The blueprint, issued by the CPC Central Committee by the on January 19, devotes significant attention to enhancing the international influence of Chinese education, implementing strategies of digitisation and internationalisation.  

Speaking at a press conference in September 2024, vice minister of education Wu Yan revealed China’s plans to launch 800 international summer school projects in the next five years. 

Wu also announced an expansion of youth exchanges, inviting 50,000 American teenagers to China for exchange programs over the next five years and 10,000 French youngsters in the next three years.  

Additionally, the blueprint outlines the CPC’s commitment to expanding academic exchanges and educational and research cooperation with the rest of the world, including hosting “major international research projects”.  

It vows to actively participate in global education governance and deepen cooperation with organisation such as UNESCO, while supporting Chinese institutions to establish academic alliances, with a particular focus on STEM research.  

With the blueprint’s publication the day before Trump’s inauguration, how his second presidential term impacts US-China relations will have a strong bearing on the internationalisation of Chinese education.  

Though Trump’s previous rhetoric suggested a continuation of a tough stance towards China, “there was a significant change in tone” after the election, BONARD China branch manager Grace Zhu told The PIE News.  

“Trump not only publicly stated that the US and China could ‘get along very well’ but also put forward the bold idea of ‘jointly solving global issues between China and the US’”, said Zhu.  

Limited access to higher education, with millions of students competing for limited spots in Chinese universities, drives many families to consider overseas education

Mingze Sang, BOSSA

In response to Trump’s unusual invitation of President Xi Jinping to the inauguration – which is traditionally a domestic affair – Xi sent his vice-president Han Zheng, signalling China’s willingness to engage in dialogue, according to Zhu.  

Since 2020, the US has seen a downward trend in the number of Chinese students enrolling in US institutions, partly driven by the political tensions between the two countries, as well as the growing number of Chinese students choosing to study in Asia. 

As most outbound students from China come from middle class families, their study decisions are heavily influenced by the state of China’s economy and job market, David Weeks, CEO of Sunrise International, told The PIE.  

Amid a “sluggish” job market in China, there has been a rise in demand for study abroad programs that include work experience, career development and post-graduation employment opportunities. 

According to Weeks, China has a strong public policy interest in promoting study abroad as students overseas are excluded from unemployment figures, advising that overseas institutions highlight employability and post-graduation salaries to attract Chinese students.  

The overarching goal of the blueprint is to strengthen and modernise the education system in China by 2035, which many are currently “dissatisfied” with, BOSSA director Mingze Sang told The PIE.  

“Limited access to higher education, with millions of students competing for limited spots in Chinese universities, drives many families to consider overseas education and transnational education as alternative pathways,” Sang added.