Chengdu Report: Chengdu sets sights on international education

US first lady Michelle Obama joins in tai chi with students at the No 7 High School during her visit to Chengdu in late March. Wang Jing / China Daily

Chengdu aims to further open up its educational programs as it is "aiming higher toward good education with a global focus", said Huang Xinchu, the city's Party chief.

Major events and reforms in education put the city in the spotlight last year. It also got the attention of British Prime Minister David Cameron and US first lady Michelle Obama.

She gave a talk at No 7 High School in the capital of Sichuan province in late March during her high-profile visit to China.

The first lady made education the biggest concern of her seven-day trip. In Chengdu, she shared stories of her school days and talked with high school students about the importance of education.

In a travel journal entry on the White House website, Obama said she "thoroughly enjoyed" her stay at the school, where she took an English class and talked with students from rural schools through a distance learning system.

She said that the Chengdu school is "an extraordinary high school that uses the power of technology to bring educational opportunities to students across Southwest China".

When British Prime Minister Cameron visited a primary school in Chengdu late last year, he was also impressed by the school's English teaching methods.

Party Chief Huang noted that "what we can offer is beyond the basic stage where everyone has access to school education".

He said that the city government is developing Chengdu into an open and international hub.

"The future depends on young people. They need to have a global vision. We can give them that by training them in international standards," he said.

According to a statement from the municipal government, the city will step up efforts in opening up its education sector by developing projects in which students can learn more about the world.

The statement also said that the government is trying to make the city a center of international education in western China by 2020.

Chengdu hosted the Education Forum for Asia last year, the second time it was home to the event.

Last December, Chengdu Jiaxiang Foreign Languages School co-founded an international school with Brockenhurst College in the United Kingdom. Scheduled to open by 2016, the school will grant diplomas valid in both countries. Lessons will be given both in Chinese and English.

By the end of 2013, 14 agreements for projects in educational cooperation had been signed with seven countries including the UK, France, the United States, Australia and Finland.

As well, eight international training centers have been established for teachers in the city and 202 local primary schools have forged partnerships with overseas educational institutions.

Wuhou district, known before as the city's cultural and historic hub, has also become an educational center. Zongbei Middle School, a model for developing international education in the district, has a building used only for international events and projects such as Model United Nations classes and lessons from schools in Singapore and the UK carried over a distance learning system.

"For our students, the world is their textbook," said a teacher from the middle school.

The school also has a Chinese promotion program that sends one or two teachers abroad to teach Chinese and learn foreign cultures every year.

Returning teachers then set up workshops or classes to share their experiences with their school peers.

The school also highlights classes and activities on cultures, international politics and economics.

With such schools and programs, Chengdu attracts many overseas students and sends local students to foreign countries for further study.

In 2012, the city received approval to set up a branch of the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange, an organization under the Ministry of Education.

There are now more than 230 university exchange students studying in Chengdu.

The city also provides support to companies that can offer scholarships to exchange students.

Local authorities released a regulation on scholarships for exchange students in March under which the city government grants an annual scholarship of up to 30,000 yuan ($4,827) to each exchange student from foreign cities that have links with Chengdu.

The Ministry of Education has approved three schools for expatriate children in the city that have served more than 1,000 students.

In addition to bringing international vision to local schools, the city also promotes Chinese culture in other countries.

Educational authorities wrote textbooks for students around the world that tells the story of the renowned ancient poet Du Fu who moved to Chengdu in 759 and lived there for four years. The material also covers famed contemporary writer Ba Jin, a Chengdu native.

Some 100 local teachers have participated in training programs to prepare for their overseas journeys to popularize Chinese culture.

The Hanban - an organization dedicated to spreading Chinese language and culture - together with the Overseas Chinese Affair Office under the State Council chose more than 30 teachers from Chengdu to teach Chinese abroad.

Chengdu University established a Confucius Institute at the University of New Hampshire in the US, which has drawn more than 300 US students.

Contact the writers at fuchao@chinadaily.com.cn and liyu@chinadaily.com.cn