A case study of the implementation process of Web-based distance education programs in Zhongshan University, China: Problems, strategies, and policy implications

In 1999, a most significant policy initiative took place when the Chinese government expanded higher education dramatically. In the Action Scheme for Invigorating Education for the 21st Century, a new national project called the Modern Distance Education Project (MDEP) was launched with the objective of making full use of Information Communications Technology (ICT) to extend China's limited educational resources outwards to help reach its vast population. The core of this project is Web-based distance education. By examining the implementation process of Web-based distance education programs in Zhongshan University, various issues, that remain unanswered regarding the development of distance education in a developing country with the largest population, will be explored.;Zhongshan University is a prestigious Chinese university with a strong national and international reputation. It is also one of the first universities granted by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to promote web-based education within the MDEP. The purpose of this case study is to examine what is the strength and weakness of this case and its policy implication for the future planning and implementation of distance education in China, and for the development of distance education in international educational community in general. This case study will use a combination of document analysis and interviews to explore the implementation process of Web-based Distance Education Programs in Zhongshan University during a time of transformational change in higher education institutions in China and around the world. Research participants are Web-based distance education students, faculty, and administrators in Zhongshan University.