Implementing Values of Tertiary Education in Europe and in China Based on Quantitative and Qualitative Aspects

The year 1999 marked a significant turning point in the realm of global education. While the Bologna Process was proclaimed in Europe, China, for its part, announced new reforms to its higher education system. This raises the question of the extent to which the educational reforms of the past 27 years have impacted their respective spheres of influence. However, an explicit case study would be too extensive in scope. The author therefore focuses primarily on the foundations and objectives of these reforms, highlighting areas where these reform approaches have succeeded, failed, or remain challenging. The paper shows that both China and the EU pursue a market-liberal approach to tertiary education, in which education is intended to serve economic interests and competitiveness. Many EU countries have already seen a sharp increase in the number of students, and access to higher education has been simplified. The same trend can also be observed in China, where an increasing number of people from rural areas are gaining access to higher education. Furthermore, both regions have standardized the quality criteria of good education and established their education systems as visible international brands. Based on these findings, avenues for closer cooperation in the education sector between the EU and China can be identified.