On For-Profit Higher Education Institutions

The Law of the People's Republic of China on Promotion of Privately-Run Schools stipulates: "After the cost of a privately-run school is deducted, the funds for its development are withheld and the sum of money for other necessary expenses is drawn in accordance with the relevant regulations of the State, the fund providers may obtain a reasonable amount of requital from the cash surplus of the school." It is a breakthrough in contrast to the former educational laws, which forbade the profit motive of education institutions. Though reasonable amount of requital does not mean profit motive, it makes the for-profit higher education possible. Facing the increasing for-profit activities of the minban higher education institutions, it is becoming urgent to manage and promote the minban higher education institutions.Since 1970s, for-profit higher education institutions have emerged in many countries, in some of which such institutions have a long history. For-profit higher education is becoming a global phenomenon, and it is still continuing to grow rapidly. Among them, the startling development of the for-profit higher education institutions in American higher education attracts the world's attention, and meanwhile is worth studying. This dissertation tries to study it from six aspects.1. The history of the for-profit higher education institutions: for-profit higher education has its roots in the settlement of the American colonies. In the process of its development of the three stages, the for-profit higher education institutions in a long period of time was not be accepted as the part of the main stream of the higher education, but it never gave up.2. Driving forces: the forces both from the internal and the external have prompted the emergence of serious for-profit institutions of higher education. The internal forces include the increasing number of the adult students and the increasing cost of the higher education, while the external forces include knowledge-based economy, higher education lose the priority status in the government plan, the public's complaints about the public education, new electronic technology, and the pushing role of the international organizations.3. Characteristics, types and operation patterns of the for-profit higher education institutions: Compared with the non-profit higher education institutions, the for-profits has the characteristics as follows: tax-paying, investors, private investment capital, stockholders, traditional management, profit motive, application of learning, market-driven, quality of outcomes and customer power. The for-profits can be classified with three patterns: corporate university, super systems and internet colleges and universities. The patterns of the operation of the for-profits: customer centered, standardized teaching material, part time practitioners as the main faculty members, simplified physical facilities, and entrepreneurial management model.4. The role of the federal government, state governments and the NGO accreditation organizations: in recent decades, the federal government and the state governments gradually attach importance to the for-profit higher education institutions. They regard the for-profits as one part of the higher education system, and support them through student aid programs and some other financial...