985

The 985 Plan, also known as Project 985, was an initiative launched by the Chinese Ministry of Education in May 1998. Its purpose was to elevate a select group of universities into world‑class institutions through increased funding, research support, and international collaboration. The name “985” originates from the date of the announcement (the 5th of May, 1998).

Initially, twenty universities were admitted to the program, including the University of Science and Technology of China, Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Zhejiang University. The government allocated substantial subsidies to each campus, aimed at improving facilities, attracting foreign scholars, and expanding graduate programmes. Over the first decade, the plan noticeably raised global rankings for these schools, and many now appear in the top 100 of international university rankings.

In 2015 the 985 initiative was replaced by the Double First Class Vision, which broadened the criteria for excellence and adopted a more flexible funding model. Nonetheless, the 985 Plan is credited with creating a foundation for China’s modern higher‑education system and with accelerating China’s emergence as a significant player in global academic research.