The Official Release of Chinese University Ranking by Disciplines

China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Development Center (CDGDC) is an administrative department directly under the Ministry of Education, operating under the joint leadership of the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council (ADCSC), and possessing the independent qualification of legal entity.

Its main functions include: to engage in scientific researches into academic degrees and graduate education, to undertake the task of evaluating and appraising the academic degrees and graduate education, to undertake the task of test paper setting and test administration for the two types of national examinations, to engage in the researches into the degree equivalency between China and foreign countries, etc.

China Discipline Ranking (CDR) evaluates the disciplines of universities and colleges in Mainland China in accordance with the Discipline Catalogue of Degree Awarding and Talent Training approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education. It is a non-profit program organized by CDGDC as an independent legal entity. The result came out with no advertising or other commercial intent, and is widely trusted by students, universities and colleges, the government, and other parties.

In evaluation, CDR mainly focuses on a university/college’s teaching staff and resources, its scientific research level, its talent training quality and the reputation of its disciplines. CDR carries out its evaluation in a way which combines an objective calculation of data and peer review. The data come from officially released information for public use and the materials submitted by the university/college for evaluation, both of which are subject to vigorous verification by CDGDC.

Since its start in 2002, CDR has completed three evaluations by 2012. In the latest evaluation in 2012, there were 4166 disciplines from 363 universities and colleges applied, including 80% of the disciplines awarding doctoral degrees. The publication of its result on January 29, 2013, not only received special reportages from influential media, but also was spoken highly of. It also received wide international attention.