What defines a global “superpower”?
In the past, it was the size of national armies or possession of nuclear weapons. But now there is a more important (and peaceful) benchmark: the size and prestige of university systems. And, while the US is still the global higher education “superpower”, China will soon be knocking it off top spot if current trends continue. This week, an international audience gathered in London for the Worldwide Universities Network conference, was given a dramatic insight into just how rapidly China is moving through the field in the higher education race. China is now the largest higher education system in the world: it awards more university degrees than the USA and India combined It should be a wake-up call to universities and governments around the world. Moreover, it should be a sobering warning to those who decry the relatively modest ambitions of the British government to aim for 50% of young people having some experience of higher education. Consider some of the facts. China is now the larg
