Distance learning has played an important role in China’s higher education system long before the Covid-19 pandemic, with over 8.5 million students enrolled on distance learning HE programmes in 2020. However, overseas distance learning programmes make up only a very small proportion of this total, partly due to a lack of official recognition from the Ministry of Education. While the Ministry of Education has relaxed its policy on accepting qualifications earned through distance learning during the pandemic period, allowing students enrolled at overseas universities to study online if it is not possible for them to go abroad, officials have been very clear that this applies only to students admitted to traditional full-time face-to-face programmes and programmes designed as distance learning from the start will not be recognised.

Nevertheless, over 3,200 Chinese students were registered on UK distance learning programmes in the 2019/20 academic year. The British Council and the Department for International Trade (DIT), in cooperation with the Open University of China, have conducted research on online higher education provision in China in order to help the UK higher education sector understand the situation for distance learning in China and better support their Chinese students.

The contents of this report are based on a combination of analysis of primary and secondary source documents, including relevant government policy announcements and published statistics from both Chinese and UK authorities, as well as interviews with relevant higher education institutions, government officials and employers and a student survey conducted by the Open University of China.

The British Council and DIT will also organise a webinar to share the research findings with the UK sector later in the month. Details of the webinar will be announced soon.