II. The Unique Status and Role of Discipline Evaluation in the Modernization of University Governance

Some scholars indicate that the development of university discipline is mainly influenced by the following three aspects: Inherent logic of scientific development, scientific organization, and social demand and government intervention[12] . In terms of university governance, the inherent logic of scientific development and the scientific organization stress the internal impetus of scientific development to pursue profound knowledge in internal governance of universities, while social demand and government intervention highlight the realistic and practical requirements for scientific development in external governance of universities. They work together and influence the development of university discipline. Discipline evaluation is an important external driving force for the development of university discipline, and thus possesses a special status and role in the modernization of university governance. Discipline evaluation also plays an intermediary role within the university, government and society. Based on its own value orientation and quality characterization, discipline evaluation influences the internal and external governance structures and environments of universities. It has become a direct or indirect “promoter” for discipline development, influencing the basic development trend of university discipline.

There are different forms of discipline evaluation, such as eligibility assessment, quality authentication, level assessment and ranking, achievement evaluation, and performance evaluation, each with its own distinct contents,features and functions. One of the preconditions for university and discipline construction and development is the correct evaluation and determination of discipline level[13] . Universities must evaluate discipline level, form a clear understanding of discipline development level and quality level, and advance discipline construction in light of relevant plans and priorities, so as to promote the connotative development of discipline. Meanwhile, the government, teachers, students, student's parents and employing unit, and other educational stakeholders pay much attention to discipline level, and hold universities accountable through competitive excellence assessment and level comparison. Discipline level evaluation receives the highest attention among such discipline evaluation forms, and is also one of the key discussion objects in this paper.

(I) Unique status of discipline evaluation in the university governance

The special status of discipline evaluation in the university governance is mainly reflected in external and internal governance of the university. It aims to guide, coordinate and regulate the process of university governance through reflecting discipline quality. To be specific:

Firstly, discipline evaluation is an important feedback mechanism for quality monitoring and control in external governance of universities. With the development of higher education, the role of government in the university construction has significantly changed from original control model into a governance model. Now, government is the educational activity planner and supervisor as well as the service quality controller[14] . Meanwhile, government needs to realize certain educational goals, improve the certainty of education, and enable university disciplines to serve and meet the requirements of national economic and social development. Therefore, the role of such evaluation is significantly different. Under the governance model, the eligibility review and evaluation, discipline evaluation, and any other external evaluation lead to quality monitoring and feedback. Discipline evaluation and other externally-oriented work provide important guidance for the performance of the basic task of taking the training of students' virtue as the fundamental and the complete elimination of “five onlys” tendency. In addition to evaluation guidance, the government may conduct any effectiveness examination and macro-control through or by reference to the result of discipline evaluation, to form a closed external university governance loop of “construction—examination—feedback—reconstruction” .

Secondly, discipline evaluation is critical to implement the university discipline self-management and self-development mechanisms during the internal governance of universities. Discipline construction is a basic path for university development. Universities shall internally conduct scientific and reasonable planning for discipline construction, based on correct evaluation and determination of discipline construction level. According to external supervision and evaluation guidance and the result of discipline self-evaluation, universities need to clearly know and understand the discipline development level and quality level, to avoid any blind and random policy making and develop and construct disciplines as planned and prioritized. Meanwhile, universities need to use the result of discipline evaluation as the basis for resource allocation, capital investment, and policy optimization, to improve the level of discipline and the quality of talent training and achieve self-management, self-regulation and self-development.

(II) High-quality discipline evaluation, as a promoter for high-level discipline development

The Several Opinions on Promoting Discipline Integration and Accelerating Artificial Intelligence Postgraduate Training in Colleges and Universities under the“Double First-Class” Initiative issued by the Ministry of Education, National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Finance states that“efforts should be made to improve the discipline evaluation system centralized at talent training, knowledge innovation and application effect, explore any evaluation approach in favor of deeply integrated development of emerging and cross disciplines, relatively extend construction and evaluation periods, encourage the self-assessment of colleges and universities, support the third-party assessment of professional or trade associations, and reasonably learn from any international evaluation.” It can be seen that discipline evaluation promotes high-level university development, while high-quality discipline evaluation positively boosts university discipline construction.

Firstly, it helps universities to know any imbalance or inadequacy in discipline development and pay more attention to connotative discipline construction. Discipline evaluation has a certain identification function. It can identify elements representing discipline development strength and level in the university discipline construction and allow universities to know the relative status and level of any discipline among disciplines of the same kind, develop and construct disciplines as planned and prioritized, and attach particular importance to connotative discipline construction.

Secondly, it facilitates the enhancement of harmonious relationships between universities and the government and improves the effect of university discipline governance. After its role in higher education has been changed to governance model, the government needs to conduct discipline evaluations to examine the university discipline construction level, manage and supervise the construction results. The government also needs to arrange for higher education and plan discipline development by reference to the evaluation results, and on this basis, completes the resource allocation, capital investment, and policy optimization, so as to improve the effect of university discipline governance.

Thirdly, it facilitates the coordination between university discipline development and social demands and promotes university discipline construction to better meet social demands. Those who have such social demands are mainly examinees and their parents, and business management departments. In some cases, they participate in discipline evaluation and meanwhile use the results thereof, including discipline level and quality information. Participation in the college entrance examination or the application for study abroad, recruitment,and talent flow by reference to the said results are useful to promote university discipline construction, follow social demands, and make the two sections effectively matched.

Fourthly, it facilitates the guidance for mutual learning and promotion between university disciplines under construction and stimulates the development of characteristic disciplines. Discipline evaluation emphasizes the horizontal comparison between university disciplines in terms of system design, result presentation, and others, especially the consequential performance and effect assessment for discipline construction. Discipline evaluation may provide guidance for colleges and universities to continuously improve their comprehensive strength in terms of talent training, academic team, scientific research, social service, etc. and form benign competition. Meanwhile, for evaluation guidance, the characteristics-oriented connotative development of disciplines is encouraged to facilitate the clear positioning and orienting of university disciplines. Besides, the range of progress and room for growth are examined to encourage universities to hold fast to their original ideals.