Shanghai Boosts Education Services

Shanghai, arguably China's most energetic commercial hub, is sparing no effort in becoming an international education exchange center and one of Asia's most popular study destinations, city officials say.

"We want to build an international education city full of diverse culture attractions," said Yang Weiren, who works in international exchange and cooperation for the Shanghai Education Commission.

Two freshmen arrive at the Shanghai New York University in August to start their first semester at the China-US university, along with about 300 students from 40 countries. [China Daily]

"This will not only improve Chinese students' understanding of the world and increase their ability to communicate with the world, but it will also help attract more international students here," he said.

Yang revealed that the city is working on becoming a cosmopolitan education city through seeking out international cooperation and establishing a series of high-level international schools, ranging from high schools to vocational schools and universities.

The latest step is the first China-US high school, co-established by Shanghai Qibao High and Dwight School in the United States.

The three-year boarding school will be open to Chinese and overseas students, and the first batch of 100 students will be enrolled in the fall of 2014, the school said.

"Students at Shanghai Qibao Dwight High School will be taught bilingually," said its president, Qiu Zhonghai. "The school will also adopt a credits system."

Courses will combine Western sciences and traditional Chinese education.

At the same time, the school will introduce the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, which provides students aged 16 to 19 with the internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, recognized by many universities worldwide.