Reform, however, is never easy — particularly for universities. What, then, are the defining features of the exploration undertaken by the new type of research universities?

EIT summarizes its positioning with four principles: high-caliber foundation, compact yet distinguished, research-oriented, and globally engaged. In the view of Fan Jianping, president of Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, these four traits are widely shared among the new type of research universities.

"While each new type of research university has its own characteristics, they follow a highly consistent development logic," Fan said. He observed that many such institutions are located in coastal regions, mainly due to three factors: growing demand for high-quality higher education amid rapid development and economic transformation; urgent needs for talent and technological support during urban upgrading; and expectations from local governments for higher efficiency and returns on educational investment.

Shi Yigong agreed that China's new type of research universities share certain commonalities, such as a strong commitment to reform and innovation, the pursuit of excellence in specific fields or disciplines, and openness and collaboration with governments and society.

At the same time, he emphasized that each institution's reform path reflects a different interpretation of what "new" means.

Taking Westlake University as an example, Shi noted that quantitative metrics — such as publication counts, impact factors, citation rates, academic titles or awards — often constrain universities' potential. At Westlake, however, such indicators are not the primary criteria for academic evaluation.

"Someone may stay with just one paper, because it represents an indispensable breakthrough in the field," he said. "Another may publish 20 papers, but if they are all follow-up studies, they may not fit Westlake's evaluation system. Having no quantitative metrics does not mean having no standards."

Located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, Westlake University is China's first new type of research university supported by both public and private funding. With its predecessor, the Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, established in 2016, the university aims to cultivate top talent, achieve breakthroughs in basic research and frontier technologies, and advance human development through science and innovation.

Several universities were established around the same time as Westlake, and many of their presidents are here today, Shi said. "But the meaning of 'new' differs significantly among these institutions. Each has its own characteristics, and I believe this diversity is a very good thing. Reform requires different paths and experiments — only then can we see which approaches truly work and contribute distinctive solutions to China's higher education system."

chenye@chinadaily.com.cn