Reshaping Higher Education Research

“This brilliant recapitulation and rethinking of higher education studies, inviting engagement with scholars everywhere, is one of the most important books in the field for many years. The conversation about the future of universities, learning and research is no longer a Euro-American monopoly but is genuinely multipolar, and authors from China, where higher education and science are flourishing, are at the forefront of global thinking." 

— Simon Marginson, University of Oxford, UK

“This volume attests to the field’s vigorous development and the deepening integration of Chinese higher education research within the global scholarly community. It also showcases a new generation of higher education scholars in China, who combine a strong sense of historical continuity with a broad, outward-looking vision.” 

— Rui Yang, The University of Hong Kong, China

This edited book explores how increasing complexity in higher education has led researchers to adopt interdisciplinary approaches, integrating insights from sociology, psychology, gender studies, economics, geopolitics, philosophy, geography and data-driven methodologies such as big data analysis, CV analysis and natural language processing. It offers a nuanced analysis of the interplay between higher education and other societal sectors, showcasing the field’s openness and dynamism. The book also examines how advanced technologies push research boundaries, enabling a more holistic grasp of knowledge. Aimed at academics, policymakers, and research students, it provides rich insights into the multi-faceted nature of higher education, highlighting the value of a multidisciplinary lens and suggesting directions for future research.

Catherine Yuan Gao is Assistant Professor in the Centre for Higher Education Research, Southern University of Science and Technology, China.

Wenqin Shen is Associate Professor of Higher Education at Peking University, China.