本研究以歷史制度論的路徑依賴與關鍵時刻的視角，探討兩岸教育交流政策，觀察政策決策者如何選擇與其行動偏好，政策制度如何受到社會結構和媒介影響，解析其中各式現象。兩岸教育交流推動的過程裡呈現出二次關鍵時刻，在二次關鍵期出現時，大陸皆選擇原路徑依賴，深化與擴大原路徑；而臺灣則呈現間斷-平衡，尤其是每次政黨輪替，便可看到政策的變遷。展望未來，兩岸教育交流政策的變遷，社會價值將趨於多元化。因此，本文建議兩岸大學校院應扮演積極的推動者角色，向社會大眾傳達新觀念。唯有教育政策更開放，兩岸人才始能有更多交流、正向競爭的機會，才能創造雙贏。

This Study, in view of Historical Institutionalism, examined the cross-strait education exchange policies to observe both relevant actors' decisions and preferences as well as how policy system was impacted in terms of its societal structures and intermediary implications. Based on the concepts of “path dependence” and “critical conjectures”, this Study further contextualized and analyzed all possible circumstances. While there have been two critical conjunctures during the implementation of the education exchange policies by the cross-strait regimes, the China governments not only invariably depended on its previous path but further deepened, broadened such path. At the same time, Taiwan has remained its "intermittent but balanced" development; that is, new policy changes usually transpired once the ruling party alternates. In the future prospect, the development the cross-strait education policies would encounter new societies with much diverse social values. In response to this trend, this Study proposes: the cross-strait higher education institutions must actively play the role of "campaigners," spreading new ideas to the general public. People in cross strait societies would not have more chances to positively communicate and compete with each other unless our education policies becomes more open and liberal. Such proposal, in the long term, would create a win-win scenario for both cross strait societies.