Research On The Crucial Factors Affecting The Formation Of World-Class Research Universities

In 1950s-60s, human society entered the era of knowledge economy which is prominently characterized by globalization. Along with the development of economic globalization, globalization of higher education also become inevitable. Under the background of knowledge economy and higher education globalization, universities, especially world-class universities are taking more and more important roles as knowledge bases, the think tank and the talent pool. It's made great contributions on the development of demestic and the world economy and on the adva-ncement of human civilization. Having world first-class universities is a symbol of a nation's higher educational development level. It is also the important embodiment of national comprehensive strength. In order to meet the needs of the economy and higher education globalization development, accomplish the great revival of the Chinese nation in the 21 st century, the Chinese government is also committed to the development of world-class universities. Since the operation of "211 Project" and "985 Project" there has been a huge movement on world-class university creation. However, till now, China's domestic universities are still lagging far behind the acknowledged world-class universities. With the desire of making China's universities reach world-class standard, we must study hard to find out the common essential features of world-class universities, then find out the crucial factors that restrict China's universities reaching world-class standard by comparison, which is the logical starting point on our world-class university research. To study on this point, this research takes Princeton, Harvard and U. C. Berkeley as case studies. Through lateral study on their histories and comparative study among them, we got basic conclusion, that is:academic freedom and university autonomy is a common nature of world-class universities; and from the theoretical level, through interpretation on Newman's university ideals, Berlin university's philosophy of schooling and Wisconsin ideas, the author further verified this conclusion. Lack of academic freedom and university autonomy constitutes the direct key factors restricting the development of China's universities, behind the direct factors is the traditional culture that deeply and profoundly restrict the development of China's universities.