Purpose The purpose of this study is to to use quantitative research methods to analyze the green education policies on Chinese universities. Green education is essential in order for universities to implement dual carbon goals and to achieve green transformation. While policies play a key guiding role in the development of green education, a systematic review of green education policies on Chinese universities, particularly of studies that have used quantitative methods, remains lacking in the existing literature. Design/methodology/approach A three-dimensional analytical framework of policy instruments–target actors–educational functions was constructed based on an analysis of 39 national-level green education policy documents for universities that were issued in China from 1990 to 2025. A content analysis was used for the coding and the analysis. Findings Current policies mainly rely on investments from government resources, which means that the constraining and guiding functions of environmental-type instruments are not being fully used. In particular, market and societal forces on the demand side are insufficiently engaged. Policy target actors are concentrated within universities, with inadequate participation from external collaborative entities such as government departments and social enterprises. Policy support for educational functions focuses mainly on talent cultivation, while support for scientific research and campus operations is relatively weak. Originality/value This study provides a reference for improving green education policies on universities by optimizing the combination of policy instruments, strengthening multistakeholder collaboration and balancing support across different functions. The findings may also assist universities to advance green education to achieve global dual carbon goals.
Liao et al. (2026) studied this question.