Summary:
China's Ministry of Education's annual work plan has been published, setting out the country's plans for 2019-2020. In the area of international education the plan's main priorities are to facilitate the flow of international students studying in China and to expand mutual recognition of degrees and diplomas with more overseas countries.
The plan also pledges to revise the regulations and implementation measures on Chinese-Foreign cooperative education (Transnational Education joint programmes and institutes) and push forward the review of laws surrounding this area. This review is already underway and had previously been expected to announce new guidelines by the end of 2018. At the high school level the plan also urges clarification of regulations for so-called "international classes" in public high schools, which teach an international curriculum such as A-levels, IB or AP.
Meanwhile, the MoE also plans to support Chinese transnational education delivery overseas by introducing more supportive policies for Chinese universities opening overseas branches, as well as conducting research on relevant topics and starting trials in developing Chinese international schools at the primary and secondary levels.
Other plans include efforts to ensure the education quality of incoming international students, as well as reforms to teaching foreign languages in higher educational institutions.
Beyond international education another major priority in the plan is the reform of the supervision and evaluation systems of education, including spot checks of doctoral and master's degree theses.
Reference: full-text translation of the section for international education cooperation in 2019 MoE Work Plan by British Council
Expand the opening of education to the outside world
Target task:
To speed up and expand the opening up of education in the new era, to serve the national strategic priority areas, to work efficiently in studying abroad with public funding and supporting international students studying in China, and actively participate in global governance in the field of education.
Working measures:
● Research and publish relevant documents to speed up and expand the opening up of education in the new era, and organise the convening of a national conference on education and international affairs.
● Deepen the "Belt and Road Initiative" education campaign to promote student mobility and mutual recognition of academic qualifications and degrees.
● Implement the "Silk Road" study abroad promotion plan [which aims to attract overseas students to study in China] and teacher training plan.
● Continue in hosting the Belt and Road Initiative Youth Creativity and Heritage Forum.
● Give full play to the platform role of China-foreign high-level people-to-people exchange mechanisms.
● Strengthen national and regional research.
● Promote the revision of the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Sino-foreign Cooperation in Running Schools and its implementation measures, and standardise the management of international courses offered in public high schools.
● Research and issue supporting policies for higher education institutions to open overseas branch campuses, and speed up the development of Chinese international schools in foreign countries.
● Pay special attention to the implementation of quality standards for courses and programmes offered to international students studying in China.
● Promote the granting of certain level of foreign affairs approval authorities to "Dual World-Class" universities (in terms of teachers and students mobilities).
● Actively promote educational exchanges and cooperation between the mainland China and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, continuously expand educational exchanges and cooperation between the mainland and Taiwan, and provide more opportunities and convenience for young people for study, employment, entrepreneurship and exchange.
● Optimise the global structure of Confucius Institutes, revise and improve the Articles of Association of Confucius Institutes, and speed up the professionalisation process of Chinese deans and teachers.
● Promote the reform of teaching compulsory courses for foreign languages in colleges and universities [this refers to English requirements for Chinese degree students such as CET4/6].
● Promote the construction of "Luban Workshops" [Chinese vocational colleges overseas].
● Deepen strategic cooperation between China and UNESCO.
● Actively participate in the implementation of the global 2030 education agenda and the formulation of world education rules.
● Cultivate and push outstanding talents to work/take internships in international or global organisations.
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