Project 985

Project 985
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Name	Project 985
Country	People's Republic of China
Established	May 1998
Founder	Jiang Zemin
Key people	Chen Zhili
Related	Project 211, Double First Class University Plan

Project 985. It was a pivotal higher education initiative launched by the national government to cultivate a group of elite, world-class universities. Announced by then-President Jiang Zemin in May 1998, the project represented a strategic national effort to enhance China's scientific research capabilities and global academic standing. It provided substantial, concentrated funding and policy support to a select group of institutions, aiming to accelerate their development into top-tier centers of learning and innovation.

Background and launch

The initiative emerged during a period of rapid economic transformation following Deng Xiaoping's Chinese economic reform policies, which increased demand for advanced scientific talent. The name originates from the date of its announcement, May 1998, linking it symbolically to the Peking University centennial celebrations where Jiang Zemin first articulated the vision. Key government bodies, including the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance, under the leadership of State Councilor Chen Zhili, were instrumental in its formulation and implementation. Its creation was also a direct response to the global academic prestige of institutions like the Ivy League and the Russell Group, aiming to boost national competitiveness.

Objectives and selection criteria

Primary goals included elevating selected universities into the global top tier, strengthening disciplines critical to national development, and producing groundbreaking research in fields like information technology, biotechnology, and materials science. Selection was highly competitive, initially focusing on institutions with already strong foundations in research and graduate education. Key criteria involved existing academic reputation, research output, and the strategic importance of their disciplines to national goals. The first phase exclusively included Peking University and Tsinghua University, later expanding to a larger, exclusive group known as the C9 League, which was intended to be China's answer to the Ivy League.

Member universities and development

The project eventually encompassed 39 universities across China. The elite C9 League included, besides Peking University and Tsinghua University, institutions such as Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, Nanjing University, University of Science and Technology of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University, and Harbin Institute of Technology. Other prominent members included Renmin University of China, Beijing Normal University, and Sun Yat-sen University. Development was fueled by massive financial injections from both central and local governments, like the Beijing Municipal Government and Shanghai Municipal People's Government, which funded new laboratories, attracted top scholars, and expanded graduate programs.

Impact and achievements

The initiative dramatically increased the research output and international visibility of member universities, with many rising significantly in global rankings like the Academic Ranking of World Universities and QS World University Rankings. It facilitated the construction of major national research facilities, such as those at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and spurred innovation in strategic sectors. The model contributed to China's growing number of Nature Index publications and Patent Cooperation Treaty applications. It also created a clear hierarchy within the Chinese higher education system, concentrating top students and resources.

Criticism and controversies

Critics argued the project exacerbated regional and institutional inequalities, diverting resources from non-member universities like many in western China or those under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Concerns were raised about fostering academic bureaucracy and a "Matthew effect" where the rich get richer. The intense focus on metrics like Science Citation Index publications was said to encourage quantity over quality. These criticisms contributed to the official cessation of the project and its eventual replacement by the more inclusive Double First Class University Plan.

Comparison with other initiatives

It was a more focused and generously funded successor to the broader Project 211, which aimed at strengthening about 100 universities. Unlike the decentralized Excellence Initiative in Germany or the Universities 21 network, it was a top-down, state-driven plan. While similar in elite-building intent to Japan's Top Global University Project or South Korea's Brain Korea 21, its scale and level of state investment were typically larger. Its phased conclusion contrasts with the ongoing nature of the Double First Class University Plan, which seeks to dynamically evaluate a wider pool of institutions and disciplines.

Category:Education in China Category:Science and technology in China