The National Education Conference in Beijing on September 9-10 shone a light on Chinese education, with sector leaders expecting no major shifts in the country’s international policies.  

In what was seen as a continuation of current policies, President Xi emphasised the need to “expand international academic exchanges and educational and scientific research cooperation, actively participate in global education governance and contribute more Chinese strength to promoting the development of global education,” according to CCTV news.  

He added that China should further promote the opening up of education, coordinate “bringing in” and “going out”, and continuously enhance international influence, competitiveness and the voice of China’s education.

Though stakeholders were encouraged by Xi’s mention of expanding international exchange, his subsequent remarks calling for increased Chinese influence signalled the CCP’s aim of maintaining a balance between importing foreign ideas and exporting Chinese ones.

“Xi does call for the further promotion of the opening up of the education system, but the specifics of what he has in mind are the coordination of ‘bringing in’ and ‘going out’, presumably referring to bringing in international curriculum and ideas and exporting Chinese models and curricula,” David Weeks, COO of Sunrise International told The PIE News. 

Weeks noted that though international exchange was included in the speech, it only comprised a small section and was the last topic to be addressed by Xi, following calls for political education, education modernisation, promoting equality of educational opportunities and improving the quality of vocational colleges.

Employment rates in China have been slipping, so an overseas degree is no longer a golden ticket to employment

Douglas Proctor, Swinburne Univeristy of Technology

Douglas Proctor, pro vice-chancellor Swinburne University of Technology which operates a joint institute in China, agreed that Xi’s remarks on international exchange seemed “directly in line with Chinese government policy” which focuses on “building capacity and developing connections between institutions to foster teaching and research collaboration”. 

Rather than the government obstructing exchange opportunities, Proctor said that concerns of students and parents about the return on investment upon returning to China was a key barrier to Chinese outbound mobility.

“Employment rates in China have been slipping, so an overseas degree is no longer a golden ticket to employment; indeed, some pundits would argue that it is “safer” to take your degree at home if you want to secure employment in China,” Proctor told The PIE.  

However, the China Scholarship Council, run by the Ministry of Education, is encouraging international exchange, announcing plans earlier this month to sponsor up to 240 Chinese students to study at seven US partner universities in 2025. 

The scholarships, which represent an increase on last year’s 165 student places, will be jointly sponsored by the CSC and the US institutions which include the Ivy League member, Dartmouth College.

Furthermore, in July 2024, the Chinese government published a report suggesting it was considering easing immigration channels for international scientists to live and work in China.

“Though there are geopolitical tensions between China and the US, it’s still important for Chinese students to gain international experience in the US. 

“The purpose of awarding scholarships is to sponsor outstanding students to study abroad, enhance their academic and research capabilities, and hope that they will bring back the knowledge and skills to contribute to the development of the country,” Bonard China branch director, Grace Zhu, told The PIE.