Incorporating Chinese and western traditions in universities : a study of residential colleges in mainland China

Abstract

Academies (shuyuan 書院) have long been regarded as one of the most essential elements of traditional Chinese higher education. In Western countries, college systems have been established to cultivate students with developed intellectual autonomy. Many universities in the Chinese mainland now look at both China’s ancient academies and Western college systems for inspiration in the development of residential colleges (書院制). As a modern system of student administration, such residential colleges are designed to carry forward traditions and indigenize the educational ideal from Western college systems. They aim to foster the personal development of individual students in a rich and comprehensive way across a variety of dimensions both on and beyond campus. This study explores how to integrate the rich traditions of higher learning deeply into the development of Chinese universities. After delving into the historical development and major features of various traditions, it explores their implications for today’s residential college system. To provide a deep understanding of how and on what historical basis residential colleges have been established, this thesis focuses centrally on how the educational ideologies of the academies in imperial China and the college systems in the West combine to influence current practices in mainland Chinese universities. Based on a review of the literature on academies, Western college systems, and residential colleges in contemporary Chinese universities, three aspects are identified: the criteria for designing educational activities, the implications of both traditions, and the application of education rationales. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with academic/administrative staff members and students from three selected universities with residential colleges to understand the colleges’ underlying rationales. Focus group interviews were used with students to learn their global perspectives on the educational model in residential colleges. Three cases were to explore the rationales behind their design of residential colleges in Chinese universities, revealing an integration of Chinese and Western cultures. To understand the pros and cons of such a system, this thesis presents and discusses how universities, staff members, and students establish a living community inside residential colleges with practices as a liberal arts education, and how the participants interact with each other in the changing context of Chinese higher education. In addition, three mismatches are discussed from the perspectives of residential colleges between instruments and rationality, between different discourse systems, and between the historical ideal and the reality of establishing residential colleges. With rich data, this study portrays a structured theoretical picture of the residential college as an educational model from the perspectives of its academic staff members and students.