Responses of Chinese Higher Education to the Information Society

Overview & Synopsis

Compared to the advanced industrial countries, the use of information technology in Chinese higher education came relatively late. Nevertheless, recent Chinese practices have achieved significant progress in the country's efforts to bridge the digital divide. This article focuses special attention on the responses of Chinese higher education to the challenges of the information society. It begins by introducing essential characteristics of the information society and the challenges posed for higher education. A presentation of responses to these challenges made by Chinese higher education in terms of strategic reactions, national infrastructure development, and the actions at the institutional level follows. The article concludes with an account of ongoing problems constraining the use of modern information technology in Chinese higher education.