The Institute of Higher Education (IHE) at Fudan University, established in 1986, is renowned for its excellence in teaching, research, and policy consultation in the arena of Chinese higher education. IHE has played a pivotal role in educating and nurturing young scholars, advancing theoretical and empirical research, and informing educational policy and practice at both the regional and national levels in China.

IHE has a strong commitment to graduate education, offering a comprehensive portfolio of graduate programs, featuring a small cohort size, rigorous training, and an innovative spirit. These programs include three Master's degree programs—Master of Education, Master of Physics Education, and Master of History Education—and a Ph.D. program in the Economics of Education and Administration. The annual cohort size is relatively small, following its elite education tradition, emphasizing critical thinking and systematic research training. Its close collaboration with the physics and history departments testifies to its innovative spirit in teaching and its commitment to training top-notch teachers.

IHE currently has fourteen full-time faculty members, including a distinguished Chair Professor. Our faculty members come from diverse disciplines, such as economics, sociology, developmental psychology, and pedagogy, and have published extensively in reputable academic journals both in Chinese and English. Their research areas include the economics of education, sociology of education, and international comparative education. Specific topics span from talent screening and development, Chinese examinations and society, technological progress and the labor market, to teacher development and STEAM education. Meanwhile, IHE maintains multiple cross-sectional and longitudinal databases related to important topics in higher education fields, such as the Survey of High-achieving Students, Survey of Scientists’ Career Trajectories, Survey of High School Teachers on Pedagogical Practices, and National Records of the Chinese National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao), providing strong support for rigorous academic research and policy evaluation.

Education policy evaluation is a highlight of IHE’s academic research, significantly and positively impacting national policy as a highly influential think tank in China. Its policy recommendations have shaped key educational reforms, including the Special Admission Policy, New Gaokao Reform, and the "Double Reduction" policy. These policies have far-reaching consequences, affecting tens of millions of students and their families across China. The New Gaokao Reform, for example, offers greater flexibility and personalized options for students entering higher education, promoting greater equity in access while also fostering more diversity in academic program initiatives. The policy evaluation and recommendations on compulsory course composition have a cascading positive effect on high school teaching and learning nationwide.

Another highlight of IHE’s academic research is its consultative services to Fudan University and other higher education institutions. Being keenly aware of its core mission of institutional research, IHE has a long tradition and tested persistence in supporting various reforms at Fudan to strengthen its national and international standing. IHE has conducted the annual Liberal Arts Course Quality Survey, bi-annual Undergraduate Satisfaction Survey, large-scale Undergraduate Interviews, and has penned the annual Undergraduate Quality Report. Meanwhile, IHE conducts a large-scale, longitudinal Talent Research project in collaboration with other top universities such as Tsinghua University and Peking University. This research informs key policy strategies at the national level to identify and nurture high-achieving individuals, crucial for driving innovations and economic growth in China and fostering a more prosperous and equitable society worldwide.

The Fudan Education Forum is IHE’s flagship publication. It has been indexed in the China Social Sciences Citation Index (CSSCI) since December 2007, becoming a prominent source of distinguished academic publications in China’s social sciences. The Fudan Education Forum was established in 1986 (formerly Fudan Education) with a clear dedication to publishing high-quality empirical research from its very beginning. It has provided a crucial platform for scholarly exchange and information dissemination, contributing significantly to the paradigm shift in Chinese educational research.