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EDITORIAL

It is amazing how China in just a few years established a nation-
al network of Radio and Television Universities that influence
one fourth of the world's population. Using modern satellite
technology, the country leap-frogged decades of advanced develop-
ment in industrialized countries.

This week's article, by Runfang Wei, describes how this system is
organized. A more comprehensive description of China's Radio and
Television Universities is to be published in a Monograph by our
Center this fall. For more information, I also recommend Fuwen
Gao's article: "The Challenge of Distance Education in China" in
the upcoming issue (Vol. 5:2.) of The American Journal of Dis-
tance Education.

Runfang Wei is Professor at Jiangsu Radio & Television Univer-
sity, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. Currently, she is
Visiting Scholar at the Pennsylvania State University. She
accepts comments or questions via Bitnet: FXW5@PSUVM or Internet:
FXW5@PSUVM.PSU.EDU. In a note to me, she says: "Any questions
concerning distance education, adult education, vocational educa-
tion, continuing education and public education in China will be
greatly welcomed."

CHINA'S NETWORK OF RADIO AND TELEVISION UNIVERSITIES

Runfang Wei

The national network of Radio and Television Universities in
China was set up in early 1979 to meet the growing demands for
urgently  needed qualified manpower and for adult education which
the conventional education system could not satisfy. These
universities now play a vital role in China's educational system
by providing access to higher education for a large number of
people through distance learning.

This network of distance higher learning has made great strides
in the last decade. Enrollment of degree students amounted to
more than 1.73 million, while graduates totaled over 1.18 million
since 1982. Additionally, millions of single-course and post-ter-
tiary continuing education students have been served. The total
number of Television University (TVU) degree graduates between
1982 and 1989 is 40% of that of conventional universities and
colleges in the same period of time throughout China. In 1986,
the number of graduates majoring in economic management amounted
to more than 200,000, which is 1.2 times the number of those
graduated from conventional universities and colleges over the 39
years since the founding of the People's Republic of China.
(China TV Education Journal No.12 1989)

Organization Structure of the TVU System

The system for the organization of Radio and TV Universities
parallels China's system of central and regional governments and
is a five-tier structure. The Chinese Radio and Television
University (CRTVU), at the highest level, is under the direct
leadership of the State Education Commission. The Provincial
Radio and Television Universities (PRTVUs), at the second level,
are under the auspices of provincial, autonomous regional, or
municipal governments. Their branch schools, at the third level,
come under prefectural or civic governments. TVU work stations,
at the fourth level, are run either by urban district or rural
county education bureaus or a particular industry. The lowest
tier of this structure are the TVU classes which the students
attend. (See Figure 1).

Figure 1. Administrative & Academic Organization of TVU System
----------------------------------------------------------------

State Education Commission              CRTVU
Provincial Education Commission         PRTVU
Prefectural/Civic Education Bureau      Branch School
District/County Educational Bureau      Work Station
                                        TVU Class

----------------------------------------------------------------

There is no political, administrative, financial or personal
relationship between each of the five tiers of the television
universities; relationships between each tier are limited to the
academic scopes. Only the provincial-tiered TV universities have
the right to award degrees, diplomas and certificates.

Relationship Between TVUs and Governments

Television universities are directed by governments at each
corresponding level. The governments control the annual budget
appropriation, political and administrative personnel appoint-
ments (mainly those of university presidents and vice-presi-
dents), development of specialties (major areas of study), yearly
plans, and policy-making in relation to the operation and devel-
opment of TVUs under their direct auspices.

Before 1986, China's TVUs were regarded as an autonomous system
of distance education, at each level relatively independent of
their parallel governments. Such was the case even between CRTVU
and the Ministry of Education (State Education Commission after
1985). The CRTVU was one of the universities directly governed by
the Ministry, but the only one which had no Ministry department
or section directing the operation of the CRTVU. The University
interacted directly with the Minister of Education, who also had
the title of president of CRTVU. Under this arrangement, the
CRTVU exercised some governmental functions, such as policy-ma-
king and overall planning, control of unified admission stan-
dards, preparation and approval of the detailed specialty pro-
grams, coordination of the enrollment plan, control of the
student record procedure, etc. This was also the case for TVUs at
local levels.

There has been a trend toward decentralization and separation of
governmental functions and academic functions since 1986. At each
level, local TV universities are now viewed as local institutions
under local governments, not as affiliates of the CRTVU. Govern-
ments at various levels monitor the operation of TVUs under their
auspices.  In the SEC (State Education Commission, formerly
Ministry of Education [MOE]), a department called "Bureau of
Media Education" supervises and directs the work of the CRTVU,
and sometimes plays a part in coordinating affairs for the CRTVU
and PRTVUs. Local TVUs are becoming more independent from the
CRTVU in administrative and academic fields. For example, PRTVUs,
through their collaboration, can offer their own majors and
courses, not being confined within CRTVU's major choices and
related specializations. This change shows that China's TV
universities no longer operate as a unified system, but rather as
a relatively decentralized network with many links that enjoy
some autonomy in their development.

Administrative and Academic Responsibilities of TVUs

The administrative and academic responsibilities of TVUs at each
level are stipulated in The General Act for Radio and Television
Universities issued by the State Education Commission under the
Central Government in 1988.

The CRTVU prepares general majors and curricula of national
interest. It produces and distributes course outlines, course-bo-
oks, and radio and TV programs for these core courses. CRTVU
develops and schedules national examinations and sets marking
standards. It trains teachers, technicians and administrative
staff, and conducts research in education.

The PRTVUs are responsible for detailed educational programs,
majors and specializations, as well as curricula for local TVUs.
They control and supervise local programs, and they produce
course outlines, course materials, and radio and TV programs for
local courses. The PRTVUs develop and schedule examinations for
provincial courses and supervise the examination and marking
procedures. Further, they prepare detailed stipulations in
teaching, administrative, examination, and student record areas
to ensure the quality of education. They also enroll students,
keep student records and issue degrees, diplomas, and certifi-
cates. The PRTVUs conduct research on distance teaching and
promote the interchange of experience about running local TVUs
and teaching affairs. They train teachers and direct teaching and
administrative work done in branch schools and work stations.
Finally, they provide counseling and help to students with
personal, moral, and ideological problems.

TVU Branch Schools oversee all aspects of teaching/learning
activities, such as viewing TV programs, tutorials, laboratory
work, tests and exams, field study, etc. They carry out the
stipulated procedures in teaching, administrative, examination
and student record areas, and they establish and direct TVU work
stations and TVU classes. The TVU Branch Schools provide counsel-
ing and help students with personal, moral, and ideological
problems. They issue course certificates and conduct the detailed
teaching and administrative work for courses.

TVU Work Stations recruit part-time tutors. They organize clas-
ses, tutorials, laboratory work, and field studies. Further, they
register students, collect tuition fees, and distribute course
materials to students. Finally they provide counseling and help
students with personal, moral, and ideological problems.

TVU Classes prepare class timetables each semester. They organize
the viewing of course programs, oversee tutorials, laboratory
work, and field studies. They supervise students' self study out
of class and maintain contact with the work units to which their
students are attached. Finally, they arrange students' adminis-
trative, physical, and recreational activities.

Types of Degrees

TVU students major in specialty areas that lead to a degree. For
students to successfully complete these degree specialties
(majors), they must have (a) obtained the required number of
credits; (b) passed all the examinations of those courses re-
quired by the degree program; and (c) finished the courses in a
given time span.  There are two types of degrees: a Three Year
Degree and a Two Year Degree. Both of the degrees are equal to
those awarded by conventional two- or three-year specialized
colleges and institutes.

A Three Year Degree Specialty. These degree specialties are
designed primarily for those full-time students who must finish
their study in three years. Since 1968, most students of this
type of degree specialties are recent middle-school graduates.
The rest are job-released adults. Part-time students who enroll
in these degree specialties may be allowed to finish their study
in four to six years.

A Two Year Degree Specialty. These degree specialties are de-
signed for full-time students of Humanities who are either
working adults or recent middle-school graduates. Most of the
working adults who take these degree specialties choose to study
in their spare time and they generally finish within three years.

The Specialty and the Curriculum. Before 1986, when China's
television universities were generally considered a system, the
Central Radio and Television University offered national-unified
specialties for local TVUs with very limited flexibility. During
the first five to six years' of TVU's development, local needs
associated with economic and social development were not empha-
sized enough. All specialties, including those associated spe-
cialties and their related teaching programs, were prepared by
the CRTVU and approved by the MOE.

The situation has changed a great deal as a result of economic
reform. Now provincial television universities are attempting to
better serve the local development programs by setting up their
own specialties in various fields and majors.  According to the
rules and regulations set by the central government, both CRTVU
and PRTVU have the right to set up fields, majors, and spe-
cialties. CRTVU's academic fields and majors must be approved by
the SEC, and PRTVU's majors and associated specialties must be
approved by the PEC (Provincial Education Commission) before they
can be offered.

Before the opening of a new specialty program, CRTVU or PRTVU
must submit to government's education commission their feasibil-
ity study, in which the following kinds of indicators should be
provided:

     a.   needs analysis;
     b.   target group or source of students;
     c.   objectives and scopes;
     d.   similar programs provided by conventional universities;
     e.   materials conditions for teaching and learning;
     f.   faculty conditions;
     g.   methods of quality control and;
     h.   financial resources.

Detailed educational plans, including objectives and scopes,
period of study, curriculum, semester plan, media, assessment and
credit requirements, rationale for evaluation, should be sub-
mitted and approved along with the feasibility study for the
specialty program.

The Curriculum

China's television universities provide courses in a wide range
of subjects at both degree and non-degree levels. These courses
can be divided into three categories: 1) core courses, 2) con-
tinuing education courses, and 3) courses based on local needs.
The first two categories of courses are offered by the CRTVU. At
present, the total number of courses offered by TVUs both at the
central and provincial levels amount to more than 400 with the
possibility of 87 specialties.

Core Courses Offered by CRTVU. Core courses are subjects for
which there is a sustained demand and that needs analyses have
shown are consistent with the interests and educational needs of
students throughout China. These are mainly foundation courses
and technical foundation courses, produced by CRTVU and delivered
by CCTV and/or China Education TV (CETV), and used selectively by
local TVUs at various levels. There are more than 150 courses at
the degree level. The subjects covered are natural sciences,
engineering and technology, humanities, economic management,
agriculture, and linguistics.

Continuing Education Courses. These courses are designed for
those adults who have already received a higher education but who
wish to broaden or update their knowledge in special subjects.
Since 1986 more  than 40 series of lectures and courses have been
broadcast through CETV, covering such subjects as New Technology,
Financial Reform, Principles and Practice of China's Foreign
Trade, Auditing and Accounting, Public Transportation, etc.

Courses Based on Local Needs

People's Republic Television Universities (PRTVUs) offer courses
that have been designed and produced independently or cooperativ-
ely. These courses are specially prepared to meet local economic
and educational needs; a few PRTVUs produce their own degree
courses when the China Radio and TV University courses do meet
local needs. The subject areas include: Basic Theory of Medicine,
Higher Medical Nursing, Food Processing Technology, Criminal
Reform, Management for Rural Industries, English for Secondary
School Teachers, Business English, Tourism English, Foreign
Trade, etc.

Today's trend in preparing courses based on local needs depends
on collaboration between PRTVUs. Program sharing and exchange,
which can reduce the cost and the repetitive work on a large
scale, have been encouraged.

Latest Development

The original goal of the radio and television universities was
the provision of degree education for in-service workers, public
service staff, and school teachers.  Many changes have taken
place since 1986, when TVUs began to provide their programs via
communication satellites. Recently, TVUs offer not only degree
education but also non-degree education, such as vocational and
technical education, single principle education, in-service
job-related training, short term professional training, and
continuing education. The objectives of the radio and television
universities are aimed at providing higher education for those
who have failed to gain access to the conventional college and
university education; providing vocational and technical educa-
tion for  the prospective employees in factories, companies, and
enterprises; offering professional and job-related training for
those in-service workers and staff members who have not had the
opportunities to gain the knowledge required for their jobs;  and
conveying life-long education to the whole nation for the im-
provement, upgrading, and updating of human resources.

The future will see China's radio and television universities
become more adapted to the nation's social and economic situ-
ations. The whole network will make great contributions not only
to the educational cause in China but also to the development of
distance education in the world.

References

State Education Commission General Act for Radio and Television
Universities. China TVU Education Journal (Monthly), No.7, July
1988, pg. 5-9

Chao, Yuhui. 1988. China: Its distance higher education system.
Prospects, 28, (2):217-228

Education Yearbook of China. 1988. Beijing: Xing Hua Press.

Educational Records of China's Radio & Television Universities.
1989.  Beijing: CRTVU Press.

China TVU Education Journal . (Monthly) , No.12, 1989. Beijing:
CRTVU Press.

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