2. Intercollegiate Education by Universities from Northeast Shanghai4

2.1 Background

China's reform and opening and the rapid development of its economy have created a demand for interdisciplinary professionals who are broadly knowledgeable and versatile. To meet this demand, 10 disparate HEIs in Shanghai (Fudan University, Tongji University, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai University of Electric Power, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai Maritime University and Shanghai Sanda University) formed a cooperative education organization in 1995. Under the direct leadership and support of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and the Management Committee of Intercollegiate Education by Universities from Northeast Shanghai, the organization actively promotes cross-institution cooperative education based on complementary strengths, resource sharing, mutual benefit and coordinated development.5

2.2 Development status

2.2.1 Study Methods

The teaching coordination team of Intercollegiate Education by Universities from Northeast Shanghai provides intercollegiate learning by means of the following three methods: mobile lectures by professors, cross-institution optional courses, and cross-institution minors.

Mobile lectures by professors aim to broaden the students’ knowledge, improve their scientific and cultural literacy, and cultivate innovation and practical abilities. Acclaimed professors and experts at member schools of the teaching coordination team offer lectures for students of all the schools. Member schools of the teaching coordination team provide distinctive courses as cross-institution optional courses for students to take at the universities offering the courses. Cross-institution minors embody the distinctive features of each member school, and make it possible for students to study minor courses at another school while studying their major programmes at their own school.

2.2.2 Teaching arrangement

The teaching coordination team puts together the names of mobile professors, lecture topics and contact information for each term. Each member school arranges for at least one mobile lecture each academic year and is responsible for its implementation.

The teaching coordination team gathers data on cross-institution optional courses for the next term in May and November respectively, including information on course titles, contents, offering universities, names of the lecturers, and tuition fees. This information is then published to full-time undergraduate students in all member schools. Next, students submit applications for the cross-institution optional courses to their own schools where they undergo verification and approval by their academic affairs section. The teaching coordination team then determines the list of students for the courses. Qualified students are informed to pay tuition and receive class permits. In principle, each cross-institution optional course is two credits and includes 30 class hours over 10 weeks, with 3 hours per week usually arranged on Wednesday evening.

The teaching coordination team collects information on cross-institution minors provided by member schools each May, including information on programme names, curriculum, offering universities, credits and tuition fees. “Guide to Cross-institution Minors for Intercollegiate Education by Universities from Northeast Shanghai” is formulated and published to full-time undergraduates of all member schools. Students submit applications to study cross-institution minors to their own schools where they undergo verification and approval by their academic affairs section. The teaching coordination team then determines the list of students approved to study cross-institution minors. Qualified students are informed to pay tuition and receive class permits. In principle, 8-12 courses are offered for each cross-institution minor for a total of 25-30 credits, and the length of schooling is three to four terms. Classes are generally scheduled on the weekend.

2.2.3 Teaching funds

The annual fund allocated to the teaching coordination team by the Management Committee of Intercollegiate Education by Universities from Northeast Shanghai includes funds to cover the expenses of one professor’s mobile lecture per member school, used to pay for the lecturer’s remuneration and related transportation and publicity costs. Additional mobile lectures are funded by the academic affairs sections of the member schools.

Students who take cross-institution optional courses must pay for their tuition, and fees charged for each course range from 50 yuan to 200 yuan. Students who quit during the course of learning are not refunded.

Students who study cross-institution minors must pay for their tuition, and fees charged for each credit range from 100 yuan to 200 yuan. Students who quit during the course of learning are not refunded.

Each member school pays 5% of the tuition fees collected for optional courses and minors to the teaching coordination team to cover administration expenses, thereby reducing the financial burden on the academic affairs section of each member school.

2.2.4 Management organization

Members of the teaching coordination team are made up of the chiefs or deputy chiefs of the academic affairs sections of all the member schools. The team leader is Fudan University, and the deputy team leader is Tongji University. Matters related to intercollegiate learning are uniformly coordinated by the teaching coordination team and implemented by the academic affairs section of each member school.

2.3 Implementation results6

Based on 2007 data, thanks to the wholehearted cooperation of each member school's academic affairs section, over 100 cross-institution courses were offered by these HEIs each academic year. Over 4,000 students registered for intercollegiate learning each academic year. A total of 14,000+ students participated in cross-institution optional courses and 15,000+ students participated in cross-institution minors.7

3. Other cases of credit transfer in HEIs in China

3.1 Cross-institution courses at four higher education parks in Zhejiang

Cross-institution courses and credit transfer among HEIs in Zhejiang started in 2001 when eight schools in the former west part of Hangzhou instituted cross-institution course selection. Following the relocation of the HEIs, Zhejiang's “mutual course selection and credit transfer” expanded from west Hangzhou out to Hangzhou's Xiasha Higher Education Park, Binjiang Higher Education Park, Wenzhou Higher Education Park and Ningbo Higher Education Park.

Beginning from the second term of the 2002-2003 academic year, six neighboring HEIs in Binjiang Higher Education Park (Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Zhejiang Police College, Zhejiang Medical College, Zhejiang Institute of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, Zhejiang Vocational Academy of Art and Zhejiang Business College) launched a system of credit transfer, cross-institution teaching and cross-institution course selection. This system enables the full utilization of each school's teaching resources, brings out the strengths of the higher education park as a whole, and improves the quality of education and teaching. The courses offered represent featured or excellent courses of each school and are taught by senior faculty members with a strong sense of responsibility and vast teaching experience.

In 2004, 14 HEIs in Hangzhou's Xiasha Higher Education Park, after thorough discussion, jointly formulated Provisional Regulations on Teaching Management of Mutual Course Selection and Credit transfer. It was made clear that all courses offered should be featured or excellent courses of each school. The HEIs also published Guide to Selection of Cross-Institution Optional Courses. According to the regulations, each school starts by offering two optional courses and increases courses gradually as needed. Each course is two credits and spans one school term. The credits are mutually recognized.

Based on related data, from the beginning of Xiasha Higher Education Park's programme of cross-institution courses in 2005 until 2008, an average of 32 courses were offered each term and over 6,000 students attended the courses. The student satisfaction rate for the courses offered by the 14 HEIs averaged over 90%, and certain courses were highly praised by the students. Cross-institution courses offered in the Higher Education Park play a positive role in cultivating the students’ overall quality and broadening their knowledge, and highlight the value of quality educational resource sharing (XU Gaohuan, 2008).8 Ningbo Higher Education Park launched cross-institution optional courses in 2003, and at that time only six courses were offered by three HEIs. In the second semester of the 2005-2006 academic year, five HEIs offered a total of 20 cross-institution optional courses with a cumulative attendance of 2,659 (ZHAO Tianqi, 2010).9 From 2002 to 2008, Binjiang Higher Education Park offered 107 cross-institution optional courses benefiting 12,067 students (FU Bin et. al., 2011).10 Data from 2006 shows that each school in Zhejiang offered over 100 cross-institution course instances, and about 10,000 college students took the courses. According to a preliminary survey, 80% of the students indicated satisfaction or basic satisfaction with course content and teaching effectiveness, and over 70% of the students earned credits for the courses.11

3.2 Cross-Institution Course Selection Among HEIs in North Shenyang

To further realize the potential of HEIs in Liaoning, bring out the academic strengths of each school, promote broad cooperation among HEIs, and share educational resources and advantages, Shenyang Sport University joined six HEIs in northern Shenyang (Liaoning University, Shenyang University, Shenyang Medical College, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang Aerospace University, Shenyang Electric Power Institute) in 2000 to establish a teaching coordination zone to explore cross-institution course selection.

To ensure teaching quality, each HEI's teaching management team clearly states its own responsibilities. Every term, the chiefs of the academic affairs sections and staff involved in cross-institution course selection meet to discuss the status of such courses in the current term, exchange experiences and resolve outstanding issues. They also specify procedures related to cross-institution course selection, formulate Provisional Regulations on Cross-Institution Course Selection, and compile Guide to Optional Courses and Course Plan for students’ reference.

During the 2000-2003 academic years, there were 11,575 attendees in cross-institution courses and a total of 47 courses were offered relating to literature, art, etiquette, science, networking, health, sports, the study of Yijing and medical science. All of the courses offered were top quality courses of each school, and met the needs of different students in different schools.12 A survey of students who took cross-institution courses found that the vast majority regard such courses as a good way to learn. 87% reported that they mastered more knowledge and skills. 85% reported that they improved their knowledge structure while expanding their knowledge. 80% reported that they benefited greatly from exchanges with students from other schools. 70% thought that the cross-institution courses would give them more power in choosing their future careers.