new horizons in china's higher education sector apru beyond the constrains of “danwei”...

New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU

Beyond the Constrains of “Danwei”

——Thoughts on innovative knowledge-based activities in China’s research Universities

Higher Education Institute

Fudan University

Jing Song

New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU

What is “Danwei”?• It was the foundation of China’s social structure

and a special organization belonged to the planned economic system.

• In addition to its professional function, a Danwei also serves as a political, economic and social hybrid.

• Through a Danwei system the government machine distributes resources and at the same time asserts a strong grip to the nation and its people.

New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU

Characteristics of Danwei Institution• An organizational structure based on

hierarchy.

• Danwei members depend on Danwei by default, not by contract.

• The allocation of resources is based on administration-centric.

• Resources are not liquid.

New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU

Institutional context of Knowledge Innovation of Universities being as Danwei

• The multifunctional aspect of a Danwei becomes an obstacle to innovative activities and their efficiency.

• School administration dictates academic activities, which results in academic expedience

• Universities controlled by the government and teachers controlled by the universities

• Segregation between schools and departments epitomizes the characteristics of Danwei, and such organizational structure causes bulwark between disciplines.

New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU

Dissolve Danwei Institution ---Reform in Innovative Activities of China’s

UniversitiesBackground:

With the ongoing social and economic transformations, the previously dominant danwei structure has been challenged by the rapid growth of the private sector and as a result a social structure consisting of danwei and non-danwei is being established.

New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU

• Internal administrative reform: freedom in designing school curriculums, reformed human resource management, distribution system and privatization of logistics.

• Reformed revenue generating system and job placement

• Reformed school management

Systemic Transition of the University as A Danwei

New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU

Technology and Science Platform---A New Organiztion Structure of Innovation

School Department

School Department

Technology and Science Platform

New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU

Issues in organizational reform

Personnel Academic reward & recognition

Discipline-building and evaluation

Assessment and promotion

Balance of interests between schools, between departments and between disciplines

New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU

Beyond the constrains of Danwei—a direction for China’s research universities and their innovative knowledge-based academic activities

• Knowledge-based innovation relys on the innovation of organization and its mechanism.

• Build new organizations, and transform the danwei system.

• The new organization and mechanism should accommodate innovation, and through such approach inspire more innovative activities.

New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU

Thank You！

• Email: songjing317@hotmail.com