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Double First-Class: China's programme for building first-class universities and disciplines

Unofficial entry · Sources checked

Double First-Class (“双一流”) is the programme to build world-class universities and first-class disciplines under the State Council's overall plan. This definition comes from the notice of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance and the National Development and Reform Commission dated 9 February 2022, which published the second-round list of construction universities and construction disciplines.

For the wider group of terms on Chinese universities and degrees, see Universities and degrees.

Definition

Double First-Class (“双一流”) is the building programme for world-class universities and first-class disciplines. The notice of 9 February 2022 (教研函〔2022〕1号) publishes the second-round list of construction universities and construction disciplines. It states that the list is published on the basis of the State Council's Overall Plan for Promoting World-Class Universities and First-Class Disciplines in a Coordinated Way (统筹推进世界一流大学和一流学科建设总体方案), together with two documents of the three ministries: Opinions on Further Promoting the Building of World-Class Universities and First-Class Disciplines (关于深入推进世界一流大学和一流学科建设的若干意见) and Implementation Measures for Promoting the Building of World-Class Universities and First-Class Disciplines in a Coordinated Way (Trial) (统筹推进世界一流大学和一流学科建设实施办法（暂行）).

The notice states that an expert committee made the determination, that the three ministries studied it and reported it to the State Council for approval, and that the list is then published.

The notice has two annexes. Annex 1 is the second-round list of construction universities and construction disciplines. Annex 2 is the list of first-round construction disciplines given a public warning (including revocation). This entry does not name any university or discipline from either annex.

The English titles and wording of the Chinese documents are this site's translation of the Chinese text.

What the official text says

Notice of 9 February 2022 (教研函〔2022〕1号)

  • The notice states that Peking University and Tsinghua University determined their construction disciplines themselves under the second round and published them themselves.
  • The notice states that first-round construction disciplines given a public warning shall strengthen rectification, and that they are to undergo evaluation in 2023.

Ministry of Education press Q&A, 14 February 2022

  • Q1 states that the first round of Double First-Class construction was implemented from 2016 to 2020. Q1 also lists continuing shortfalls: the supply of high-level innovative talent, precision in serving national strategy, and resource allocation. Q1 states that the new stage should focus on key points and difficulties, and on connotative, characterful and high-quality construction.
  • Q5 states that the identification of construction scope followed the principle of "overall stability with optimized adjustment" (总体稳定、优化调整). Q5 states that there are no large-scale additions or removals. Q5 states that the second round uses the national strategic needs for the 14th Five-Year Plan period as guidance and gives weight to basic disciplines, science, engineering, agriculture and medicine, and philosophy and social sciences. Q5 states that individual construction universities may apply for an adjustment based on their own characteristics and goals. Q5 states that an adjustment is made after review by the expert committee and approval by the three ministries reported to the State Council, and that the original discipline is then no longer on the construction list.
  • Q7 states that a dynamic adjustment mechanism is required by the Implementation Measures, and that public warning is an important part of it. Q7 states that the first round made clear progress across all construction universities. Q7 states that some warned disciplines did not reach the expected results and that, compared with other construction disciplines of the same kind, their overall level, sustainability and growth were relatively behind. Q7 states that, after review by the expert committee, a few warned disciplines were adjusted and their original disciplines revoked. Q7 states that the warned and adjusted disciplines will be re-evaluated in 2023, and that those that do not pass will be removed from the construction scope.
  • Q9 states that the Party's overall leadership and the quality of talent training are the basic threshold for the construction scope. Q9 states that the identification of construction scope is not linked to disciplinary rankings or paper indicators. Q9 states that the evaluation of results does not simply use paper numbers, changes in rankings or the number of honorific titles (帽子) as indicators.
  • Q10 states that the second-round list does not distinguish between universities building first-class universities and universities building first-class disciplines. Q10 states that Double First-Class focuses on construction and takes disciplines as its basis, and does not set identities or levels for universities. Q10 states that exploring a classified system of development, support and evaluation is one of its priorities.
  • Q11 states that the three ministries reported to the State Council for agreement and first granted Peking University and Tsinghua University autonomy over discipline construction. Q11 states that, under this autonomy, the two universities need not be confined to first-level disciplines in setting their construction disciplines. Q11 states that the two universities then published their own construction disciplines after completing an overall plan for expanded autonomy.

Related terms

  • Universities and degrees
  • Public warning (公开警示)
  • Expert committee for Double First-Class construction (“双一流”建设专家委员会)
  • Discipline construction autonomy (学科建设自主权)
  • Classified development, support and evaluation (分类发展、分类支持、分类评价)

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026.

This entry is an unofficial summary. It is not legal or immigration advice and is not published by the bodies named. If the official text differs from this entry, the official text and the instructions of the body handling your case prevail.

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