The Research on the Social Participation in Higher Education Governance in Macao

Abstract

The establishment of the Private University of East Asia in 1981 was the beginning of modern higher education in Macao. University autonomy is the initial governance model of higher education in Macao. Changes in the economic, political, and cultural environment have promoted the transformation of the governance model of higher education, experiencing a process of change from "university autonomy"-"government intervention"-"social participation". Based on the historical changes in the governance model of higher education in Macao, this research examines the current social participation mechanism in the governance of higher education. Taking the establishment of the Higher Education Committee of Macao as an example, we can understand the operating mechanism of social participation in the governance of higher education through policy compilation and in-depth interviews. The study found that the current social participation in the governance of higher education in Macao has achieved certain results, reflected in the protection of the legal system, the establishment of intermediary institutions, etc., but it also faces the unreasonable structure of the Higher Education Committee, the limited autonomy of the development of public universities, and limited social participation. Based on this, the study puts forward corresponding policy recommendations to provide ideas for social participation in the governance of higher education in Macao.