A Research On The Academic Committee Reformation Under Modern University System

The building and forming of university system is based on certain idea of the university. To build the modern university system in China,“university autonomy, academic freedom and professor managing” must be considered as the core concept. There are two connotations about the modern university system. In the macro-level, it is about the relationship between universities and external environment, such as between universities and the government, between universities and the society, and between universities; While in the micro-level, it is about the relationship within universities, including university internal governance structure, university inner organization forms and power structure. The latter usually relevant to university cultural traditions. To ensure a healthy running of the university internal governance, the internal logic of universities must be followed. In other words, idea of “academic as the root” must be considered as a logical starting point.This paper focused on the practical state and the ought-to-be state of the Academic Council in the inner governance system of the modern university system. By collating the history, analyzing the texts of ten constitutions and case study on H university, the thesis revealed the current status of the Academic Committee. The study found that as the interest group which represent academic power, the Academic Committee has failed to play its prescribed role. From the outside, the Academic Committee System lacks in effective legal protection in law and authority and sense of identity among administrative staff even among academic staff. From the inside, the Academic Committee System remains to be improved as well as the constitution needs to be specified, and the implementation and supervision is to be intensified.Combining with the idea of modern university system, experiences of foreign university Academic Councils, especially the basic essence of the Academic Committee Order for Higher Education, the thesis putted out four related measures of reforming and perfecting the Academic Committee System as follows. Firstly, the Academic Committee should be guaranteed as the highest academic organization and authorized the academic power of decision-making. Secondly, the Academic Committee constitutions should be improved, and the power distribution between the academic and administrative system should be scientifically and strictly. Thirdly, self-governed daily office of the Academic Committee should be established, which can strengthen and implement the academic power. Fourthly, taking the academic power seriously, building the academic culture as well as standardizing the administrative culture, so as to improve sense of identity and prestige of the Academic Committee and make sure its effectiveness.