This article gives a comprehensive analysis of the legal status of higher education institutions. It focuses on different roles they play in our society, such as administrative entities, opposing parties to administration, and civil entities. It further illustrates its conclusions with case studies. The article focuses on the status of higher education institutions as an administrative entity and its manifestation in individual cases and expounds on issues such as administrative discretion, due process, and obligation of corresponding administrative compensation. It also analyzes and discusses the status of higher education institutions as an opposing party to administration or a civil entity, as well as other related issues, in conjunction with relevant case studies. (Contains 47 notes.) [Translated by Huiping Iler.]