Action plan mulled for intl development of Hangzhou's education

Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, recently set out a three year action plan on the international development of the city's education sector, local media reported on March 18.

Taking effect on April 1, the plan details that by 2021, Hangzhou will have 10 international schools for enrolling children of foreign nationals, one Sino-foreign joint university, and 15 Sino-foreign education institutions and projects.

The levels of school faculties will also be further internationalized, with 1,100 primary and secondary school teachers to be selected to study abroad and the total number of foreign teachers in primary and secondary schools to be increased to 500.

The city also aims for 23,000 international students in institutions of higher learning by 2021.

For these purposes, Hangzhou will further boost communication and exchanges between local primary and secondary schools and overseas sister counterparts to promote Hangzhou culture, encourage overseas research and train backbone teachers in primary and secondary schools, and introduce more high-caliber overseas professionals.

The city will also explore the cultivation of international talents by launching English courses at lower elementary level to improve the English language skills and cross-cultural communication ability of students, organizing overseas exchange programs for college students, and joining hands with world class educational institutions in running schools in Hangzhou.

In a response to the Belt and Road Initiative, educational cooperation and exchanges with countries involved in the initiative is also encouraged, including language and culture education, academic exchanges and high-skilled personnel cultivation.