The “Chinese model” in universities in the Global South refers to a set of educational cooperation and partnership mechanisms aimed at enhancing China’s cultural, scientific, and economic influence and offering an alternative development model to the Western one. This model is characterized by its focus on targeted and planned education that links educational outcomes with labor market needs and national development goals. The most prominent features and mechanisms of the Chinese model in universities in the Global South include linking education to development through emphasizing vocational and technical education and training (TVET) as a driver of productive economies. Furthermore, China’s funding policy for universities in the Global South, through which China provides substantial funding to universities in the Global South, not only for infrastructure but also for scientific research and technological development, attracts top talent and researchers. Here, China’s Belt and Road Initiative plays a significant role in promoting the Chinese development model within universities in the Global South. The development visions of many countries in the Global South, such as Egypt’s Vision 2030, align with the Belt and Road Initiative, thus strengthening cooperation in regional integration and industrial connectivity. Countries in the Global South study Beijing’s success mechanisms, including the role of local governments in development, long-term economic planning, and the implementation of the “Shekou model” (special industrial zones). These institutions are linked to China through economic partnerships.
China is keen to establish numerous educational institutions in the Global South, including Confucius Institutes and other cultural centers for teaching the Chinese language and disseminating Chinese culture. Furthermore, China offers exchange programs and scholarships to students from the Global South and collaborates on programs such as the China-Africa University Cooperation Plan 20+20.
Here, academic institutions and research centers in the Global South are witnessing a growing focus on studying and analyzing the Chinese development model to explore its economic and political aspects as a potential alternative to the traditional Western model. This trend represents an attempt to develop analytical capabilities from a non-Western perspective and to meet evolving local needs. Analyzing the role of the Chinese model within the academic institutions in the Global South, we find a growing academic interest in the Chinese model. The Chinese model has become a central focus in academic curricula in the Middle East and the Global South, with expanding educational cooperation. In addition, research networks and collaborations with China have proliferated with the launch of projects and research centers, such as the “China and the Global South Project” at the Social Science Research Council of the Global South (SSRC), aimed at building research capacity on China’s engagement in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Chinese funding plays a significant role in promoting the Chinese development and governance model within institutions and universities in the Global South. China’s Belt and Road Initiative contributes to strengthening cultural exchange and cooperation in higher education, providing funding opportunities for universities and researchers in these regions with China.
The enthusiasm for studying the Chinese model in the Global South stems from several key factors, most notably the search for an alternative development model. The Chinese model is seen as a practical and successful alternative to the Western liberal model, especially given the challenges many countries in the Global South have faced in implementing the Western model. Furthermore, China’s tangible economic success provides strong evidence of the effectiveness of its policies. China’s declared commitment to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and respect for national sovereignty also holds considerable appeal for leaders and governments in the Global South, who seek to avoid Western pressures related to democracy and human rights.
The massive projects associated with China’s Belt and Road Initiative align with the national interests of developing countries in modernizing their infrastructure and boosting economic development, creating a need for specialized political and economic studies to understand these new dynamics. Furthermore, we are witnessing a (collective awakening of the Global South), with developing countries seeking to challenge Western hegemony and offer alternative narratives about lifestyles and development agendas. They see China as a partner that can help them establish an independent knowledge system and chart their own development path. In addition, the Chinese model is characterized by flexibility and pragmatism and is viewed as an opportunity to refocus on the gradual reform of key institutions, such as state-owned enterprises, the civil service, and educational institutions, as an approach many countries have lost due to the demands of globalization and sudden liberalization.
This enthusiasm is fueled by China’s economic success. The reasons for this eagerness to study the Chinese model are numerous, but the most important include the appeal of China’s rapid development model that does not require Western liberal reforms, which represents an alternative to the West. China has demonstrated its ability to transform its economy into a major industrial and technological powerhouse in just a few decades. In addition to China’s development initiatives for the Global South, such as the Belt and Road Initiative and global security and development initiatives, which provide direct financing and investment to the Global South and enhance China’s model.
