Independent college is a higher education institution which is organized by ordinary undergraduate colleges (applicants) and social forces (partners, including enterprises, institutions, social groups or individuals with cooperative ability and other institutions) to implement undergraduate education. The state stipulates that applicants should be responsible for the teaching and management of independent colleges to ensure the quality of running schools; The cooperators shall be responsible for providing all the conditions and facilities required for the independent college to run a school, and participate in the management, supervision and leadership of the college. An independent college should have independent legal personality, independent campus buildings, independent teaching and property management, enrollment and graduation certificates. Since independent colleges belong to undergraduate level, the Ministry of Education is responsible for examination and approval. Without the approval of the Ministry of Education, the state does not recognize their academic qualifications. The list of independent colleges approved by the Ministry of Education is published on the website of the Ministry of Education, which can be found on the following page:/edoas/website18/info7067.htm.

Independent college is a new thing born in the field of colleges and universities in China in recent years by implementing the spirit of Document No.8 of the Ministry of Education. The emergence of independent colleges is mainly in the following ways: public colleges are jointly organized with enterprise capital, private universities are affiliated with restructuring, and state-owned university is independently built.

The enrollment of independent colleges is carried out through the provinces and cities where the college is located, and the scores are lowered on the basis of participating in the national college entrance examination enrollment plan. Graduates from independent colleges will receive diplomas recognized by the state. Different from the graduation certificate of the school headquarters, the graduation certificate is stamped with the seal of a college of a university, while the graduation certificate of the students of the school headquarters is only stamped with the seal of the school name.

The important difference between an independent college and an internal college is its independence. Independent colleges have independent campuses and basic school facilities, implement relatively independent teaching organization and management, enroll students independently, issue academic certificates independently, and conduct independent financial accounting. Having the qualification of an independent legal person and being able to bear civil liabilities independently. Independent colleges also independently fill in the basic statistical statements of higher education according to the national regulations on statistical work of education. It is a completely independent college in nature and has little to do with affiliated universities.

The important difference between an independent college and an internal college in a university lies in its completely private nature. Because of its independence, the independent college's funding source is not from state funding, but is raised by the organizers of the college in various ways, and its funds, tuition and other related management are also managed by private universities.

Independent colleges are gradually becoming an important part of the development of higher education in China at present and in the future. In recent years, independent colleges have developed rapidly. At present, there are more than 300 independent colleges in China, including nearly 30 in Hubei, 22 in Liaoning, Hunan 15, Hebei 14 and Jiangxi 13.

Relevant leaders of the Ministry of Education pointed out that independent colleges are an important measure to ensure the sustained and healthy development of higher education in China in the future. Independent colleges will become a bright spot in the future development of higher education.

Independent college refers to the secondary college at the undergraduate level established according to the new mechanism and model. It is different from the secondary colleges, branch schools or other similar secondary institutions established by ordinary universities in accordance with the public mechanism and model.

Independent colleges have three characteristics: first, they all adopt the private mechanism, the required funds and other related expenses are borne by the partners or raised by the private mechanism, and the student charging standards are also formulated according to the national policy on enrollment fees for private colleges; The second is to implement a new school-running model. The key point is to highlight the word "independence". An independent college should have an independent campus and basic school facilities, implement relatively independent teaching organization and management, enroll students independently, issue academic certificates independently, conduct financial accounting independently, have independent legal personality and be able to bear civil liabilities independently; The third is to implement a new management system. The management system and measures of the independent college shall be decided by the applicant and the partner.