Individualized and Innovation-Centered General Education in a Chinese STEM University
The concept and practice of general education have been widely discussed and debated in the Euro-American world, but its adaptation in China needs further discussion and understanding. Over the past decade, its impact on Chinese higher education is increasingly salient, with a large number of Chines...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/8/846 |
| _version_ | 1797585015075241984 |
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| author | Xu Li Yuan Li |
| author_facet | Xu Li Yuan Li |
| author_sort | Xu Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The concept and practice of general education have been widely discussed and debated in the Euro-American world, but its adaptation in China needs further discussion and understanding. Over the past decade, its impact on Chinese higher education is increasingly salient, with a large number of Chinese first-tier universities claiming to initiate general education reforms to their previously narrowly focused undergraduate programs. This paper explores the development, implementation, and support of general education in a new type of research university in China from an organizational perspective. Through a case study of the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper examines SUSTech’s individualized and innovation-based general education system, highlighting its institution-wide approach and innovation-centered perspective. The findings underscore the importance of integrating general education principles throughout the university to foster self-directed thinkers and cultivate students’ self-awareness, interests, and passions. This study also reveals how general education is used as an organizational solution to address a variety of historical and complicated issues that challenge Chinese universities. This research serves as a catalyst for reform and innovation in Chinese higher education, inspiring transformative practices that meet the evolving needs of students and society. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:59:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eff5705ca72b473396e9a14faeadfa7d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:59:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-eff5705ca72b473396e9a14faeadfa7d2023-11-19T00:52:23ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022023-08-0113884610.3390/educsci13080846Individualized and Innovation-Centered General Education in a Chinese STEM UniversityXu Li0Yuan Li1School of Design, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaCenter for Language Education, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaThe concept and practice of general education have been widely discussed and debated in the Euro-American world, but its adaptation in China needs further discussion and understanding. Over the past decade, its impact on Chinese higher education is increasingly salient, with a large number of Chinese first-tier universities claiming to initiate general education reforms to their previously narrowly focused undergraduate programs. This paper explores the development, implementation, and support of general education in a new type of research university in China from an organizational perspective. Through a case study of the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper examines SUSTech’s individualized and innovation-based general education system, highlighting its institution-wide approach and innovation-centered perspective. The findings underscore the importance of integrating general education principles throughout the university to foster self-directed thinkers and cultivate students’ self-awareness, interests, and passions. This study also reveals how general education is used as an organizational solution to address a variety of historical and complicated issues that challenge Chinese universities. This research serves as a catalyst for reform and innovation in Chinese higher education, inspiring transformative practices that meet the evolving needs of students and society.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/8/846general educationSTEM universitywhole-institution approach |
| spellingShingle | Xu Li Yuan Li Individualized and Innovation-Centered General Education in a Chinese STEM University Education Sciences general education STEM university whole-institution approach |
| title | Individualized and Innovation-Centered General Education in a Chinese STEM University |
| title_full | Individualized and Innovation-Centered General Education in a Chinese STEM University |
| title_fullStr | Individualized and Innovation-Centered General Education in a Chinese STEM University |
| title_full_unstemmed | Individualized and Innovation-Centered General Education in a Chinese STEM University |
| title_short | Individualized and Innovation-Centered General Education in a Chinese STEM University |
| title_sort | individualized and innovation centered general education in a chinese stem university |
| topic | general education STEM university whole-institution approach |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/8/846 |
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