The World First Class University and First Class Academic Discipline Construction together known as Double First Class ( in Chinese: 双一流; pinyin: shuāngyīliú), is a tertiary education development initiative designed by the People’s Republic of China central government in 2015, which aims to comprehensively develop elite Chinese universities into world-class institutions by the end of 2050 through developing and strengthening their individual faculty departments.

History & Importance:

In October 2015, the State Council of China published the ‘Overall Plan for Promoting the Construction of World First Class Universities and First Class Disciplines’ (Double First Class University Plan), which made new arrangements for the development of higher education in China.

In September 2017, the full list of the universities and their disciplines of the Double First Class University Plan was published by the Ministry of Education of China, the Ministry of Finance of China and the National Development and Reform Commission of China. According to the list, 140 universities have been approved as ‘Double First Class Universities’ by the State Council of China. The Double First Class University Plan underlines that driving the overall development of universities by building and strengthening their faculties and departments, and eventually developing the 140 listed elite universities into world-class universities by 2050.

The Double First Class University Plan represents a new way of ranking universities in China. In 2019, the Ministry of Education of China reconfirmed that both Project 211 and Project 985 had been replaced by the Double First Class University Plan. By 2021, the 140 Double First Class Universities accounted for roughly 4.65% of the 3,012 universities and colleges in Mainland China, representing the most elite part of higher education institutions in this country.

985 & 211 project universities in China

Before getting to know about 211 Project it is important to understand the theme of 985 project, which was initially started On May 5, 1998, a project that was first announced by General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Jiang Zemin at the 100th anniversary of Peking University to promote the development and reputation of the Chinese higher education system by founding world-class universities in the 21st century.

985 Project:

Project 985 members are classified as doctoral universities with very high research activities among all Chinese universities and viewed as some of the most prestigious universities of all Chinese universities and consistently ranked among the best in the world.

As of 2022, 32 universities in the Top 300, including 24 Top 200 universities and 8 Top 100 universities according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities, also known as “Shanghai Ranking” and a composite ranking system combing five of the world’s most influential university rankings, namely, ARWU, QS, THE, CWTS Leiden Ranking, and Webometrics Ranking.

211 Project:

Project 211 (Chinese: 211工程; pinyin: 211 Gōngchéng) was initiated in 1995 by the Ministry of Education of China, with the intent of raising the research standards of comprehensive universities. During the first phase of the project, from 1996 to 2000, approximately US$2 billion was distributed. The name for the project comes from an abbreviation of the slogan “In preparation for the 21st century, successfully managing 100 universities” (面向21世纪，办好100所高校).

By 2008, China had some 116 institutions of higher education (approximately 6%) designated as 211 Project institutions for having met the planned scientific, technical, and human resources targets and offering advanced degree programs.

Many Project 211 universities are viewed as prestigious universities of all Chinese universities. They admit students through a competitive process of the National Higher Education Entrance Examination (“Gaokao”) for undergraduate programs.

In June 2016, the Ministry of Education of China Replace the Project 211 by the Double First Class University Initiative. In September 2017, the full list of Double First Class University Plan was formally published by the central government of China.