Chinese Ivy League?

Good for itself that the newborn nine-college alliance, dubbed C9, has shied away from comparing itself to the Ivy League in the United States. Though some anxious to see "world-class" colleges on Chinese soil are already referring to it as the Chinese version of the Ivy League, a lot is to be done for the C9 to even be a look-alike.

The authorities might be eager to have their own institutions of higher learning on the list of the world's most prestigious schools. The so-called Project 985 has the specific aim of creating "world class" Chinese colleges. Nine candidates were singled out to receive special State sponsorship in that race. Now they are in alliance. And C9 members are frank about their goal being to become "world class".

That mission can be easy and difficult. Difficult, because we all know how far higher education in this country has lagged behind over the past decades. And easy, because there is no definite yardstick out there.