Boundary objects and boundary brokering to make the research-policy-practice nexus possible: The case of the Chinese higher education field

The research-policy-practice nexus is a long-standing issue in higher education research (HER). Although closer linkages and greater relevance have been repeatedly suggested to improve the impact of HER on policy and practice, sophisticated theorization with contextual sensitivity is underdeveloped to renew the discussion in the non-western contexts. As the Chinese higher education system has become the largest in student number, its HER field is worthy of study, particularly regarding its impact on policy and practice. In comparison with the European model and the American model (Scott, 1999), the Chinese model of the research-policy-practice nexus is characterized by strong institutional basis, a strong practice orientation at the macro- and meso-levels, support from and legitimacy by the state, and program orientations for scholars and administrators. Those features have supported rich interactions through actors, activities and reifications in the Chinese higher education context to connect the research, policy and practice.