Unbalanced Model: An Interpretation of the Internal Governance of Chinese Universities

Abstract The form of internal university governance is often based on the phenomena of institutional isomorphism within examinations of legitimacy. Under the background of the “CPC leadership + unbalanced governance” state governance model, Chinese universities need to break away from the preconceived notions of balanced governance in their internal governance. From a generative logic perspective, the basic institutional framework of the internal governance of Chinese universities and its changes and improvements are determined by mandatory government interference, and this also leads to the unbalanced characteristics of three “strong-weak” relationships in the internal governance of Chinese universities. Outside the formal institutional system, balancing mechanisms such as internal supervisory restrictions, internal division of labor consultations, and public opinion restrictions act as effective supplements to the unbalanced internal governance of Chinese universities.