A Chinese approach to global public goods in higher education: The idea of tianxia weigong (all under heaven belongs to/is for all)

Abstract

This chapter examines the Chinese idea of tianxia weigong, meaning all under heaven belongs to and is for all. Building on the Chinese collectivist tradition and the Confucian anthropocosmic worldview, tianxia weigong suggests an alternative way to understanding the world and global public goods in higher education, in addition to the dominant Anglo-American concepts of global public goods. This tianxia weigong approach suggests to prioritise global public goods over national public goods, and sheds light on what global public goods higher education produces and how to adjust the organisation of higher education to sustain its production of global public goods. However, it remains unclear whether or not this idea can be effectively employed in realpolitik.