**1. Introduction**

China, renowned as the world's oldest continuous civilization, has deep philosophical traditions that emphasize character development and the acquisition of knowledge, aligning closely with the holistic principles of general education. Over the past two decades, the number of higher education programs focusing on general education has increased significantly in China. These programs advocate a holistic educational philosophy and provide lifelong learners with a solid foundation of integrated knowledge and social responsibility, challenging the traditional system of specialized training for specific professions.

The roots of general education in China can be traced back to the Republican Era (1911–1949), when Western ideas and practices of liberal arts and general education influenced the country's modern universities. However, these ideas took a backseat in the 1950s when China adopted the Soviet model of specialization [1]. It was not until the 1980s, amidst criticism of the limitations imposed by narrow specialization, that general education regained prominence. Since the 1980s, there have been three proponents of general education in China, each aimed at addressing specific problems [2]. The first was *versatile education* (tongcai education) in the 1980s, which sought to broaden knowledge scope and emphasize knowledge structure. The second was *culture quality education* (wenhua suzhi education) in the 1990s, which focused on humanities and moral education to counterbalance the dominance of hard sciences and engineering. Finally, in the 2000s, *general education* (tongshi education) emerged, emphasizing the intrinsic value of education and combating the sense of self-loss amid a prevailing utilitarian ethos. It has been pointed out

**Citation:** Li, X.; Li, Y. Individualized and Innovation-Centered General Education in a Chinese STEM University. *Educ. Sci.* **2023**, *13*, 846. https://doi.org/10.3390/ educsci13080846

Academic Editors: Edward P. St. John, Luxi Chen, Zachary Taylor, Lijing Yang and Chen Wang

Received: 29 May 2023 Revised: 10 August 2023 Accepted: 17 August 2023 Published: 19 August 2023

**Copyright:** © 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).

that Chinese educators' commitment to general education in the 21st century has shifted from theoretical debates to practical implementation, with varying degrees of success [2].

An exemplar case of implementing general education exploration in China is the Yuanpei Program at Peking University. Its five-year review (2000–2005) of the program highlighted the recognition of general education as a concept and model for talent development in higher education and emphasized the importance of tailoring the idea of general education to Chinese cultural characteristics [3]. The case study conducted at Peking University examined the significance, feasibility, and systemic challenges involved in implementing general education in comprehensive universities across China. These challenges encompassed institutional environment, conventions, stakeholder conflicts, limited understanding, faculty competence issues, and resource constraints. The study also provided suggestions for foundational modules of general education, encompassing rationales, goals, program arrangements, curriculum design, faculty resources, pedagogy, evaluation, and support systems. Furthermore, the study highlighted the link between general education and liberal education, both aspiring to cultivate well-rounded individuals. This 2008 research report on the Yuanpei Program played a pivotal role in informing and inspiring subsequent education reformers in China, shedding light on critical success factors, obstacles, and difficulties associated with the implementation of general education, particularly when integrated with specialized education within the same university [3].

The two decades before the COVID-19 pandemic have witnessed more prestigious universities in China undertaking educational reforms and pedagogical innovations driven by the aspiration to achieve excellence and leadership in higher education in an increasingly globalized world. Among the forefront scenarios in the reform of Chinese higher education, notable developments include the remarkable expansion of research capacities and the implementation of general education in arts and sciences [4]. These reforms aimed to enhance the quality and global competitiveness of Chinese universities while adapting to the evolving demands of the modern educational landscape.

In addition to internal considerations within universities, scholars have also pointed out that Chinese universities' engagement with general education is motivated by the student recruitment market [5]. The term "general education" gained attention as comprehensive universities sought to establish elite degree programs focused on broader knowledge content and educational objectives. The exploration of general education by top-tier Chinese universities has served as a marketing strategy to attract prospective students, and in turn, has shaped models within the higher education sector. While China has introduced general education with the aim of fostering creativity and innovation and supporting national development goals [6], specific goals and implementation strategies at the institutional and program levels remain unclear [7]. Chinese universities face the challenges of adapting the models of Western universities to their own contexts [8], often drawing on their own practical approaches to general education [7]. In the last decade, newly established research universities in China have embraced the ambition of cultivating innovative and well-rounded talents by using general education as a foundation [7].

This study closely examines the establishment and implementation of general education at a new research university in China that places particular emphasis on fostering students' creativity, innovation, and holistic development. The main objective is to gain insights into the organizational aspects of developing, implementing, and supporting general education programs in alignment with the university's overarching goals. This study also examines how general education has been exploited as an action strategy to address ambiguous systematic problems and thus has gone beyond the scope of discussion in the scholarly field outside of China. By addressing these research questions, this study aims to contribute to the understanding and advancement of general education practices in Chinese higher education and shed light on the broader landscape of educational reform in China.
