就中共党史而言，20世纪60年代全面调整时期是一个重要的分水岭。在经历了“大跃进”的盲目、混乱和严重困难后，各方面开始调整政策，进行纠“左”，以求度过难关。目前，研究60年代全面调整的专著和文章相当丰富，但从高等教育调整这个特殊的视角来作专题研究的，却少而又少，并非研究者们目光有限看不到其重要性，而在于史料的匮乏。对这一领域研究现状的薄弱性，正好说明了选题的可行性。几年来，笔者多方搜集档案材料，最终得以对这一选题开展较为详细的研究。 全文由六章和结束语部分构成，主要按历史进程和发生的大事要事来反映60年代前半期我国高等教育调整的几个重要方面及其成果。一是放慢速度、缩短战线。1961至1963年间，高等学校由1289所裁减为407所，精简40万师生员工，专业设置也得到较大调整，“大跃进”带来的高等学校盲目扩招、专业设置变动频繁等诸多问题得到初步解决。二是起草制定“高教六十条”，这是高等教育法制化的起步标志。论文对中央书记处对条例的重要修改、庐山会议原则批准“高教六十条”的过程、教育界对条例的反应等内容，都有首次详细的披露。三是开展大规模的教材建设。论文重点描述了高等学校文科教材建设的历史过程，认为60年代前半期是我国有领导、有计划、有组织地自力更生建设自己的文科教材的新阶段，我国人文社会科学学术体系初步建立起来。四是对知识分子政策的初步调整，内容涉及“以教师为主”政策的贯彻实施、为资产阶级知识分子“脱帽加冕”以及高等学校的甄别平反工作。 结束语部分，主要对60年代高等教育调整作一个简单的总括。从横向来看，在60年代西方国家和亚洲新兴工业化国家走上对高等教育进行大调整、大发展的道路之时，我国基本上处于封闭状态，对别国的情况和经验知之不多，借鉴更少，更没有将高等教育置于治国安邦的战略高度来考虑，“教育为无产阶级政治服务”的方针被视为调整的圭臬，从而导致调整的不彻底性和调整成果的反弹。从纵向来看，这次调整是在继承院系调整格局的基础上，对“教育革命”所进行的具有克乱求治性质的一场改革。在摆脱教育困境的同时，又通过反思和一定程度的纠“左”，形成了一套发展中国社会主义高等教育的经验，取得了积极的成果。这是本课题研究的基本结论。

The full-scale adjustment era in the 1960s was an important watershed for the history of the Chinese Communist Party. After encountering aimless, disordered and severe difficulties of the Great Leap Forward, policies adjusted in all directions to rectify the “left” errors in order to turn the corner. Though there are tremendous monographs and articles about full-scale adjustments in 1960s, few researched in the perspective of higher education adjustment. It was not due to the limitations of the researchers but short of historical material. The deficiency of research on this field illustrates the feasibility of the thesis topic selection. In the last several years, the author collected related archival data in many ways so as to conduct detailed research on this thesis topic. This thesis comprises of six chapters and conclusions on the basis of historical process and great events to reflect the several important issues and achievements of the adjustments on higher education in the early 1960s. Firstly, it focuses on slowing the speed and shortening the battlefront. From 1961 to 1963, the number of higher education institutes reduced from 1289 to 407 and streamlined 400,000 students and staff, at the meantime the majors was adjusted greatly. The difficulties on aimless expansion of enrolment and frequent changes of major instalment in higher education institutes were resolved for the first time. Secondly, it emphasises on the draft of 60 Articles on Higher Education was the initial symbol of higher education institutionalization. The thesis reveals in detail for the very first time about the important revisions to the regulation by the CPC Secretariat, the approval process on the 60 Articles on Higher Education during Lushan Meeting, and reactions of education sector on the regulation. Thirdly, it introduces the extensive construction of course books. After describing the historical process of construction of course books for higher education institutes, the author argues that the early 1960 was the new era of China on independently constructing of the course books of art in the manner of leading, planning and organizing, and the Humanities & Social Science system was settled primarily. Fourthly, it explains the initial adjustment on the intelligentsia policy which related to the implementation of Teacher-oriented policy, the Putting-on Hat of labouring intellectuals and Taking-off Hat of bourgeoisie intellectuals, and the screening and redressing in higher education institutes. In conclusion, this thesis briefly summarizes the adjustment of higher education in 1960s. In horizontal perspective, while great adjustments and developments on higher education was taking place in western countries and newly industrialized countries in Asia, due to the closed status of China and lack of experiences of other countries, China did not place higher education in a strategic degree but Education Shall Serve the Proletariat Politics was deemed as highest criterion which led to the halfway of adjustment and rebound of adjustment results. In vertical perspective, this adjustment was a reform in the nature of bringing order from chaos on educational revolution inherited from the adjustment of schools and departments. The main conclusion of this thesis is that, China broke away the educational difficulties through adjustment, and at the meantime achieved precious experiences and positive results on socialist higher education development by self-examining and rectifying the Leftism.