Inclusion in the project means that universities have to meet scientific, technical and HR standards and to offer set advanced degree programs. The figure of 21 and 1 within 211 are from the abbreviation of the 21st century and approximate 100 universities respectively.
China now has more than 1,700 standard institutions of higher education, and about 6 percent of them are 211 Project institutions. 211 Project schools take on the responsibility of training four-fifths of doctoral students, two-thirds of graduate students, half of students abroad and one-third of undergraduates. They offer 85% of the State's key subjects; hold 96 percent of the State's key laboratories; and utilize 70% of scientific research funding.
Project 985 is a boosting project to promote the Chinese higher education system under the call of the President Jiang Zemin at the 100th anniversary of Peking University (1898) on May 4, 1998(also named from time 98 5(May)). The objective is to support, in cooperation with local government, several top universities to be outstanding world-widely. On May 4, 1998, the President Jiang Zemin stated that "China must have a number of top-class universities at international level", so Project 985 was initiated.
>> Project 985 Universities in China 2010
>> Project 211 Universities in China 2010
