Summary

On February 23rd, China's State Council announced that it had released the country's newest long-term education plan, China Education Modernisation 2035, along with an education modernisation implementation plan covering the period to 2022. The country's previous Medium and Long Term Education Development Plan covered the period from 2010 to 2020.

The full 2035 plan is not yet publicly available but according to the announcement it sets out 10 main tasks, including enhancing the study of Xi Jinping Thought; developing high-quality education with Chinese characteristics; cultivating well-rounded individuals; promoting equal access to education services; building systems for life-long learning; improving quality at all levels of education; improving systems for teacher development; increasing the adoption of information technology in education; increasing the level of education internationalisation; and optimising education management systems and regulations.

The 9th task, increasing the level of education internationalisation, is perhaps the most relevant to UK education institutions and covers a wide range of activities. These include: promoting mutual recognition of qualifications and compatibility of standards; implementing "Belt and Road" education cooperation initiatives; strengthening cooperation with international organisations; improving the quality of Sino-foreign joint programmes and institutes; optimising services for outbound overseas study; improving the quality of Chinese education for incoming overseas students; promoting the development of Confucius institutes, Confucius classrooms, Luban workshops and Chinese education institutions overseas; and participating in global education projects and overseas education development aid.

The 2018-2022 implementation plan also sets out 10 tasks, largely corresponding to those described in the 2035 plan. The 9th task relates to education internationalisation and includes developing a strategy to support entrepreneurship among returning graduates who have studied abroad; raising the quality of Sino-foreign joint institutes; improving regulations for opening and closing these institutes; and improving the quality of Confucius institutes and international Chinese language education. It also places a heavy emphasis on the Belt and Road initiative, including developing cooperation and student mobility with Belt and Road countries and developing platforms and technology to support this plan.

Relevant priorities in other tasks include supporting development of quality higher education, which includes (among other areas) supporting the World Class Universities and Disciplines project, strengthening postgraduate education at China's universities, and supporting the development of scientific research at China's universities.

Analysis by Kevin Prest, Senior Analyst, British Council International Education Services

The 2035 education modernisation strategy will become the guiding document for China's education policy over the next 16 years. It continues many of the policies of previous plans, including improving education quality, equality of access and teacher development, but places more emphasis on several areas including developing well-rounded individuals and enhancing life-long learning opportunities. In contrast to the previous long-term plan it does not mention any goals for increasing participation in higher education, suggesting that this is no longer a priority for the country.

In the international education field the implementation plan's goals for Sino-foreign joint programmes and institutes continue current policy in this area, which has focused on improving quality rather than expanding the number of partnerships for several years now. The Ministry of Education has been working on revised regulations for these partnerships at the higher education level for some time now.

Policies to improve the domestic education system are also in line with previous Chinese strategies. Continuing quality improvements in the domestic education system are likely to eventually have an effect on Chinese students' demand for UK education as the gap between Chinese and overseas institutions closes.

Sources

Xinhua – China issues plans to modernize education: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-02/23/c_137845216.htm  

Gov.cn – CCP Central Committee and State Council issue “China Education Modernisation 2035” (in Chinese): http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2019-02/23/content_5367987.htm

Gov.cn – General Office of the CCP Central Committee and General Office of the State Council issue “Implementation Plan to Accelerate the Development of Education Modernisation 2018-2022” (in Chinese): http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2019-02/23/content_5367988.htm