Higher education faces call to change

Local tertiary institutions should cater to the economic and social needs of the community by focusing on their strengths, according to the president of Jilin University. "For universities, it is important that they work on their unique characteristics...No single institution can cover all programs. We need to determine the various types of universities that can focus on research, teaching and technical areas," said Li Yuanyuan, who is also a deputy of the National People's Congress.

Li, saying the country's stage of development calls for more technical expertise, agreed with the central government's push for more universities to become vocational colleges.

Premier Li Keqiang said in his Government Work Report early this month that the country will encourage local colleges to become "applied colleges".