Seven presidents from top Chinese universities are meeting with the leaders of several prestigious American universities in Cambridge to discuss issues of higher education, such as how schools organize themselves, fundraise and set educational goals.

This weekend's conference is the first meeting of its kind between American and Chinese university presidents and follows on the heels of two trips to China by Harvard President Neil L. Rudenstine last year.

The seeds for the talks were sown during Rudenstine's second trip in June 1998 when he visited Peking University.

The participants will gather today and tomorrow for a series of discussions and talks, mostly held in the dimly-lit second floor Naumburg Room in the Fogg Art Museum, specially outfitted with translation booths and better lighting for the occasion.

The leaders will talk about how educational institutions decide what to teach and research, and how to form partnerships with government and industry. Speakers will address information technology issues and admissions processes over lunch.

"I'm kind of interested to learn and hear how [Chinese universities] do these things," said Provost Harvey V. Fineberg '67.

The Chinese presidents are hoping to learn from their American peers.

"I know they're very interested in how Harvard does admissions," Fineberg said. "I worry a little bit that they will come with the hope that there's a formula."

Over the last several years China has been looking to other countries for examples of how to improve and revamp its educational system, said Ford Professor of the Social Sciences Ezra F. Vogel.

"China had made the decision that they wanted to have some of their universities really world class," he said. "They wanted to expose them to the best universities in the U.S."

"This is a critical period in the transition of China to develop their higher education institutions," Vogel added.

Administrators said the mood of the meetings will be one of openess and sharing.

"We are trying to be helpful to colleagues," Fineberg said.

Chinese university presidents participating are Chen Jia'er of Peking University, Jiang Shusheng of Nanjing University, Pan Yunhe of Zhejiang University, Wang Dazhong of Tsinghua University, Wang Shenghong of Fudan University, Xie Shengwu of Shanghai Jiaotong, Xu Tongmo of Xian Jiaotong.

U.S. university presidents attending are Rudenstine, former Harvard Provost Albert Carnesale, now of the University of California, Los Angeles, John Casteen of the University of Virginia, Nannerl Keohane of Duke University and Charles M. Vest of MIT.

"We wanted to get a mix of public and private," said Fineberg, who is also attending.

Vogel said these discussions will benefit all involved.

"It's very advantageous for everyone to have close contact," he said.

China sends many graduate students and fellows to study in the U.S., and the improved understanding will benefit this relationship, Vogel said.

The conference will be a mixture of work and pleasure, with a couple of dinners sponsored by Rudenstine and his wife, Angelica Zander Rudenstine.

"I'm really looking forward to it," Fineberg said.