Abstract:

There are two myths in contemporary higher education reform: one is to create a world-class university, and the other is to strengthen the university to serve economic development. Facts have proved that the world-class is only a ranking game for a few universities and is not suitable for the development guide of all universities. Similarly, there is also a non-deterministic causal relationship between universities and innovation-driven development. The success of innovation and entrepreneurship of individual universities does not mean the general rules. In the reform of higher education, either becoming a world-class or promoting economic development is an unbearable task for universities as a kind of organization. The future reform of higher education should focus on long-term common interests rather than short-term utilitarian goals. Through the “subversive innovation” of the old system, it should be freed from the myth of academic championship and knowledge economy, so as to lay an institutional foundation for the sustainable development of universities in our era.

Key words: higher education reform, world class universities, promoting economic development, disruptive innovation, sustainable development