How New Private Universities Might Reshape China's Higher Education丨CBN Pers...

By Stephanie LI丨SFC, 21st Century Business Herald

For decades, public universities have dominated China's higher education system. But recently, a new crop of elite, heavily funded research universities in China is shaking up the country’s higher-education landscape, attracting top students with admissions standards that now rival or exceed those of many of the nation’s most prestigious legacy institutions.

As results from the 2025 Gaokao, China’s national college-entrance examination, roll in, a cohort of recently established universities including Westlake University, Fuyao University of Science and Technology(FYUST), and Ningbo Eastern Institute of Technology(EIT) posted minimum cutoff scores that surpassed those of traditional top-tier schools.

This new wave of research-focused private universities is challenging the status quo, bringing innovation that aligns with China’s key scientific research goals. Their unique approach to running schools not only attracts top talent but also redefines the potential of Chinese higher education.​

These schools are part of a new form of philanthropic endeavor among Chinese entrepreneurs that is focused on promoting China’s national strategy of “scientific self-reliance” through education.

Now why have these institutions suddenly gained close attention from parents and high school graduates as strong rival of top public universities such as Tsinghua and Peking universities?

At the core of their impact is a breakthrough in governance—one that addresses the bureaucratic inefficiencies long plaguing public institutions. Unlike traditional private colleges—long dismissed as "profit-focused alternatives"—these new schools use a board-of-trustees model pioneered by Westlake University.​

The board, made up of donors, academics, and public figures, serves as the top decision-making body: it oversees budgets and appoints leaders, giving the institutions greater autonomy to act quickly on societal and industrial needs.​

Public universities rarely get this kind of freedom to cut through red tape and focus on emerging scientific research fields.​ Their disciplinary focus also ties education closely to national scientific research strategies—a sharp contrast to traditional universities, which tend to cover too many areas.​

China has approved the establishment of several similar universities in key economic hubs in recent years, including Westlake University in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, which concentrates solely on science, engineering, and life sciences; Eastern Institute of Technology, founded in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, by semiconductor magnate Yu Renrong, which zeroes in AI, integrated circuits, intelligent manufacturing and mathematics, and Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology and Greater Bay University in Dongguan, that leverage their proximity to Huawei to strengthen programs in communications and robotics.​

Wang Shuguo, inaugural president of FYUST and a veteran of prestigous public institutions, notes that private schools "are as dynamic as private enterprises, with stricter accountability to student demands." This flexibility let FYUST launch majors in intelligent manufacturing and new materials—directly matching China’s advanced manufacturing objectives.​

FYUST, initiated by glass tycoon Cao Dewang and the Heren Charitable Foundation that donated 10 billion yuan ($1.38 billion) to launch the school, not only touts global faculty and cutting-edge laboratories, but also generous financial aid, charging just 5,460 yuan (US$762) in annual tuition fees, while EIT’s inaugural students will receive full scholarships valued at 96,000 yuan.

At EIT’s recent open day, assistant professor Huang Yuanlong said that undergraduate students could join top Chinese research teams as soon as they enroll. “The batteries used in future electric vehicles may come from our solid-state battery lab,” he said.

By aligning courses with growing industries like AI and integrated circuits, these universities build talent pipelines for China’s scientific research frontlines.​ Their "small but elite" talent development model is equally transformative, blending education, research, and industry.​

Westlake University enrolls fewer than 100 undergraduates annually, keeping its student-to-faculty ratio below 10:1, far lower than the 15:1 average at top public universities.​

FYUST goes even further: its ratio hovers around 5:1, and it offers an 8-year bachelor-master-doctor track. This mirrors global elite practices, nurturing talent for long-term scientific research.​

This targeted approach also avoids wasting resources, letting schools dive deep into critical areas. FYUST, for example, has already partnered with Haier and FAW Group to build joint labs, turning classroom knowledge into industrial innovation.​

People’s Daily reported in March that the domestic semiconductor industry faces a talent shortfall of 300,000 people. Data from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security indicates a gap of over 5 million AI professionals, with a supply-to-demand ratio of just 1:10.

Crucially, these universities act as "catfish" to spur reform in public institutions. Still, concerns linger. Many traditional private universities still struggle to fill enrollment quotas.​

The founders’ willingness and capacity for sustained investment would be crucial to the universities’ future, industry experts noted. There’s still a long way to go for the investors. Today, as China aims to become a global technology power, these research-oriented private universities are more than just additions to the system—they’re catalysts for reshaping it.​

The rise of private universities comes as China’s higher education sector faces demographic headwinds. This year’s national college entrance exam had 13.35 million registrants, down from a record 13.42 million last year and the first decline in nearly eight years.

But only 9.54 million births were recorded last year, pointing to empty lecture theaters down the track. This year, private colleges in Guangdong province left thousands of seats empty, while Yunnan province had to lower admission cutoffs by 30-40 points. High tuition fees and lingering perceptions of "inferiority" hold them back.​

Against that backdrop, the rise of institutions like FYUST and EIT is more than just a personal experiment by the tycoons, because its offers a revealing case study of China’s higher education reform.

The success of these “catfish” proves a mindset shift can drive change, and people need to stop seeing private universities as profit centers and start viewing them as public service providers.​ By combining flexible governance with a focus on key scientific research, they may just bridge the gap between academia and industry, nurture future talent, and push China’s higher education to be more innovative and relevant.​

Editor: LI Yanxia

Host: Stephanie LI

Writer: Stephanie LI

Sound Editor: Stephanie LI

Graphic Designer: ZHENG Wenjing, LIAO Yuanni

Produced by 21st Century Business Herald Dept. of Overseas News.

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