constantly amplifying the institutional malpractice. After two unsuccessful attempts, the Chinese government couldn’t but return to the reality from idealism abandoning the "2011 Plan" and starting the "Double First-rate" program, carried out the connotation construction of universities down to earth, striving to improve the level of talents cultivation, scientific research and social service.

Keywords: Collaborative innovation; Industry-university-research cooperation; Reform on institutional mechanisms; Double First-rate; Educational strategy