The power of bureaucrats in China's universities has been widely criticized since 2007, when Zhang Ming, a professor of Renmin University of China, showed on the Internet how deans abuse their administrative power to influence academic research.
In the following years, many universities in China have tried various attempts to break administrative power. One of the most famous cases is that of Zhu Qingshi, principal of the South University of Science and Technology, who tried to start a university from scratch so that the university could stand independently, apart from bureaucracy.
Zhang Zongyi, who was selected president of the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, said the ministry's public selection was tough.
"When I applied for the president position, I did not expect it to be so difficult. I actually thought it would just be some interviews," Zhang said in an interview with the Beijing News on Tuesday.
Solar yacht put into use in SE China