Abstract: American scholar Philip G.Altbach established the educational attachment theory based on the attachment theory system,taking “center” and “edge” as the logical starting point,this paper studies the “controlling” and “controlled” relationship and its causes between the western industrial countries and the third world countries in the current world higher education pattern.Examining and reflecting on the construction of world-class universities with Chinese characteristics from the perspective of this theory not only requires us to guard against the erosion of academic colonialism,the flooding of self-colonization tendency and the loss of national cultural identity,but also needs us to break through the shackles of dependent development.Striving to realize the transformation from “cultural attachment” to “cultural self-reliance”,from “model imitation” to “model innovation”,from “academic adherence” to “academic guidance”,and from “western standard” to “Chinese standard” will promote Chinas higher education to move from dependent development to independent development,innovative development and leading development,and achieve the strategic goal of building a powerful country in higher education.

Key words: Philip G.Altbach, attachment theory, higher education, world-class universities