College funding projects still underway: report

Relevant universities said government funding is still underway amid media reports that China's two main college funding initiatives were already abolished, the Beijing News reported Thursday.

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Speculations of the abolishment of the two projects circulated Wednesday after alleged remarks at a meeting by the principal of Changsha-based Central South University, Zhang Raoxue, were revealed online.

Zhang said in a science and technology meeting at his university that "Project 985 and Project 211 were already revoked", according to the Beijing News.

Project 985 was initiated in 1998 to promote the development and reputation of the Chinese higher education system by founding world-class universities.

Project 211 was launched in 1995 to raise the research standards of high-level universities and train professionals to implement strategies for China's socio-economic development.

Central South University was among the universities that are funded by the government under both of the two projects.

Zhang told the Beijing News that China's Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance are working on new regulations for the two projects to fund universities based upon their real teaching capabilities.

But he said there had been no official notification of "abolishment of the two projects".

An official with another Chinese university that is funded by Project 985 and Project 211 also said to the Beijing News that government's new funding of his university is still underway.

An official with China's Ministry of Education told the newspaper that the ministry has not yet decided on the next step - whether to move on with Project 985 or replace it with something similar.