{Hayhoe 1989}

1979 Central Com affirmed "Decision on Unifying Management of Higher Education". adding new specializations. control by MoE. al curricular decisions. Sixty articles revived. New emphasis on research, intellectuals greater freedom, part of working class, third uni prsidents greater power in internal admin, finally, political education redefined in more open way.

universities can admit students in collab with enterprises, or as fee-paying, also play greater role in job assignments. can participate in definition of the curriculum. "power to readjust the objectives of various disciplines, formulate teaching plans and programs, and compile and select teaching materials; the power to accept projects from and cooperate with other social establishments for scientific research and technological development, as well as setting up combines involving teaching, scientific research and production, the power to suggest appointments and removals, to dispose of capital construction investment and of funds allocated by the state, and the power to develop international educational and academic exchanged by using their own funds." (40 - Decision of the CPC cenral committee on the reform of the education system. p. K8.)

curricula to be refined and updated, greater element of practice to be introduced. teachers and academic departments considerable discretion over formulation of teaching plans and course outlines, selection of textbooks. students, partial electives, reduction of required course hours in favor of self-study, more sutdent initiative. 

The process of curricular decision making

w/in state educ commission, first and second depts of HE repsnsible for decision making across major fields of knowledge. engineering and agric, new list of specializations in 1983. each of 210 specializations preceded by jianjie: main purpose, principles and key required courses. within these general guidelines, each university has the freedom to create its own teaching plan and course outlines and to select the text and refeence books it wishes. same for agriculture forestry may 1986. 

The department sees its role as assisting in the development of a new and more precise definition of specializations in an approved list and regulating the establishment of new specializations throughout the system on the basis of general manpower needs, the regional situation, and the ability of particular institutions in terms of faculty and resources. Rather than producing autoritative teaching plans and outlines, they help to organize teaching material committees (jiaoyu ziliao hui?), that will develop new curricular materials. They nvisage prof assoc for major disciplines and specializations taking an incresingly active role in future curricular development.  (interview first dept 1985)

credit system, choose 30% of classes. reduction in class hours required. 

foreing  curricular materials and foreign educational systems in genreal are being intensively sutdied both by Chinese comp ed and by officials who have a more practical adn diect concern with curricular reform. state ed commission has an office responsible for the preparation of teaching materials, which makes great efforts ot obtain latest marerails from abroad. vetted, most valuable given to specialist research centers to be translated. soviet union, japan, germany and france, work of high qality, curricular materials used widely in centralized systems, given special attention.