For partners
China has opened its doors to 122 new international higher education projects in a bid to increase the number of foreign students, with China's Ministry of Education approving a package of initiatives that include the establishment of joint curricula and institutes with universities around the world. The decision was part of the Chinese government's overall strategy to increase the number of students enrolled in international cooperation programs from the current 800,000 to 8,000,000 students.
Academic projects cover different regions of China: from the provinces of Jiangsu and Shandong to Sichuan and Henan. Among the foreign universities that supported the initiative of the local government are such well-known universities as the University of Auckland, Durham University, University of Strathclyde and the University of São Paulo. Among the partner countries, the United Kingdom is in the lead, providing almost a fifth of all projects - 23 agreements, including 12 joint institutes and 11 educational programs. Next are the United States, Australia and Italy (each country has concluded 8 partnership agreements). Many of the approved programs focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) preparation, highlighting China's long-term development goals as the country intends to strengthen its role as a global hub for innovative education.
