Developing the appeal system for Chinese university students: a combination of sustainable construction and social needs

The appeal system for Chinese university students is created and implemented by the state. But not a single system launched «from above» will function without being demanded by society. And in order to identify a particular demand, it is necessary to make empirical investigations (especially in-depth interviews) and to carefully analyze the first-hand data obtained. Such studies revealed the social demand for protecting the students’ rights; for controlling the actions of higher educational institutions’ administration; for reducing the burden on the courts forced to participate in resolving conflicts between the university and its students. It was due to this demand that the state developed a system of appeals for university students and made it come from paper to practice. Thus, the results of our analyzing the stage-by-stage creation, implementation, and improvement of the appeal system for university students in China, as presented in this research article, not only reflect the advantages of grass-roots promoting state policy, but also indicate the importance for the Chinese government to take into account social needs and respond to them.