China's higher education trade and the impact of the WTO/GATS liberalization

International enrollment in higher educational institutions has exploded during the last 30 years. As the number of foreign students has expanded, trade in higher education services has become a booming industry. As the leading supplier of international students to the rest of the world over the last ten years, China has become the largest purchaser and importer of higher education services in the world.; This dissertation examines the trade in higher education services of China with the rest of the world. It provides a comprehensive discussion of the trends and patterns of enrollment of Chinese students abroad, particularly in the United States. It also examines the consequences of the rising enrollment of Chinese students in American institutions. More specifically, it shows the gains to the U.S. economy of the significant fraction of Chinese students enrolled in American universities who, after the end of their studies, stay in the United States as workers. Using the 2000 United States Census of Population Public Use Microdata Samples (PUMS), the dissertation provides a quantitative analysis of the socioeconomic and labor market status of these Chinese workers.; Under its recent accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), and through current negotiations relating to the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), China has made some commitments to open its domestic market to the outside world. This dissertation examines China's liberalization of its higher education services market, focusing on the role played by the WTO/GATS. It then discusses the potential effects of the increased liberalization on China's tertiary education sector.; The dissertation concludes with data analysis from an opinion survey on the effects of trade liberalization in tertiary education administered to Chinese higher education stakeholders. Survey respondents generally do not display a negative view on the impact of liberalization, especially when considering its effects on the sovereignty of the Chinese government over the education sector. However, serious concerns were raised about the need for regulation and licensing of foreign institutions operating in China, the quality assurance in those institutions, and the process of certification of degrees or diplomas offered by foreign institutions in China.