Cross-Cultural Comparative Research

With the coming of 21st century, many countries in the world are facing the challenges from economy, society, culture and education. Every country has to confront the challenges from the globalization .Today the wealth belonging for one country is decided by higher education quality. That is more important than before. In the 1990s, many countries make the educational reform in order to adapt to the changing world. Openness and reform in China makes the higher education acquire the very achievement. Many countries, especially developing countries, use the references of the openness and reform in China.In the decades of democracy revolution in Mali, higher education cannot develop in harmony. The teaching quality is becoming lower and lower. The teachers and scholars leave their own nation. The teachers and students often go to strike. The higher education plays an important role in developing Mali. In order to develop our country, we must improve the quality of higher education. People should study and find inspiration in the developing experience of the higher education in China.Every country has its higher education system different from other ones. Every country has its own politics, economy and culture, different from other ones. Therefore, the comparative study is difficult. Because some studies did not think over the difference of politics, economy and culture between the countries, many apparent and superficial problems come to the reality. Many countries pursue the model of higher education development of western countries. The result is that their own higher education desserts the national traits and features.My study will try to avoid the soft spots. I finish my paper with the right comparative idea and angle.There are the same and different sides between China and Mali. Mali is a cultural world. China is a cultural world. The two kinds of cultures become the base of two countries. The two countries are developing ones and were forced to become into others settlements. The two countries havethe similar value pursuit and interests requirements. I think the comparatibility between the two higher education systems is a source of inspiration.Many people came to Mali to study and work for education from 14th century to 17 century. But in 19th century, France made Mali into settlement. Mali was forced to change its educational model and social culture. The Mali people went to the tragedy and gulf. In the sequel, the western (the French as well as the American) cultural models attract the educational system. The higher education system in Mali is full of the atmosphere of settlement. Therefore, I want to construct the higher education system, which has Malian characteristics.I am among the first postgraduate from Mali who leams the educational theory and practices in China. The innovation of the paper is the similarity and difference in higher education system of the two countries. Through the study, Mali will try to use for reference of higher education from China, and provide the educational consultation for Mali government. Meanwhile China can learn also from Mali educational experience and avoid some mistakes.The paper fills up the blankness of higher education comparability between China and Mali.The study will concentrate on the description of higher education (with aspects of organization; access and enrolment; management; funding; teaching and curriculum). The study points out the difference between the two countries and the enlightments. The final chapter will give recommendations and summarise what we can draw from the Chinese experienceThe papers use many methods such as comparative method, interview, factor analysis method and historical method.