Adoption　of　the　“Double　World-Class”　policy　in　China　has　led　to　substantial　changes　in　the　country’s　higher　education　governance　system.　Thus,　to　examine　whether　any　undesired　effects　have　occurred,　in　this　study,　we　conducted　document　analysis　along　with　purposive　interviews　to　gather　pertinent　data　on　one　local　university　that　has　been　selected　for　inclusion　in　the　national　“Double　World-Class”　initiative　as　well　as　the　Guangdong　Province’s　“High-Level　Construction　Universities”　project.　This　investigation　is　guided　by　de　Zwart’s　(Theory　and　Society　44:283–297,　2015)　concept　of　the　“unintended　but　not　unanticipated　consequences”　and　a　clear　distinct　perspective　on　how　these　consequences　arise.　Application　of　this　analytical　framework　on　unanticipated　consequences　of　purposive　social　action　allowed　us　to　identify　selective　neglect,　utility　maximization,　and　the　pursuit　of　the　“world-class　university”　label　to　perpetuate　the　myth　of　superior　educational　quality　as　the　main　drawbacks　of　the　recent　policy　change.　The　impact　of　these　factors　on　the　quality　of　higher　education　in　China　is　discussed,　along　with　the　strategy　that　can　be　adopted　to　mitigate　the　noted　drawbacks　in　future.　©　Education　Research　Institute,　Seoul　National　University　2024.