Sincethereformandopeningup,asChina’seconomicandsocialdevelopment,China’seducationhasalsomaderapiddevelop-ment.Thankstotherapidgrowthoftotaleconomicoutput,theneedforhigh-levelmanpowerisincreasing,whichhasprovidedangoodopportunityfortherapiddevelopmentofdoctoraleducationinChina.China’sdoctoraleducationstartedin1978,whenthefirstbatchof18doctoralstudentswereenrolled.In1981,Chinabegantoimplementaformaldegreesystem,thesecondyear,thefirstbatchofsixdoc-toralstudentsweregrantedPh.D.degree.Atpresent,Chinahasmorethan300collegesanduniversitieswhichhavetherighttoauthorizeadoctorate,whiletheUnitedStatesonlyhas253.SofarChinahascultivatedmorethan50,000Ph.D.andbecomethelargestcountryintheworldinPh.D.Cultivation.
