In 2022, China’s population fell for the first time in six decades, dropping from 1.4126 billion to 1.4118 billion, a decline of 850,000. This trend has accelerated, with losses of 2.08 million in 2023 and 1.39 million in 2024, according to China’s National Bureau of Statistics. The United Nations projects a further decline of 204 million by 2054, and by 2100, China could lose over half its current population, falling by 786 million. This shift, driven by low birth rates and an ageing population, is reshaping labour markets, consumer demand, and business prospects. For UK firms, understanding these changes is key to thriving in China’s evolving market.

The decline stems from the One-Child Policy (1979–2015), which limited most families to one child, reducing the number of women of childbearing age and skewing gender ratios. Coupled with high living costs, shifting attitudes towards marriage, and the economic impact of COVID-19, China’s birth rate in 2024 was just 6.77 live births per 1,000 people, slightly up from 6.39 in 2023. Meanwhile, the population over 60 reached 310.3 million in 2024, up from 297 million, while the working-age population (16–59 years) dropped from 61.3% to 60.9%, totalling 858 million. By 2050, those over 65 are expected to double, straining social systems.

To counter this, China has rolled out policies to boost births and manage an ageing society. Since 2016, couples can have two children, expanded to three in 2021. Subsidies, like Shenzhen’s RMB 19,000 (£2,050) for families with one to three children, aim to encourage childbirth, alongside tax deductions and childcare support. However, these measures have yet to reverse the decline. Starting January 2025, China will raise retirement ages, men from 60 to 63, women from 50 to 55 (blue-collar) or 55 to 58 (white-collar) over 15 years, to address a shrinking workforce. The government is also investing in the “silver economy,” with policies like rent exemptions and tax breaks for eldercare providers, as outlined in the 2022 National Development and Reform Commission measures and the 2024 State Council’s Opinions on Developing a Silver Economy. A private pension scheme, launched in 2022 and expanded nationwide in 2024, offers tax incentives to ease pressure on public pensions. Additionally, China is pushing automation and “New Quality Productive Forces” (NQPFs), focusing on AI, robotics, and biotechnology to offset labour shortages.

This demographic shift challenges China’s economic model, once fuelled by a large, young workforce. With 734.4 million workers in 2024, labour shortages are not immediate, but industries like manufacturing and construction may face higher wages and shortages as younger workers shun manual labour. A smaller population could shrink consumer markets, with older citizens spending less. Yet, rising per capita income – RMB 41,314 (£3,550) in 2024 – and policies like the Special Action Plan to Boost Consumption and the dual circulation strategy are strengthening domestic demand. British brands like Burberry succeeded by tailoring products to local tastes, highlighting the need for adaptability.

Despite challenges, China’s ageing population creates opportunities for British businesses. The eldercare market, projected to reach £2.6 trillion by 2030, demands healthcare services, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. Healthcare Opportunities in China, allow UK firms like AstraZeneca to grow in China through local partnerships to meet these needs. Education is another growth area, with smaller families spending more on premium services and a shortage of skilled workers in technology, healthcare, and engineering. UK institutions are also helping to uskilling China’s workforce by expanding vocational training. China’s push for automation aligns with UK strengths in AI and robotics, as seen at the 2024 China International Import Expo, where British tech firms showcased innovative solutions.

To succeed, British businesses should invest in automation, partnering with Chinese firms to develop AI and robotics. Offering vocational training, diversifying products for an ageing, affluent market, and building local partnerships are critical. Flexible work arrangements can also attract talent in a competitive market. While China’s population decline poses risks like labour shortages and reduced consumer demand, it also opens doors in healthcare, education and technology. By staying agile and leveraging UK expertise, British firms can seize these opportunities in China’s changing landscape.

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The landscape of international higher education has shifted dramatically in recent years, with British universities facing unprecedented challenges. A marked decline in international student numbers, particularly from China – the largest cohort of overseas students in the UK – has placed significant financial strain on institutions. According to the Office for Students, 43% of British universities are projected to be in deficit by July 2025, a figure that underscores the urgency of addressing recruitment and retention. Compounding this, economic uncertainty in China has driven a reduction in consumer spending, prompting students and their families to prioritise educational options closer to home, such as Malaysia, Singapore or Hong Kong. These destinations, once overshadowed by the allure of a British degree, are now viable competitors. For Chinese students and parents, the decision to study abroad hinges on a critical factor: the return on investment, measured by the promise of quality employment upon graduation. With youth unemployment in China remaining a persistent concern, the focus on employability has never been sharper.

British universities have long excelled in providing career guidance to domestic students, equipping them with the tools to navigate the UK job market. However, supporting Chinese graduates, particularly those returning to China, presents a unique set of challenges. Many institutions lack the expertise and resources to offer tailored career support in-country, leaving graduates to navigate a competitive and unfamiliar job market without sufficient guidance. Traditional alumni events, while valuable for networking among graduates and academics, often come at significant expense and fail to bridge the gap between education and employment in China’s dynamic economy.

Enter the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), which has introduced an innovative solution to address this gap. As part of its membership package for British universities, CBBC organises four annual networking events across different Chinese cities, each centred on a specific industry theme, such as artificial intelligence. These events are designed to connect alumni from CBBC member universities, ranging from fresh graduates to seasoned professionals holding senior roles, with local companies in the relevant sector. The events strike a balance between formal and informal elements, offering industry updates and presentations alongside opportunities for casual networking, where attendees can exchange WeChat details and forge meaningful connections.

The thematic focus of each event adds a layer of relevance that resonates with China’s rapidly evolving economy. Take, for example, the most recent forum, co-hosted with Peking University HSBC Business School (PHBS) in Shenzhen in April 2025. It brought together nearly 100 alumni, entrepreneurs and academic experts from across China to discuss the commercial and strategic implications of AI, a sector that has captured global attention and is a priority for China’s economic strategy. Alumni attending such an event might hear from industry experts about the latest advancements in AI, participate in discussions about market demands, and connect with companies seeking talent in this high-growth field. The informal networking sessions that follow allow for personal interactions that are often the catalyst for job opportunities or mentorship relationships. By facilitating these connections, CBBC helps graduates translate their UK education into tangible career outcomes, addressing the return-on-investment concerns that dominate the decision-making process for Chinese families.

What sets these events apart is their inclusivity and strategic focus. By inviting alumni from diverse academic backgrounds and career stages, CBBC creates a vibrant ecosystem where recent graduates can learn from the experiences of their more established counterparts. The involvement of local companies ensures that attendees gain insights into industry trends and access to potential employers, directly addressing the employability concerns that dominate decision-making for Chinese students. For universities, the events are a cost-effective addition to their membership, eliminating the need to organise standalone alumni gatherings in China at considerable expense. Instead, they tap into a ready-made platform that amplifies their reach and impact.

The value of these events lies not only in their structure but also in their potential to reshape perceptions of a British education. As Chinese students weigh their options, the promise of robust post-graduation support can tip the scales in favour of UK institutions. Universities that actively promote these events to their alumni are already seeing higher engagement rates, with graduates eager to leverage the opportunities for networking and career advancement.

“Unlike traditional alumni events, this forum emphasised practical, industry-driven insights and created opportunities for meaningful connections that extended beyond the day itself,” says Xue Shanshan, President of the University of Sheffield Alumni Association in South China. “From a career development perspective, the forum offers tremendous value. It provides attendees with real insights into industry trends and challenges, along with opportunities to connect with leaders in their respective fields,” says Xue.

“What sets the CBBC UK University Alumni-Industry Forum apart from other alumni or professional events is its focus on the intersection of industry, academia, and alumni relations,” says Dan Wang Deputy Minister, Event Department UCL Alumni Shanghai. “The event featured tailored insights from guest speakers, and the final panel discussion offered strategic guidance and practical advice that directly addressed the needs of participants, helping to resolve specific challenges,” he says. Such testimonials highlight the transformative potential of this initiative, which aligns academic achievement with professional success.

For British universities, the benefits extend beyond employability. By participating in these events, institutions can strengthen their brand presence in China, demonstrating a commitment to their graduates’ long-term success. This is particularly crucial at a time when competition for international students is fiercer than ever. Universities that understand and engage with CBBC’s initiative are better positioned to communicate its value to prospective students, highlighting not just the quality of their academic programmes but also the practical support available after graduation. This dual focus on education and employability could prove a decisive factor in reversing the decline in Chinese student numbers.

The success of these events, however, depends on active participation from universities. Institutions that have invested time in understanding the CBBC model are reaping the rewards, with higher alumni turnout and more robust engagement.

The broader implications of this initiative are significant. By fostering connections between alumni and industry, CBBC is not only supporting individual graduates but also strengthening the ties between British universities and China’s economic ecosystem. These events create a virtuous cycle: as alumni secure meaningful employment, they become ambassadors for their universities, showcasing the value of a British education to prospective students. This, in turn, can bolster recruitment efforts, helping universities navigate the financial challenges posed by declining international student numbers.

For Chinese graduates, the CBBC events offer a lifeline in a competitive job market. The opportunity to network with industry leaders and fellow alumni provides a sense of community and support that is often lacking for those returning to China after studying abroad. The exchange of WeChat details, a cornerstone of professional networking in China, ensures that these connections endure beyond the event itself, fostering long-term relationships that can lead to career opportunities. For parents and students weighing the cost of a UK education, the knowledge that such support exists could make all the difference.

For universities willing to embrace this opportunity, the rewards are clear: a more engaged alumni base, a stronger presence in China, and a compelling case for why a British education remains a worthwhile investment.

The Alumni-Industry events are part of CBBC’s broader ‘Access Talent’ initiative, which aims to connect CBBC’s university members to employers and provide them with insights into China’s job market. CBBC recently held a training day event, aimed at university professionals who work in careers support or employability roles: ‘Future in Focus: China’s Hiring Landscape – Staying Ahead in a Dynamic Job Market.‘ This was hosted by UCL, and welcomed over 50 guests, including representatives of 18 different universities. The event included an employer panel discussion, with HR representatives from the Bank of China, BYD, ICBC and Tong Global; a student panel; presentations from recruitment agencies in China, and a panel focusing on how to support Chinese students who wish to find work in the UK.

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Trade and Economic Ties 

• China is now the UK’s 4th largest goods trading partner, after the U.S. and Germany. In 2021, China was the UK’s 6th largest export market for goods and the single largest source of imports.
• The UK’s links to China via goods trade, tourism and education support an estimated 114,000 to 129,000 jobs across the country, according to 2020 research by Cambridge Econometrics.
• The UK’s goods exports to China rose 0.8% year-on-year in 2021, to a total of £18.1 billion. Imports from China increased 16.2% year-on-year to £63.5 billion.
• In 2021, exports of essential goods (excl. crude oil and gold) were up 11.4%, compared to a much weaker recovery of comparable exports to other major trading partners: USA (1.7%), EU (2.0%), Japan (1.7%).
• In 2021, the UK shipped 12.6% of its road vehicle exports, and 6.6% of its machinery and transport equipment exports to China.
• The UK’s services exports to China increased by 1.1% in 2021, to a total of £8.2 billion. Service imports from China rose 15.4% to £2.5 billion.
• In August 2022, UK goods exports were worth around £2.0 billion, up 28.5% year-on-year. Chinese imports into the UK were worth £5.1 billion, a drop of -11.4% compared to the same month in 2021. In August, China was the UK’s second-largest source of imports after Germany and the sixth-largest export destination. It was the UK’s fourth largest trading partner behind Germany, the United States, and the Netherlands. 

Investment and Financial Services 

• The UK is Europe’s most popular destination for Chinese FDI; between 2000 and 2020, Chinese firms invested €51.9 billion (~£44 billion) here.
• By the end of 2019, British firms held FDI positions worth £10.7 billion in mainland China. The stock of Chinese FDI in the UK stood at £3.2 billion.
• The London-Shanghai Stock Connect opened in June 2019, the first trading link for a mainland Chinese market outside of Hong Kong.
• London is the world’s largest hub for trading in the renminbi outside China. 

Education 

• The Chinese Embassy in the UK estimates that there are currently between 200,000 and 216,000 Chinese students currently enrolled at British universities. Chinese students are by far the largest cohort of foreign students in Britain, accounting for a fifth of full-time places.
• Chinese students contribute £2.1 billion (7% of all revenue) to the UK education sector. 

Tourism 

• Chinese tourists made a total of over 880,000 visits to Britain in 2019, up nearly sevenfold from a decade ago.
• Those tourists spent some £1.7 billion in the UK, with London, Edinburgh and Oxfordshire among the most popular destinations.

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Approximately 500,000 students are enrolled in TNE in China. For the UK – not only a global leader in the provision of education but also a country with deep ties to China in the education sector – there are clear opportunities to take advantage of, particularly in the field of establishing joint educational programmes and initiatives. Nevertheless, there remain a number of opportunities and challenges that UK education institutions would be wise to pay attention to as they look to land or expand in the China market.

Opportunities

A number of factors suggest conditions are right for TNE expansion in China.

Firstly, at the most fundamental level, the demand for TNE is strong in China, strengthened by various local governments at both the provincial and municipal levels as part of their investment and development plans. The presence of international education – be it a university or international resources and talents – can significantly increase the status of lower-tier cities (i.e., those cities that are not among the largest, richest, or most international in China). As such, local governments are often willing to invest in international education collaboration to boost their attractiveness in the face of competition from other localities.

Within China, a quota system is used for universities’ enrolment of Chinese undergraduate students. TNE can operate outside of this system, however, and recent regulatory changes in this field further indicate the favourable treatment being given to joint educational programmes (JEPs) and joint educational institutions (JEIs). Specifically, the Ministry of Education is allowing them to accept a higher number of students, as long as the students are those who planned to study abroad but were not able to due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is true that China’s higher education sector can be a challenging environment for international entrants, yet entering China offers significant long-term business opportunities for those with the right combination of entry model, partner and location. An effective strategy underpins all of these and can help to set a university apart from competitors both foreign and domestic.

Challenges

Although conditions for engaging in JEPs and JEIs in China are positive, for international entrants, TNE expansion does not come without its challenges, as detailed below.

Misunderstanding the legislation
The Chinese regulatory environment is often difficult for international companies to navigate. National laws and regulations can be vague and even contradictory, leaving interpretation up to provincial-level education departments. Staying in regular communication with the relevant local departments to build up trust and gain their support is therefore critical.

Cultural clashes and ideological barriers
Mutual understanding of the meaning of academic freedom may also be a point of contention when working with Chinese partners. The Chinese government still maintains significant control over curricula and prohibits teaching in areas such as civil rights, civil society, and press freedom. Universities in the UK may have to be willing to compromise their current approach.

Employment risks and faculty turnover
In practice, it is often difficult to retain faculty members for several years, impacting running costs and affecting the JEP or JEI’s reputation. The cost and impact of staffing needs to be accurately calculated and a well-designed strategy needs to be put in place to sustain staff quality and stability.

Intellectual property protection
In recent years, both the UK and China have published laws and regulations covering intellectual property protection, data protection and national security in relation to investment. When collaborating on international projects, either party may not understand the other’s policies, hence both partners should outline areas of research and intellectual property creation, identify expected outputs, and understand any potential consequences that may arise before entering into an agreement.

Recommendations

Taking into account the opportunities and points of consideration for TNE expansion in China, below are a selection of suggestions for moving forward.

Any entry strategy should have clear end goals: Before collaborating, a frank, clear discussion of any key issues that stand in the way of setting goals should be carried out. Similarly, a robust due diligence process should be implemented to track progress towards these goals, including quality assurance and quantitative KPIs.

Agree on a governance framework: For a JEP or JEI to be a success, shared objectives and common ground should be established early on, including the management of and division of responsibility for the institution, student recruitment, and marketing, among other key topics.

Treat new collaborative programmes like a start-up: New collaborative programmes should not depend on the existing reputations of the partner universities but should instead be treated like a start-up. This way, appropriate tools and frameworks can be adopted from the start.

Evaluate the project’s appeal: This appeal could be based on the strength of the UK university’s brand, which is partly a function of its present and previous marketing campaigns in China, or on the extent to which an institution has researched and engaged with the broader China market.

The information in this article is extracted from “Transnational Education in China Today,” the first in a series of reports available exclusively for subscribers of CBBC’s Comprehensive Higher Education Strategy Service (CHESS).

Click here to read more about the benefits of CHESS and how to sign up

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The UK is home to some of the world’s leading and most widely respected educational institutions, and this soft power advantage has led the country to become a top study destination for students from all over the world.

With as many as 144,000 Chinese students currently pursuing higher education in the UK, they have become one of the country’s largest international student cohorts, making significant contributions to the UK’s higher education sector and regional economies.

The importance of Chinese students is unlikely to change in the near future, and UK universities must align their recruitment strategies accordingly. One way to do so is by further developing a presence in China’s transnational education (TNE) sector.

What is transnational education?

Transnational education (TNE) is education provided either in person or online through an institution located in a different country. More broadly, TNE can come not just in the form of courses taken at overseas institutions, but also in that of international credit transfers, degree validation, joint or dual degree programmes and distance learning.

TNE in China works in the same way, albeit with a number of characteristics specific to China due to differences in the market, laws and regulations, and history. Indeed, China has a large and rapidly growing TNE sector, and foreign higher education institutions (HEIs) are well aware that setting up a presence in the China market significantly increases the ease with which they can attract Chinese students to their main campuses outside of China.

TNE is a long-established industry with about 20 years of history in China. The Double First-Class initiative (an initiative selecting universities to be developed into first-class educational institutions, and prominent programmes to be elevated in quality to become classed as ‘first rate’) has had one of the largest impacts on the sector and helps explain the shift among joint educational programmes (JEPs) and joint educational institutions (JEIs) to using a fully in-country model rather than having students spend a portion of their studies abroad. Government focus on innovation has also led to the prioritisation of STEM subjects, which has consequently influenced TNE to move in the same direction.

Covid-19 has only further entrenched the fully in-country model, with the travel restrictions in place having had a significant impact on TNE in China. And it is not just students that are affected: Covid-19 restrictions have made it difficult for academic and administrative staff alike to move to and from China.

The scale of transnational education in China

According to the Chinese Ministry of Education, 2,332 joint educational programmes and joint educational institutions were approved by 2020, of which 1,230 were for undergraduate degrees or higher. These JEIs and JEPs were established by a mixture of British, US, Russian and Israeli universities and higher education institutions. In the same year, there were more than 300,000 students enrolled with JEPs and JEIs at the undergraduate level and above. The regions with the highest number of JEPs and JEIs are Beijing, Shanghai and Jiangsu, with Beijing alone home to 59 JEPs (as of 2022).

Number of JEPs (in red) and JEIs (in grey) in operation by origin of foreign partner

UK involvement in transnational education in China

The UK’s involvement in China’s TNE landscape is considerable: over a fifth of all China-foreign joint programmes and institutions at the undergraduate level and above are operating in partnership with UK institutions. Specifically, there are now 237 British TNE partnerships in operation in China, ranging from sponsored institutes within Chinese universities to degree-granting programmes.

Over a fifth of all China-foreign joint programmes and institutions at the undergraduate level and above are operating in partnership with UK institutions

There are currently 22 China-UK JEIs with non-independent legal status in partnership with Double First Class universities, including the Leicester International Institute at Dalian University of Technology and Lancaster University College at Beijing Jiaotong University. Most offer only undergraduate education, but a few – like Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute and the Faculty of International Media at the Communication University of China (run with Nottingham Trent) – offer education all the way to PhD level.

The future of transnational education in China for UK universities

Approximately half a million students are enrolled in TNE in China. For the UK – not only a global leader in the provision of education but also a country with deep ties to China in the education sector – there are clear opportunities to take advantage of, particularly in the field of establishing JEPs and JEIs. 

The popularity of JEPs and JEIs has grown in the last two decades. Following a period of relatively rapid and uncontrolled growth during which JEPs and JEIs proliferated, the Chinese authorities introduced measures to raise standards through a combination of evaluations and permits. At the same time, JEPs and JEIs have been encouraged to focus on certain subjects seen as being more beneficial to China’s wider economy, particularly STEM subjects, and to offer education not just at an undergraduate level but also at a Masters and PhD level. For UK education institutions – many of which are at the forefront of a wide range of technological and scientific academic fields, some of which already have extensive experience of collaboration programmes in China – these are welcome steps. 

In addition, China is moving away from a TNE system in which students spend a proportion of their studies in another country – typically one or two years of a four-year undergraduate course, for example – and towards one that allows students to complete their studies entirely in China. This is partly, albeit not completely, a response to the travel restrictions as a result of the country’s zero Covid policy. For UK education providers, this is where funding is most likely to be available for new or expanded JEPs and JEIs. 

Despite the range of opportunities, there remain a number of trends that UK education institutes would be wise to pay attention to. To begin with, there are geographical variations. Eastern China, long the most prosperous and economically developed part of the country, currently leads the way in terms of the number of JEIs and JEPs, suggesting that provinces such as Jiangsu and Zhejiang, as well as the municipality of Shanghai, should factor into the location considerations of the British side. Other regions of China do hold promise though, such as the south, where the Greater Bay Area is receiving significant governmental support. 

The information in this article is extracted from “Transnational Education in China Today,” the first in a series of reports available exclusively for subscribers of CBBC’s Comprehensive Higher Education Strategy Service (CHESS).

Click here to read more about the benefits of CHESS and how to sign up

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On January 4 2022, the UK government implemented the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act, which allows the government to scrutinise and intervene in certain acquisitions that could harm the UK’s national security. The NSI Act applies to business acquisitions or dealings in intellectual property in sensitive areas such as AI, robotics and data infrastructure and could make transactions in IP, such as patents, subject to government approval.

In a move that will be of interest to universities and others, an IP licensing deal between the University of Manchester and a Chinese company, Beijing Infinite Vision Technology Company Ltd, has been blocked by the UK government.

The University of Manchester and Beijing Infinite Vision Technology Company Ltd had entered into a licence agreement to enable the latter to use IP relating to SCAMP-5 and SCAMP-7 vision sensing technology to develop, test and verify, manufacture, use, and sell licensed products. The technology is seen as having applications in embedded vision applications such as robotics, VR, automotive industries, toys, and surveillance. On its website, the Chinese company describes itself as providing “the cutting-edge 3D rendering technologies to deliver realistic still image, animation and virtual reality for residential cultural and commercial projects”.

A final order to block the licence agreement from proceeding was made by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Kwasi Kwarteng, pursuant to Section 26 of the Act.  It was considered that “there is potential that the technology could be used to build defence or technological capabilities which may present a national security risk to the United Kingdom” and that “those risks would arise on the transfer of the intellectual property to the Acquirer.”

As we wrote previously, the NSI Act is actor-agnostic and pre-dates the end of the UK-China ‘Golden Era’, so should not be interpreted as the government seeking to make the UK less attractive to Chinese investors. Nevertheless, since IP licensing forms an integral part of the university business model, universities will need to re-evaluate their risk assessment processes and voluntary notification procedures.

As of March 2022, the government had received 22 notifications under the Act, of which 17 had been called-in for assessment. BEIS recently published a set of market guidance notes providing practical advice in making notifications, information about whether certain types of acquisitions are qualifying acquisitions, and help for higher education institutions to decide whether to notify the UK government under the Act.

Entering China is a key decision for businesses of all sizes. Call +44 (0)20 7802 2000 or email enquiries@cbbc.org now to find out how CBBC can provide you with the platform to unlock your potential in a rapidly changing market.

Jason Teng is a partner with Potter Clarkson LLP, a full-service intellectual property law firm.

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Whether you already have an advanced China footprint with a dedicated team on the ground through CBBC’s Launchpad or you are seeking to expand your China activity, CHESS can help you to drive forward your China strategy.

Despite the challenges to the sector caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of Chinese students attending UK universities has continued to rise, growing by 34% over the last five years.

With over 200,000 Chinese students currently enrolled at UK universities, Chinese students are the largest international student cohort in the UK, making a significant contribution to the UK’s higher education sector and regional economies. Applications via UCAS from Chinese students wishing to undertake an undergraduate course in the UK have also grown by 12% to 28,930 in 2021.

In 2021, Chinese students contributed £2.1 billion (7% of all revenue) to the UK’s education sector. British academic institutions continue to thrive whilst developing partnerships with Chinese academic institutions, and there are currently 950 transnational education (TNE) programmes available in China, enabling over 60,000 Chinese students each year to study towards a UK qualification.

CBBC recognises the importance of China’s higher education market to the UK, and CHESS will provide your institution with the external expertise, resources, and guidance to help you shape, pivot and implement a future-proofed China strategy.

What is the Comprehensive Higher Education Strategy Service (CHESS)?

CHESS draws upon sector insights and perspectives from CBBC’s Education Team in both the UK and China, together with experts from professional institutions, Chinese partners and CBBC’s member organisations. Such a comprehensive service will enable your institution to interpret significant policy changes in the sector and manage circumstances impacted by evolving social, economic, and political developments. You will have access to:

• Four reports presented quarterly throughout the year, covering transnational education trends and higher education policies, data security, R&D, Intellectual Property (IP), as well as an annual summary report.
• Four workshops, run on a quarterly basis, covering policy interpretation, financial frameworks, tax and legal considerations and best practice in data protection and individual information protection.
• Explanatory presentations will be provided which will explore the topics raised by the reports, and individual clinic sessions will be available during the workshops to provide participants with advanced knowledge and understanding, as well as the opportunity to interact and network with fellow participants.

There will be one workshop organised and one report released per quarter (in June, September and December 2022, and in March 2023). The sequence of the topics may change based upon the availability of speakers and experts.

If you are interested in learning more about CHESS, please contact: 

China
Isabel Xu
Director, Knowledge Economy, CBBC
Email: Isabel.Xu@cbbc.org

UK
Thomas Clayburn
China Market Business Adviser, Knowledge Economy, Education Sector Lead, CBBC
Email: Thomas.Clayburn@cbbc.org

Click here for more information about pricing and other frequently asked questions

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In mid-2021, the Chinese government put forward the ‘shuangjian’, or ‘double reduction’ policy. The policy aims to reduce the intense stress levels among the school student population brought on by relentless extra-curricular activities, while simultaneously easing the childcare burden on urban parents.

This comes as part of wider changes in the education market that have sought to regulate and improve the growth of the private education sector, particularly for students in compulsory education (the nine years starting from age six).

Background

Many Chinese parents see education as the key to social mobility. They have traditionally invested heavily in education in the hope of improving their children’s performance in gruelling university entrance exams (known in China the gaokao). As a result, the potential for sustained growth in the tutoring industry was huge. In 2019, the Chinese after-school tutoring sector was valued at around $96 billion, making it the largest tutoring market in the world. Only months before the introduction of the new regulation, Macquairie Group forecast that this value would double by 2023.

In addition to concerns about rampant profit-making in the private tutoring market, the authorities are increasingly concerned with the slowing birth rate in China and hope that reduced childcare demands could encourage more people to have children. Securing places on extra-curricular courses and arranging for children to attend them was considered part of that burden.

What has the shuangjian policy changed?

The shuangjian policy is ultimately a regulatory shift with dramatic implications for the education sector, both domestic and international.

Part of the reason for this change is the belief that private tutoring companies operating in China had become too focused on profit rather than social good, triggering the need for stronger regulation. As a result, after-school tutoring companies must now register as not-for-profit organisations, and private education companies are prohibited from going public and raising capital. This is the case for both online and offline tutoring companies.

Extracurricular tutoring is prohibited during weekends, public holidays and the summer/weekend vacations, and is completely prohibited for pre-school students. In principle, foreign courses are prohibited, as are foreign teachers located outside of mainland China (teachers located within mainland China must be approved). 

Stocks in education companies crumbled immediately in a bout of panic selling after the announcement of the new policy in July. Key founders and CEOs lost significant personal wealth, such as Larry Chen, CEO of edtech company Gaotu Techedu, who saw his wealth drop by £10.9 billion since January, stripping him of his billionaire status. 

How does the crackdown on private tutoring fit into the wider situation in China?

This reform is only one in a series that has rolled out in quick succession over many key areas of Chinese business and society. The new regulations span from tech to real estate, from time spent playing computer games to the actions of celebrity fan clubs. The moves have been made in the name of ‘common prosperity,’ a new government vision to level economic inequality across the country by reining in the ultra-wealthy and major corporations and refocus on social and national benefit.

The common factor tying all of these changes together is the centralisation of power. If the other sectors suffering clampdowns, such as big tech, are anything to go by, the government may want to rein in education in a bid to retain majority influence within the sector. International schools, in particular, may not fit well into increasingly nationally focussed education policy. The Beijing education authority’s ban on the use of foreign textbooks in primary and junior schools in August is one such change highlighting the shift to a more nationally-minded curriculum.

The Beijing education authority’s ban on the use of foreign textbooks in primary and junior schools in August is one such change highlighting the shift to a more nationally-minded curriculum.

How might these changes affect the flow of Chinese students to foreign institutions?

However, a purely national curriculum doesn’t necessarily have the same appeal for parents. The popularity of extracurricular classes among parents indicates a lack of trust that schools alone provide adequate momentum to help students succeed. If the families reliant on extra tutoring are right, once said tutoring disappears, China’s top position in international academic rankings such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) may tumble. If they are wrong, parents will be forced to reconsider the value of filling all their children’s time with extracurricular activities.

This argument draws attention to the fact that there are shortfalls in the national curriculum that extra tutoring previously covered. The study of English language in state schools severely lacks speaking practice. It is not part of the notorious gaokao and is therefore left relatively untouched in the classroom. As a key factor in eligibility to study overseas, a drop in national English speaking proficiency could result in a hit to students heading to English speaking study destinations.

China is the world’s largest source of international students and an increase in barriers to mobility such as a drop in English proficiency should be of concern to UK institutions in the mid to long term. The ‘common prosperity’ campaign as a whole suggests a shift to a more domestic focus from the Chinese government, meaning it may become increasingly less interested in supporting overseas study. Indeed, with huge investment in Chinese domestic institutions and the astonishing speed at which many of them are climbing global rankings, the tutoring clampdown may well serve as a wrench that brings the inevitable slowdown in recruitment of Chinese overseas students a little closer.

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As Covid-19 rapidly changes the market environment for mainland Chinese students entering UK higher education institutions in both China and the UK, understanding the new market environment and adapting to these changes has become more important than ever.

It is important for universities to monitor the information flows around their online presence, especially during the pandemic. David Cai from Sower International Education Group points to Douyin as a rising potential platform for creating high online awareness of universities, notably the breadth and well-roundedness of their degree offerings.

In order to achieve high online awareness among students and their parents, universities should understand Douyin’s ecosystem and the logic behind establishing a successful official Douyin account. According to David, there are eight dimensions that need to be considered before filming a short video for a platform like Douyin:

1. Account positioning
2. Industry positioning
3. Content positioning
4. Content framework
5. Script creation
6. Method of presenting content
7. Account management system
8. How the account will be operated and by whom

Apart from marketing and communications, universities should also be aware of more practical considerations. Many students are naturally concerned about the process of travel during the pandemic, but UK universities offer comprehensive quarantine and testing support for students. For example, students arriving in the UK from China will need to quarantine in their student accommodation for 10 days and take a Covid-19 test on days two and eight. The UK government has also streamlined and simplified the visa pathways on offer to Chinese students, including the student route and the newly reinstated graduate route.

Click here to read more about the ways in which educational institutions are adapting to the changing market in the face of Covid-19. The information in this article was originally presented in a webinar on 29 July 2021.

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On 14 May 2021, China issued a revision to the Regulations on the Implementation of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Promotion of Privately-run Schools. The modifications come into effect on 1 September 2021. While seeking to improve and regulate the growth of the private education sector in China, the modifications also stipulate that private educational institutions must strictly support the public welfare nature of education.

What is the current landscape of international private education in China?

International schools in China can be roughly divided into three types: 1) pure international schools that only accept foreign passport holders (some of which have been renamed in their license as ‘expat family children schools’); 2) private bilingual schools operating an international programme; and 3) public schools that operate an international division.

According to The Development Report of International Schools in China, as of 2020, there were 535 private bilingual schools in China, a number that has demonstrated steady growth for the past 5 years. Conversely, the number of private expat-only schools declined to 113 from a peak of 126 in 2017.

British-style education retains a strong reputation in China. The number of British-style schools has been growing significantly in recent years, with over 60 campuses in China. In 2020 alone, cities like Haikou, Dongguan, Xiamen, Changsha, Shijiazhuang, and Changchun celebrated the launch of their first British-style schools.

Any strategy for an education group looking at Asia is incomplete unless we have presence in China — Gwen Byrom, Director of Education Strategy, NLCS International

What does the new Private Education Promotion Law say?

The revisions to the law mainly target private schools carrying out compulsory education (the nine years starting from age six) for Chinese nationals. In principle, schools that only admit the children of foreign nationals are not affected by these revisions.

One of the key strategies behind the revisions is preventing public schools from turning into private schools, as seen in Articles 7 and 8 (read the full text of the law in Chinese here), as well as making access to schools more equitable by prohibiting entrance exams and cross-district enrolment.

The law also touches on school leadership. Article 25 states that members of decision-making bodies such as the board of directors should be Chinese nationals. However, this does not mean that schools cannot have foreign principals or management staff, for example.

According to Article 29, private schools offering compulsory education should not use foreign teaching materials, and that any foreign teaching materials used in other schools should comply with relevant laws and regulations.

It was noted during a recent DIT-CBBC webinar on the outlook of UK-China collaborations in school education that no foreign materials does not necessarily mean that curriculum materials from the UK or other countries cannot be used as supplementary materials to widen student learning. This is particularly true for subjects such as English, ICT, PE and art, although schools should still carefully review all materials to ensure that they do not include sensitive content.

Why have these changes come about?

The changes to the law come as China attempts to standardise education and make access to education more equal, as suggested by the definition of education as “public welfare.”

China has taken aim at educational costs as part of measures aimed at reversing the country’s declining birthrate. Despite a relaxation of the one-child policy in 2016 (recently revised to a “three-child policy”), some young urban Chinese are deciding not to have children due to the high costs of childcare and early childhood education. Some statistics even show that urban Chinese families spend up to a quarter of their family income on education.

As a result, other recent measures include tightening regulations around off-campus private tutoring services, which have been able to charge parents concerned about the child’s academic achievement increasingly high fees. On 15 June, the Ministry of Education established the Off-Campus Education and Training Department to oversee the curricula, operations, qualifications, and capital sources of tutoring organisations.

The next step for school ventures in China

The new regulations governing private education are complex, but the outlook remains optimistic for British education companies looking to enter the Chinese market.

Michelle Liang, COO of Wellington College China noted during the aforementioned webinar that the regulations underscore the importance of working with a trustworthy local partner who can help you to understand the local regulatory environment, especially for new school brands.

During the same webinar, Maxine Lu, general principal of Xiehe Education Group, suggested that schools think about how to develop a more holistic approach to education that runs from K-12 (Key Stages 1-5 in British National Curriculum terms) and beyond, and an approach that helps children develop into well-rounded individuals, rather than just preparing them to take international examinations such as iGCSEs.

She also stressed the importance of offering professional development for teachers and leveraging the advantages of a combination of expats, local Chinese and overseas return Chinese teachers. This focus on teacher training could also be an opportunity for companies in the professional development field.

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