"Study in China" has emerged as a globally recognized brand, with Chinese language instruction now incorporated into the national education systems of 92 countries and the number of international students coming to Chinese campuses rising rapidly, Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng said on Thursday.
教育部部长怀进鹏周四（7月23日）表示，“留学中国” 已成为享誉全球的品牌。目前，92个国家将中文教学纳入本国国民教育体系，来华留学生规模持续快速增长。
Speaking at a symposium, Huai said the number of international students in China is growing rapidly, with a marked improvement in the structure and quality of enrollment. Notably, the number of students from developed countries and regions has increased significantly, he said.
怀进鹏在座谈会上表示，来华留学生规模快速增长，生源结构和质量显著提升，特别是来自发达国家和地区的留学生人数大幅增加。
China will further strengthen the "Study in China" brand to attract outstanding young talent from abroad and cultivate more friends who understand and appreciate China, Huai said.
怀进鹏表示，中国将进一步做强“留学中国”品牌，吸引更多海外优秀青年人才来华学习，培养更多知华友华人士。
The country will also promote cooperation with leading foreign universities in science and engineering to offer more diverse, high-quality educational opportunities while strengthening oversight to safeguard standards. China is ready to move to the center of the global education stage by promoting its concepts, solutions and standards and transforming itself from a participant into a leader, he said.
他提出，中国还将推动与国外高水平大学在理工科领域开展合作，提供更加多元、优质的教育机会，同时加强质量保障，同时强化监管，保障办学质量。中国已准备好通过推广中国理念、中国方案和中国标准，从全球教育舞台的参与者转变为引领者，走向世界教育中心。
Meanwhile, China will improve its full-chain service system for Chinese students studying overseas and encourage overseas returnees to start businesses and pursue careers back home, Huai said.
同时，怀进鹏表示，中国将完善出国留学的全链条服务保障体系，鼓励留学回国人员回国创业和就业。Beyond formal education, people-to-people exchanges have gained strong momentum. Huai said more than 50,000 young Americans have visited China under bilateral exchange programs, achieving the "50,000 in five years" initiative two and a half years ahead of schedule. Similarly, the goals for Franco-Chinese youth exchanges and a broader Europe-wide initiative are on track to be met ahead of schedule.
除正规学历教育外，人文交流蓬勃发展。怀进鹏介绍，已有超5万名美国青少年通过双边交流项目到访中国，提前两年半实现 “五年五万人” 交流倡议目标。中法青年交流以及面向整个欧洲的交流计划目标也有望提前实现。
Digital education, vocational training, engineering programs and teacher development have become China's calling cards globally, with the National Smart Education Platform serving users in more than 200 countries and regions, he said.
他表示，数字教育、职业教育、工程教育和教师发展已经成为中国走向世界的名片，国家智慧教育平台面向200多个国家和地区提供服务。Chinese math textbooks have been adopted in basic education in the United Kingdom, the country's "AI for K12" curriculum has been introduced in countries including Thailand and Uzbekistan, and 38 Luban Workshops have been established in 32 countries, he said.
英国基础教育引入中国数学教材；面向基础教育阶段的中国人工智能课程落地泰国、乌兹别克斯坦等国；中国已在32个国家建成38所鲁班工坊。
Huai underscored China's status as the world's largest education system — with 440,000 schools, 280 million students and 18.7 million teachers — and said key indicators rank among the world's best.
怀进鹏强调，中国拥有全球规模最大的教育体系。全国共有44万所学校、2.8亿名在校学生和1870万名教师，多项核心教育指标位居世界前列。
Preschool enrollment stands at 92.9 percent, above the OECD average; the retention rate for compulsory education has reached 96.1 percent; and the gross enrollment rate in higher education has doubled since 2012 to 61.3 percent.
我国学前教育毛入园率达92.9%，高于经合组织平均水平；义务教育巩固率达到96.1%；高等教育毛入学率自2012年以来实现翻倍，达到61.3%。
Chinese students excel in international assessments such as PISA, and domestic universities are climbing global rankings, with 66 disciplines ranking among the world's top 0.01 percent in Essential Science Indicators. China has also surpassed the United States in high-impact papers tracked by the Nature Index across five core scientific fields for three consecutive years. Chinese institutions received three-quarters of the country's national science and technology awards this year.
中国学生在国际学生评估项目（PISA）等国际测评中表现优异。国内高校全球排名稳步攀升，66个学科进入基本科学指标数据库全球前0.01%。在《自然》指数追踪的五大核心科研领域，中国高影响力论文数量已连续三年超越美国。本年度全国科技奖励中，国内高校斩获四分之三奖项。
"In just a few decades, we have accomplished what took Western nations a century or more," Huai said. "China's education modernization has entered the upper-middle ranks of the world."
“我们用几十年的时间走完了西方国家上百年的路，” 怀进鹏说，“我国教育现代化发展总体水平跨入世界中上国家行列。”
Addressing domestic challenges, Huai noted that declining birth rates — from 16.41 million in 2002 to 7.92 million in 2025 — are reshaping the education landscape. While kindergarten and primary school enrollment have already peaked, middle school enrollment will peak this year, followed by high school enrollment in 2029 and higher education enrollment in 2032. Regional disparities are also widening, with urban centers facing overcrowding while rural schools undergo consolidation, he said.
谈及国内面临的挑战，怀进鹏指出，新生人口持续下降（从2002年1641万人降至2025年792万人）正在重塑教育发展格局。幼儿园和小学入学人数已见顶，初中入学人数将在今年见顶，高中入学峰值出现在2029年，高等教育入学峰值则在2032年。教育区域差距也在拉大，城市学位紧张，乡村学校持续推进布局优化整合。
"To turn the 'population dividend' into a 'talent dividend', we must improve education quality and access for all," he said, calling for forward-looking planning.
“要把‘人口红利’转化为‘人才红利’，必须持续提升教育质量、促进教育公平。” 他呼吁开展前瞻性统筹规划。
The minister also outlined plans to accelerate the integration of artificial intelligence across all aspects of education, including teaching, lifelong learning, governance and teacher development.
怀进鹏同时介绍部署，加快推动人工智能深度融入教学、终身学习、教育治理和教师发展等教育全领域各环节。
Notes：
friends who understand and appreciate China — 培养更多知华友华人士
"50,000 in five years" initiative — “5年5万”倡议
calling cards — 名片
gross enrollment rate 毛入学率
population dividend — 人口红利
forward-looking planning — 前瞻性统筹规划
