The Logical Motivation and Practical Path of Faculty-System Reform in Chinese Universities: A Perspective Based on Organizational Change Theory

© 2025 by the Authors. Licensee Whioce Publishing, Singapore. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )

Download PDF

Cite

XML

HTML

Abstract

As the trend of interdisciplinary integration intensifies, the traditional two-tier management model at the school and college levels has exposed its limitations, making faculty-system reform a crucial issue. Based on the analysis of organizational change theory, the logical drivers behind the faculty-system reform in Chinese universities encompass the internal needs for university internal management and disciplinary integration development, as well as external impetus from national policy guidance and socio-economic development. However, the reform is still in the exploratory stage and faces challenges in practice, such as resistance from traditional mindsets, imperfect functional positioning, and operational mechanisms. The faculty-system reform in Chinese universities can draw on the three-stage model of organizational change—unfreezing, changing, and refreezing—to explore its practical pathways. This involves unfreezing traditional mindsets, implementing structural and mechanistic changes, and then refreezing with supporting policies and systems, thereby optimizing internal management structures, fostering interdisciplinary integration, and enhancing universities’ academic level and innovation capacity.

References

Liu M, Liu M, Hu L, 2019, Discussion on the Problem and Transformation Path of Stratified Teaching in China—Based on the Perspective of Organizational Change Theory. Modern Educational Technology, 34(8): 43–50.

Lewin K, 1951, Field Theory in Social Science. American Catholic Sociological Review, 1951(2): 103.

Meng L, 2005, Review of Western Organizational Change Models. Journal of Capital University of Economics and Business, 2005(1): 90–92.

Wang Q, 2017, On the Practice of “People-Oriented” in the Reform of College Department System. Management Observation, 2017(11): 126–127.

Hu B, Zhou X, 2024, Reflections on the Dilemma and Path Optimization of University Department System Reform under the New Development Pattern—Based on the Investigation of 26 “Double First-Class” Universities. Educational Exploration, 2024(9): 45–50.

Liang Q, 2013, Research on the Reform of College System, thesis, Southwest University.

Han Q, 2015, The Reform of College System in China and Its Thinking, thesis, Nanjing Normal University.

Han Q, Zhang X, 2016, A Rational Review and Future Trend of College System Reform in China. Educational Theory and Practice, 36(12): 3–5.

Yang H, Qian F, 2019, Logical Starting Point, Practical Goal and Path Selection of College Department System Reform under the Background of “Double First-Class” Construction. Heilongjiang Higher Education Research, 37(8): 5.

Zhou H, Lin S, 2024, The Logic and Path of University Teaching Reform from the Perspective of a Strong Country in Higher Education. Inner Mongolia Social Sciences, 45(5): 40–46.

Yang H, 2014, A Four-Dimensional Analysis of College System Reform. Higher Science Education, 2014(4): 7.

Qu X, 2020, Research on the Reform of Academic Division System of High-Level Universities in China from the Perspective of Academic Ecosystem, thesis, Shenzhen University.

Han Q, 2015, Academic Support and Path Planning of Academic Division System Reform in China. Higher Agricultural Education, 2015(4): 5.

Qian Z, 2014, Department System: The Path Choice of Power “Rebalancing” in Colleges and Universities. China Adult Education, 2014(17): 3.

Lai Y, 2009, Research University System. Knowledge Economy, 2009(8): 3.

Previous article in this issue

Next article in this issue