Abstract

In the context of globalization and increasingly intense knowledge-based competition, the development of key universities has become a crucial strategy for many countries to improve higher education quality and foster a highly skilled workforce. China is widely recognized as one of the most successful examples in this endeavor through the effective implementation of initiatives such as Project 211, Project 985, and the Double First-Class Initiative. This article examines the process of identifying, planning, and developing key universities in China from the 1950s to the present, highlighting their major achievements. It also offers relevant insights for Vietnam by drawing lessons that may inform the strategic orientation and development of a national system of key universities, thereby contributing to the modernization and internationalization of higher education in Vietnam.

Keywords: Chinese higher education, top universities, Vietnamese higher education.