International education programs have attracted the attention of many students who intent to study overseas at the just concluded 2024 China Education Expo (CEE).
This year's CEE saw a significant surge in exhibitors in the cooperative education exhibition area, with nearly 40 participants, a 30 percent increase since the program's inception in 2021.
"I value the academic atmosphere at universities. As a student studying foreign languages, I think I should personally experience the customs and culture of a nation as I'm learning their language, because these are closely related to the language itself," said Ling Yun, a student at Beijing Normal University.
"When studying abroad, I will put safety first. I will also consider some preferential policies offered by the university, such as scholarships," said a student from Nanjing, capital city of east China's Jiangsu Province.
Many universities in Finland expressed their interest to cooperate with Chinese institutions for joint education projects.
"We are here to attract and recruit students to join our international programs. But at the same time, we look [for] cooperation, to have joint programs in China -- a joint institute here in China. We also look to cooperate in the field of research, development and innovation," said Jouni Ahonen, vice president of Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences in Finland.
Irish universities have cooperated with their Chinese peers in 106 joint education projects, covering undergraduate, postgraduate and higher vocational levels. The number of students studying in China-Ireland cooperative education projects has exceeded 10,000.
"In September this year, we launched two new joint education institutions. Moreover, there are three to five projects that are expected to be approved by the Ministry of Education this year," said Yang Jie, person in charge of "Education in Ireland."
According to the latest data from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), China is still the world's largest source of international students.
In order to attract Chinese students, various countries have taken measures to increase their global appeal. The UK has been increasing the number of scholarships, offering career guidance for graduates, and has built a platform for displaying students' works; Australia has provided free activities throughout the year; American high schools have promised to connect with high-quality universities; France has simplified the visa process.
Beginning on October 26, the expo was held in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Chengdu and saw a steady increase in the number of participating institutions. In Beijing alone, the number of participating institutions went up 25 percent compared with last year.
The two-day event in Beijing attracted more than 380 colleges and institutions from 38 countries and regions, including France, Finland, and the United States.
The China Education Expo is organized by the China Education Association for International Exchange and held every October in Beijing, Shanghai and other cities since 2000. It is the largest student recruitment and B2B networking event in China, also an important part of the China Annual Conference and Expo for International Education.
International education programs attract visitors at China Education Expo
