The private higher education in China has developed very rapidly since 1980. The development is, however, asymmetrical from one region to another. Some local governments have more incentive policies for private higher education, so the developments in these regions are faster than others. Because of such phenomenon, the relationship between the underlying policy and the development of private higher education is explored. Taking Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shaanxi as examples, the essential policies of private higher education, the regional differences, and the influence of policy on the development of private higher education in each area are all investigated in this study. Understanding these issues should be beneficial to the further development of private higher education in China. The results of this research show that in regions whose policies are best understood with human capital theory, such as Guangdong, Shanghai, Jiangsu,Zhejiang and Shaanxi, the ratio of students in private higher education institutions grows steadily; the ratio of educational financing is also largely private. On the contrary, in the regions where cultural capital theory best justifies their political implications, such as Beijing, the ratio of students in private higher education institutions decreases because of the “increasing assess of higher education” program in public sector. At the same time, the private financing of higher education continues to shrink in proportion. The reduction of government finance in higher education has effectively stimulated the development of private higher education. As for the design of programs of study, local policy has little effect, and the market demands become the determining factor. In conclusion, following suggestions are made from this research: 1. The role of private higher education in the future needs to be specified to allow fair competition in the higher education market. 2. Local govemments’ policies need to be consummated in the development of private higher education. 3. To ensure an equal opportunity to higher education, a sound financial assistance scheme is required. This includes: (1) expanding the coverage of educational loans; and (2) providing equal opportunities to receive educational loans among students of public institutions and private institutions. 4. The programs of study of private higher education institutions are decided by the market demands, so the government can allocate funds to help develop basic programs in public higher education institutions. By doing so, the development of the higher education system’s “dual track” can be enhanced.

中國的民辦高等教育自從八十年代以來獲得了迅速的發展。但同時也出現了各地民辦高等教育發展不不衡的情況，有的地區發展快，地方政府給予種種優惠政策，而有的地區民辦高等教育發展緩慢。鑒於這一現象，本文對民辦高等教育政策與民辦高等教育的發展兩者的關係進行了探討。以北京、上海、廣東、江蘇、 浙江和陝西六省市爲例，各地區的民辦高教政策，政策實質的差異，以及對民辦 高等教育的發展帶來的影響皆爲本文研究的主題。瞭解這些問題應有助於中國民 辦高等教育的進一步發展。 研究結果顯示政策實質傾向於人力資本理論的地區，如廣東、上海、江蘇和浙江、陝西，民辦高校學生比例穩步上升，民間資本投入教育占所有教育經費比例較大。相反的，傾向于文化資本理論的地區，如北京，民辦高校學生比例受公 立高教“擴招”影響很大，比例下降，民間資本投入教育占所有教育經費比例較 小。而政府高教財政的減少更是有效地促進民辦高等教育的發展。在專業設置方 面，地區政策對民辦高校的專業設置並無影響，而市場需求是主要的影響因素。 因此，本文提出以下建議： 1. 明確民辦高等教育總的發展方向，形成一個公平競爭的高等教育市場； 2. 民辦高教發展須地方政府具體政策的配套完善； 3. 學費借貸體系的完善，促進教育機會公平。其中包括：（1）擴大學費借貸 體系的覆蓋面；和（2）提供公辦與民辦學校學生貸款的平等機會； 4. 民辦高等院校專業設置的市場化傾向，有助於政府對公立高等院校基礎專業 設置的資助平衡，促進高等教育系統“雙軌”發展。