Conceptualizing Soft Power of Higher Education by Jian Li

Author:Jian Li
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9789811306419
Publisher: Springer Singapore

Neoliberalism and Massification

From international and comparative perspectives, since the 1990s, the trends of neoliberalism and massification of higher education have gradually influenced the reconstruction and transitions of higher education systems in many developed countries in terms of internationalization of economics and trades worldwide. Particularly speaking, neoliberalism involves a set of economic policies aiming at free market economy, private interests over public interests, and social democratic policies (Friedman 1962). This concept concentrated on individual capital and interests rather than social capital and people (Chomsky 1999). Hursh (2011)) indicated that, in response to neoliberalism, economic inequality is not connected to unequal social structures that privilege the already advantaged but, instead, from differences in individual choices and efforts. Inequality is deserved and should not be a concern of the government (p. 35). In an education domain, it is widely accepted that the neoliberalism gives incentives to the transformation of educational values into business values (Saltman 2007). Moreover, with the trends of neoliberalization, corporatization, privatization, and commercialization, Chinese higher education has accelerated and developed in recent decades. In addition, neoliberalization of higher education also regarded university stakeholders as commodities, students are seen as consumers, and faculty are frequently contingent labor (Ginsberg 2011). The concept of neoliberalism concentrated on globalization as “wholesale cultural shift” from “seeing a university’s purpose as intellectual engagement to now seeing it as job training that related to the market” (Washburn 2005). In addition, from a political perspective, Dunn (2013) indicated that “neoliberals are not alone in their use of the political spectacle; what changes, rather, as new political ideologies take hold are the purposes of the spectacle and the resulting political goals. For Neoliberals, their use of the political spectacle is with the aim of advancing private interests and free markets (p. 51).”

Massification of higher education is considered as one significant impetus for improving the development of building world-class universities in Chinese higher education system, especially in the factor-driven period of Chinese higher education (1993–2003). Especially, the enrollment in higher education in Asia has particularly increased by about 50% in the last three decades (Calderon 2012). The importance of expanding higher education opportunities is pivotal to prepare their citizens for the knowledge-based economy (Li 2012). Moreover, the significant demographic changes and massification of higher education in China triggered lots of debates along the way in which quality in higher education can be ensured, as well as how the labor market offers sustainable employment opportunities for university graduates (Mok et al. 2013a, b). However, the intensified competition for employment involves spending extra monetary cost and uncertain salary prospects in response to the increased number of graduates. Undergraduate students have to suffer financial burdens and pressure in the trend of massification of higher education. The difficulties faced by university graduates are fundamental significant problems related to the massification of higher education in China. In accordance with the Education Blueprint 2020 (Outline of National Plan for Medium- and Long-Term Education Reform and Development), the Chinese government has increased higher education enrollment from the present 24–40% of the relevant age cohorts of high school graduates.

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