Higher Music Education in China: Key Features and Prospects

The subject of the research is the system of higher music education in China, as well as its key structural and content characteristics in the context of modern socio-cultural development. The object of the research essentially includes the process of training music specialists in Chinese universities, including the organization of the educational process, pedagogical approaches, and students' professional orientation. The author also examines aspects of the topic in detail, among which are the predominance of a technical focus in education over aesthetic development, the insufficient level of pedagogical training among teachers, as well as the mismatch between educational outcomes and the demands of modern society and the labor market. Much of the article is devoted to the influence of globalization and multicultural processes on the transformation of music education, as well as the issue of integrating national traditions and Western educational models. The article also analyzes the contradictions between the massification of education and the decline in the quality of training, as well as explores the prospects for reforming the system of higher music education in China. The study employs methods of analyzing scientific literature, comparative analysis of educational models, and generalization of theoretical and empirical data related to the development of music education in China. The main conclusions of the conducted research primarily reveal systemic problems in higher music education in China, related to the imbalance between technical and creative training of students, as well as the insufficient adaptation of educational programs to modern social conditions. It is also worth noting that the author's contribution to the research on the topic is a direct comprehensive analysis of the influence of globalization and the digital age on the transformation of music education, including changes in the requirements for the professional competencies of musicians. The novelty of the research also lies in the justification for the need to transition from narrow professional training to an integrative model focused on developing critical thinking, creativity, and intercultural competence among students. It is also concluded that the further development of the system of higher music education in China is possible provided that the role of national cultural tradition is strengthened, a multicultural approach is implemented, and pedagogical teaching methods are modernized.