Chinese and U.S. University Rankings

Abstract

The strength of a country’s talent pipeline depends in no small part on the quality of its universities. This data brief explores how Chinese and U.S. universities perform in two different global university rankings, why their standings have changed over time, and what those trends mean for graduates.

A Competitive Era for China’s Universities

“…While the MOE holds many responsibilities-such as certifying teachers, standardizing curricula and textbooks, and establishing national education goals and standards-its primary focus is on higher education, especially as it relates to S&T. The ministry directly manages 75 colleges and universities throughout China, some of which are already world-class research centers. 15 Adjusted for PPP, spending on higher education (高等教育) amounted to $167 billion in 2019, representing nearly 90 percent of the ministry's budget. It is the single largest line item in the central Chinese government's publicly disclosed 2019 budget for civilian organizations.…”