Shanghai is China's largest economic centre and the leading force in the opening up to outside world. It also has the most developed education system in the country. Education has developed tremendously in the city since the founding of new China in 1949, particularly during the economic reform and opening up to the outside world in early 1980s. The city has established a complete education system, ranging from kindergarten, elementary and vocation education, advanced leading to adult teaching programs.
Education standards in Shanghai has been upgraded markedly today. The management of various education at all levels has been enhanced. The location of schools and arrangement of teaching courses become more rational. The compulsory education is trusted to local government at various levels with the central government providing the majority of the funds. Education tax and tuition fees are collected to complement the funding. School-run business, public donations and education foundation also help to provide funds for education. A multi-channel funding for education has taken shape in the city and will be further developed.
The reform of education administration has effectively encouraged various sources to help develop education. With the public schools playing the leading role, non-government schools are emerging in Shanghai. The city has tried to reform the advanced learning administration through "co-funding, merging, co-operation and transfer." The reform has covered enrolment of universities, colleges and polytech institutes and employment arrangement for new graduates. The reform has progressed for more than two years. Collecting tuition fees and allowing graduates to choose their jobs have been introduced to universities while the detailed procedures need to be further improved. Currently, the average schooling of the newly employed people reaches 11 years in Shanghai. The repaid development of education has greatly pushed forward the economic and social development of the city. Entering the 21st Century, the city will develop its education to match the status of an international metropolitan city.

Administration Network

The Ministry of Education is the highest administrative body for education in China. Shanghai Municipal Education Commission is the authority in education administration of the city. In addition, the Municipal Labour Bureau manages vocation teaching in the city.

General Information

The nine-year compulsory education covers 99.9 per cent of the city's children aged between six to 11 years old. High School enrolment covers 88.6 per cent of the city children. In the area of elementary and middle school education, Shanghai has the highest enrolment in the country. Meanwhile, the ratio of high school students to vocation school students is four to six. Among youth aged between 18 to 21, 20 per cent go to university or college. The enrolment of universities and colleges in the city totals 172,300 students, of which 18,500 are in graduate study programs. The various adult teaching programs in the city receive 2 million enrolments each year. The city has also updated the school structure, closing or reshuffling a number of outdated schools. The vocation schools were compressed from 510 to 305 while high schools were cut down from 50 to 39. Adult schools were also reduced from 74 to 64. As a result, the distribution of teaching faculty improved and education resources was enhanced.Government investment in education has been increasing year by year. The spending on education in 1997 was more than 9.8 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion), up 22.2 per cent over 1996. Of the total spending, 5.44 billion yuan (US$ 655.4 million) was from the city government budget for education, up 19.74 per cent over 1996. The city government has been increasing its budget for education. It took up 2.22 per cent of GDP in 1995, 2.35 per cent in 1996 and 2.45 per cent in 1997.

Multi-sourced education funds

Of the total 9.8 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion )spending on education in 1997, city government funds was 6.2 billion yuan (US$746 billion), 63 per cent of the total; special education funds was 896 million yuan (US$108 million), 9.1 per cent; financial aids from enterprises were 277 million yuan (US$33.4 million), 2.8 per cent; school-run businesses provided 753 million yuan(US$90.7 billion), 7.7 per cent; private funding was 158 million (US$!( million), 1.6 per cent; public donations were 256 million yuan (US$30.8 million), 2.6 per cent; collection of tuition fees was 827 million yuan (US$99.6 million), 8.4 per cent; others were 463 million yuan (US$55.8 million), 4.7 per cent. The non-government funds for education accounts for more than a combined 38 per cent.
The funding for universities and colleges in the city was 407 million yuan (US$49 million) in 1988, almost doubling the 138 million yuan for 1979 and more than multiplying the funding for 1949 by eight times. During the 1990s, the city government has increased the funds for universities and colleges by 20 per cent annually. In 1997, the city-run universities and colleges had a combined funds of 530 million yuan (US$63.9 million), more than tripling the funds for 1990.

Teachers and Faculty Members

The city has taken various measures to build up the teachers resources. Now the city has a strong teaching faculty structure and improved living conditions for teachers while the teaching faculty shows a upgraded proficiency. Marked changes has occurred in teachers' education and proficiency degree. In universities and colleges, associated professors make up 29.6 per cent of the teaching faculty. More than one third of the teachers have master degree. In kindergarten, elementary and middle schools, teachers should have education of specialised, college and university schooling respectively. At the moment, 92.4 per cent of kindergarten teachers, 91.5 per cent of middle school teachers, 92.4 per cent of middle teachers and 81.4 per cent of high school teachers in the city have the required diplomats. The city has also established a training system for teachers. The two teachers' universities in the city provide degree programs for on-job teachers the city provide degree programs for on-job teachers in the city in addition its regular study programs and research work.
The Shanghai Education Institute, Teachers Training Centre plus district and county-run education institutes and training centres are responsible for the on-job training of teachers in the cit6y. The city also selects teachers to join in study, research and internship programs abroad. The city has started a program to upgrade the education degree of elementary school and kindergarten teachers to college level while middle school teacher are required to have university education.
Since 1990s, Shanghai has adopted various measures to cultivate team of young and middle aged teachers in universities and colleges. The efforts have resulted in a total of 600 young talented university teachers in the city. In the city 31 universities, promoting young teachers has become a established program. Those young teachers have played an important role in teaching and research work. Some of them have become the task forces of the teaching faculty in their schools. Meanwhile, their living conditions have also improved.

Education laws and Regulations

A legal framework has been established for education in Shanghai. The city worked out provisions to reinforce the implementation of all national laws and regulations on education. Legal documents on education include "Provisions on Kindergarten Administration" , "Measures on implementing Law on Compulsory Education", "Provisions on Establishing Schools in Shanghai by Foreign Institutions and Individuals", "Provisions on Administration of Non-Public Schools" , "Proposals on Developing Polytech Education".

Preschool Education

Shanghai is the first in the country to include preschools education in the city's education administration. The municipal government has led other cities to put pre-school teaching under the education supervision system. The Shanghai Pre-School Teachers' College is the first of its kind in China. In recent years, the pre-school education has closely linked the research to daily teaching and greatly upgraded the city's pre-school teaching standard. The pre-school in Shanghai has the largest coverage in China of Children aged between 0 and six years old.

Administration

Shanghai has established a complete pre-school administrative system. Shanghai Muni9cipal Nursery & Kindergarten Office is the city's co-ordinator for the pre-school education affairs. The pre-school Division of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission is responsible for the general administration. Economic and social development has prompted people to attach an increasing importance to pre-school education and the starting age of pre-school children is growing younger. Beginning from 1997, Shanghai municipal education administrative department is responsible for the education of Children aged between 0 to six year old while the public health department responsible for the health care of children of that age group.

Management

The pre-school education in Shanghai mainly counts on government funds while other funding resources are playing a complementary role. There are 937 independent kindergartens in the city and 1,258 more are affiliations of nurseries, middle and elementary schools. Kindergarten enrolment of the city currently totals 257,200 children, of which 71 per cent are in the public-funded kindergartens and the remaining in kindergartens funded by various sources, including enterprises and individuals.The opening up and development of Pudong New Area has increased the exchange between Shanghai and foreign countries and regions with an increased expatriates coming to live in the city. Pre-school education for foreign children has also become an issue. Now the city ahs opened kindergartens of foreign children while some kindergartens have set up class exclusively for foreign children.

Education

The pre-school education in Shanghai is divided into two phases: nursery for children aged between 0 to 3 years old and kindergarten for children aged between 3 to six years old.Kindergartens offer day care, boarding and half-day care service. The majority are day-care kindergartens.The city attaches a great importance to children's physical and psychological health care. A complete procedures have been set up for children's immunity development and disease prevention.The goal of kindergarten education is to cultivate a generation of strong health and confidence with active, animated, polite, friendly, brave and responsible personality.

Specialties

The pre-school teaching in Shanghai is emphasising music, fine arts, science knowledge, physical movement, sense of environment protection and English language. Facing a generation of one child in the family, Kindergartens also emphasise the basic daily life management skills, team work, nice personality, active spirit and first-hand experience.

Elementary Education

Shanghai is well known for its developed elementary education. A number of elementary schools in Shanghai are well known for their long history, large number of talented students and highly esteemed, knowledgeable teachers. The city is the first in China to adopt compulsory education. "Provisions on Compulsory Education is Shanghai" has placed a legal guarantee for children to receive a nine-year compulsory education. Local governments at various levels are responsible for implementing the compulsory education and must include elementary education in local economic and social development plans. The goal of the elementary education in Shanghai is to cultivate in children high morals and intelligence, and develop strong health and personality. The purpose is to lay the foundation for fostering a generation with noble aspiration, high morals, profound knowledge and strict discipline.
Middle and primary schools adopt full-day study system. Elementary education divided into five years of study in primary school, four years in middle school and three years in high school or six years in primary school and three years each in middle and high schools. In some cases for the compulsory education, primary and middle school study are combined into one. Special teaching is part of the elementary education. In Shanghai, compulsory education covers 100 per cent of eye sight disabled children and light mental retarded children, most of listening disabled children and 93 per cent of medium mental retarded children. The government adopts the policy of "encouragement, support, guidance and administration" towards non-government schools. There are 98 middle and primary non-government schools in the city, accounting for 4.2 per cent of the city's total. Of the non-government schools, 78 are middle schools and the remaining are primary schools. Their combined enrolment are 43,600 youngsters, 2.5 per cent of the city total middle and primary school enrolment.A two-level superintendent system has been established in the city to supervise, evaluate, guide and inspect education management and teaching quality. Emphasis has also been given to developing study attitude, ranging from learning enthusiasm, habit, method, willpower and other virtues.

General Teaching

Elementary school teaching is divided into compulsory courses and exercise hours. Included in the compulsory courses are Chinese language, mathematics, English, social knowledge, natural knowledge, sports, music fine arts, daily life skills and ethics. School exercise covers sports, group activities, special interest programs, extensive reading, social activities. Elementary schools usually have 29 to 32 class hours a week. In junior middle school, the compulsory courses include politic science, Chinese language, mathematics, English, Physics, chemistry, biology, history, geography, music, fine arts, sports, basic working skills, vocational orientation. School exercise covers sports, group activities, special interest programs, extensive reading, social activities. From the second year of junior middle school, optional courses are opened to teach house keeping, knitting, handicrafts work body shaping. In high school, art appreciation and computer classes will be offered. Middle school have 32 to 34 class hours a week.The teaching is designed for general students with emphasis on basic knowledge, cultivating talents and skills. Attention is also paid to learning attitude, study habit and method, and students' will power. Chinese language, mathematics and English are the three fundamental courses and occupy one third of the total class hours. Science subjects, including computer, environment, population, sex knowledge and psychology, are also on the curriculum.In virtue and ethics education, special attention is paid to their age and modern times. The education covers aspiration, patriotism, legal knowledge, international affairs, virtues and behaviour codes. Schools will also keep in touch with family and community in the moral education.
Gathering social experiences in included in the compulsory courses to cultivate in students a sense of responsibility. The city has some 1,000 bases for middle and primary school students to gather social experiences."Criteria for Sports Training" is actively implemented in Shanghai to enhance the sports class Schools also attach a great importance to health and hygiene knowledge in teaching.Art teaching is popular among Shanghai's school to help foster students' taste for art appreciation and performance skills. Many local schools and students have won prizes in various national arts and performances contests.Schools have the autonomy to choose teaching materials while students can choose the optional courses according the their interest.. Teachers pay attention to the different personality and interest of different students in teaching and encourage them to learn more knowledge, use their own mind and develop skills.In making evaluation, schools will emphasise both academic performance and general development, current credentials and potential, study scores and study process, campus records and behaviour at home and in society.

Special Education

Special education for disabled children is included in pre-school and elementary education according to the State provisions for compulsory education. Teaching for disabled children involves common and special methods. In addition to elementary and vocational teaching, Shanghai actively promotes pre-school education for the disabled children in a bid to link the education to rehabilitation. The city has established various special schools for disabled children while open special class or receive some disabled children in common schools.

After-class Education

After-class education facilities in Shanghai include children's palaces, youth science stations, youth centres, community children centres and children's playgrounds. There are also spare-time invention schools, computer schools and week-end science schools. The city has built children's parks, outdoor camps, various entertainment facilities and libraries for children. "Shanghai Municipal Provisions for the Protection of Children and Adolescents" went into effect in 1987 to provide a legal frame work for protecting the interest of children and adolescents.The rapidly developing community service also caters to children's needs. The historical relics sites, cultural heritages, museums, sports stadiums in the city are all open to children at low admission fees.There are an increasing number of foreign children going to school in the city. Many schools have been built for expatriate children exclusively while other local schools open class to mix expatriate and Chinese students.

Adult Education

Shanghai's adult education is among the most developed in china. It is an important part of the city's education undertaking. The Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau opened a school in 1870 to train ship engineers and navigators. This marked the start of adult education in Shanghai. After the founding of the People's Republic, especially in the past 20 years of reform and opening, adult education made rapid progress. From 1992 to 1997, about 2.2 million local citizens took various adult education programs each year. Adult education in Shanghai is managed by various trade organisations and education departments of local districts and counties. To improve supervision of adult schools, the Shanghai Adult Education Committee was formed, comprising a vice-mayor and leading officials of various bureaux and departments. Shanghai's adult education takes many forms, from classroom lectures, correspondence courses, TV and radio teaching programs to lessons via computer network. There are both public schools and private schools offering degree and non-degree programs. Degree programs contain college courses and high-school courses. Non-degree programs include continuing education, job training, lessons on agricultural skills, job training, lessons on agricultural skills, culture and arts, and special education for the elderly people.

Degree Programs

The number of adult colleges reached 64 in 1997 with a total of 81,600 students. About 27,800 people enrolled in these colleges and 23,200 people graduated. The number of adult high schools increased to 78. Some 100,000 people took high school examinations; 84,953 of them completed their studies and 6,913 graduated with diplomas. Also last year, 220,372 people took self-study examinations (covering 49 college courses) and 350,000 people were registered for various self-study college programs. Altogether, 25,348 people took self-study high-school examinations (covering 21 courses); 2,584 of them graduated. The faculty members of adult colleges in Shanghai numbered 11,514 in 1997, including 139 professors, 1,181 associate professors, 2,667 teaching assistants. The faculty members of adult high schools numbered 5,537, including 509 grade-A teachers, 1,552 grade-B teachers and 504 grade-C teachers.

Non-degree Programs

To meet the social demand for higher education, adult colleges in Shanghai carried out some reform and experimented with a new examination system. In 1997, the number of students registered by the Shanghai TV University reached 5,400, bringing the total of enrollers to 8,096. Meanwhile, 13 schools were authorised to administer exams and issue college certificates. They offer 19 courses and enrolled 2,791 adult students in 1997, bringing the total to 4,027. The number of adult schools that offer advanced training has risen from 13 to 19, with courses increasing from 34 to 39.In 1996, the city held a meeting on adult education, which called for the re-education of adult employees who did not complete high-school education. In 1997, 5,293 cadres and workers attended special high-school classes, an increase of 108 per cent compared with 1996.Long-distance education has also developed in Shanghai. The Shanghai TV University and Shanghai TV Vocational School all have work stations in every district and county and in some government bureaux, big corporations and army units.

Management System

In 1994, Shanghai merged a part-time construction college with seven other adult schools to form the Jinshan Workers' University. In 1997, the city's Financial & Business Cadres's College, the Bureau of Commerce College and two other adult schools were rolled into the Shanghai Commercial Institute. Meanwhile, the Changning District merged several adult vocational schools and training centres to create the Changning Community College. The city's Light Industry Holdings Corporation also merged 18 adult vocational schools to form a large adult polytechnic school. These mergers enabled the schools to pool their resources and improve their quality of teaching and operation efficiency.

Education Evaluation

From November 1995 to May 1997, the Shanghai Education Commission invited experts to evaluate adult teaching programs offered by 21 universities and colleges and 43 independent adult schools. The survey rated the adult programs run by the Shanghai Electricity College, Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Economics & Management and 18 other college as excellent. The rating result was made public. In 1997, Tongji University, Shanghai No.2 Medical University, Shanghai No.2 Polytechnics, Shanghai TV University and the Zhabei Part-time University were also awarded the title of "Outstanding Adult Institute of Higher Learning" by the National Education Commission. In 1996, the Shanghai Education Commission held an appraisal of the city's adult technical schools. The Shanghai TV Vocational School is among the nine schools that passed the appraisal. At the same time, the Shanghai Nanshi Workers' School and five other schools were voted "models of adult education." These activities helped promote the standards of teaching and management of the adult schools.

Non-degree Education

By the end of 1997, the number of universities and schools involved in adult education has reached 1,322, enrolling a total of over 1.6 million people. Among these, 58 schools (classes) were Sino-foreign cooperative projects with a total of 60,000 students. The number of adult schools in suburban Shanghai reached 204. About 1.4 million workers attended various on-the-job training programs during the whole year. Meanwhile, 1.27 million farmers took education and training courses. The number of cadres and technical workers receiving training and continuing education totalled 500,000. And about 240,000 elderly citizens took study programs as well.The adult schools in urban and suburban Shanghai had 21,060 faculty members in 1997, including 905 full-time teachers. Other training programs involved 21,051 part-time teachers and 6,849 full-time faculty members. Non-degree education has become increasingly standardised. The government has worked out effective regulations on the management and supervision of adult schools and job-training programs. New schools and enrolment advertisements have to be approved by concerned education departments. All schools must have teaching licenses and their deans must have job certificates. Supervision of schools' accounts is also required. Non-degree programs offered by universities and Sino-foreign schools have also been improved.

Project for Urgently Needed Skills

The municipal government in 1993 initiated the so-called "Project for urgently needed skills in 1990s." Since then, ten large training centres have been founded that administer tests on computer skills, foreign languages and other skills. The Shanghai Education Television offers many courses every day. In 1997, about 420,000 people took the computer competence test in the city, 270,000 of them received pass certificates. Those who took foreign language grading tests in 1997 numbered 60,000 with 40,000 getting pass certificates, bringing the accumulative figures to 190,000 and 130,000, respectively. Altogether, about 20,000 people have received the "Shanghai Job Qualifying Certificate" after completing 26 categories of training courses administered by the 10 training centres. A total of 14,464 people took the international financing and accounting courses and 184,012 cadres took science and technology classes with 95 per cent of them passing the exams.The project for urgently needed skills has won big support from the society. Since 1994, the Shanghai Education Development Fund has allocated 7 million yuan to the project.

"Spark Plan"

The "Spark Plan" is a science education and skill training program for rural residents. It has been carried out in 132 townships around Shanghai, about 63 per cent of the total. By the end of 1997, 176, 771 people had taken part in 330 "Spark Plan" projects. More than 1,000 villages and rural enterprises have benefited from the "Spark Plan" through popularising new farming techniques. The "Spark Plan" is being implemented along with the Shanghai Agriculture Advancement Plan (1996-2000), "The Green Card project," re-employment and anti-illiteracy activities, etc. The "Green Card Project" is an agricultural training program that has been going well in suburban counties since 1996. About 8,380 rural middle- and high-school graduates and 2,750 farmers received Green Cards in 1997. The work to wipe out illiteracy has made headway in the rural areas around Shanghai. In 1997, 772 people were involved in the undertaking, raising the literacy rate of Shanghai residents aged 15 to 98.02 per cent.

On-the-job Training and Continuing Education

To meet the needs of a modern enterprise system and the city's re-employment efforts, various industrial organisations and enterprises have increased their investment in on-the-job training and continuing education. The total spending for these exceeded 600 million yuan in Shanghai in 1997. Starting from 1996, Shanghai made a number of decisions on the training of teachers and administrators involved in adult education. These measures were aimed at improving the quality of teaching in adult schools. A management network has been established between the East China Normal University, Shanghai No.2 Polytechnics and numerous training centres and adult schools. Continuing education of faculties has become a rule in many schools. As a result, 69 per cent of the teachers in rural adult schools have received college education, 23.9 percentage points more than 1996. On-the-job training and continuing education have greatly raised the quality of adult education.

Research Programs

There are a total of 50,000 people working for various research programs in Shanghai's universities and colleges. Of the total, 13,900 people are researchers while 45 and fellow academicians with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering Sciences. In the campus laboratories, 52 research programs are classified as State key projects and 78 Shanghai municipal key projects. There are 50 State or municipal central laboratories and three State engineering centres. In 1997, research on more than 10,880 programs started on campus in the city. Some 4,200 of the programs were awarded for research achievement prizes. The university researchers also published some 60 books and 15,440 articles. University research programs in the city also received 260 other national and city prizes, including national prizes for invention, technology progress and natural science.

Basic Theories Research

Research in basic theories is the strong point of the advanced learning institutions in Shanghai. With the strategy of "consolidating and developing the strong point" and "seeking breakthrough in certain fields and ignoring the others"，the university researchers in Shanghai have attached an importance to maintaining its own strong point, stressing basic theories research and developing the research workforce. In choosing study subjects, emphasis has put on the topics closely related to human and social progress. Shanghai universities and colleges have been trusted to a large number of research projects which are supported by funds from the State Natu5ral Science Foundation covered 76.5 per cent of the total research accounts in the city. More than 65.2 per cent of the research programs in the city belonged to the key projects funded by the State Natural Science Foundation.

Research Achievements Transfer

Linking research to business and turning research results into production forces have long been a major and challenging issue for university researchers. It is also the central point of the reform and development of campus research work. In early 1990s, the municipal Economic Commission, Education Commission and Chinese Academy of Sciences had jointly set up the city's co-ordination office to promote co-operation between the industry and university researchers in the city.The annual fair for providing technological solutions and transferring research results shows that progress has been made year by year. Of the 56 technological projects commissioned by the city authorities in 1997, 10 universities had undertaken 32 projects, more than 57 per cent. Of the 10 major technology projects, all the six projects jointly developed by the city colleges and enterprises were highly successful.The sources of research funds has changed greatly since 1991. In 1991, about 30 per cent of the funds came from various institutions. In 1996, 60 per cent were from various institutions and enterprises. Each year, about 33 per cent of the city's Science Progress Prizes goes to university researchers. In 1997, they won 37 per cent of the prizes. The change in the research funds sources showed the management of university research programs has become more closed linked to economic and social development.In 1997, the municipal Education Commission set up the Shenmei Science Achievement Promotion Prize. The first 10 awards of the prize all went to university research projects because of their high technology level and good economic returns. One project has helped the enterprise to technology level and good economic returns. One project had helped the enterprise to increase its output value by 1.92 billion yuan (US $ 230 million) and profits 480 million(US$ 57.8 million).

Developing leading Study Programs

Developing leading study programs is a major part of the efforts to upgrade university teaching and enhancing university research. It also has become the focus of the "211 Program" among the Chinese universities. Currently, universities in Shanghai has developed 52 national leading study programs. From 1985 to 1994, the city government invested a total of 100 million yuan (US $ 12 million) to assist the development of 42 local leading study programs. Since 1995, the city government has set an annual budget of 20 million (US$ 2.4 million) to support 78 leading study programs and encourage close links of those research projects to the city's six major industries, five major research areas, municipal key works and major social issues.One significance of the university research programs is creating opportunities for teachers to advance proficiency and fostering talents.

University Fund for Young Faculty

The fund was set up in 1991. It was designed to assist career development of university teachers under the age 40 and foster a group of leading scholars. The fund has so far supported 280 scholars and projects.The fund shows a great importance the government attaches to assisting young scholars. It helps create more opportunities for the development of young scholars to lead research projects and produce advanced technology development.

Sunrise Plan

Sunrise Plan is a jointly program of the city Education Commission and Education Development Fund and aims to assist leading scholars to develop advanced research projects. Since Sunrise Plan was established in 1995, 83 scholars received its assistance. Most of the Sunrise scholars are directors of various Master degree study programs. Some Sunrise scholars are the leading researchers of State laboratories. Sunrise Plan has greatly activated laboratory work and helped cultivate leading science workers.
Beginning from 1998, Sunrise Plan has increased its assistance to more young scholars and basic theory research. The program has been impressive in fostering research talents for the 21st Century.

International Exchange

International exchange and co-operation in education has played an irreplaceable role in Shanghai' economic and social development.Reform and opening up has propelled the city's international exchange in education. In 1997, Shanghai universities sent a total of 1,080 students to study abroad. Meanwhile, the city receive 2,762 foreign students to study in local universities. Sino-foreign join-venture teaching programs reached 70. The city now has 12 schools for expatriate children. Some 420 foreign experts and teachers were working in various schools in Shanghai. The year also saw 59 international education seminars be convened in the city. A new trend in the international education exchange in 1997 was short-term academic visits by middle school students.

Sending Students Abroad

Between 1977 and 1988, Shanghai universities sent an accumulated 5,000 students to study abroad. Of the students, 2,000 have returned to China after finishing their study programs and become a leading force in science and research in the country. The city adopts the policy of "support of studying abroad and encouragement of coming back' in the issue of studying abroad. In 1993, the city processed applications of 3,231 university and college graduates to study abroad. The figure was 2,393 in 1994 and 2,076 in 1997.Short-term academic visits by middle and high school students has become popular in 1990s. More than 100 middle school students from Shanghai joined in programs, including summer camp, language class in foreign countries and regions in 1997. Another 27 middle school students received scholarships from United States and Singapore to study abroad. There is also an increase in high school students going to study abroad.

Foreign Students Studying in Shanghai

Shanghai East China Textile Engineering Institute started receiving foreign students in 1954. In the 1990s, the city recorded a fast growth in receiving foreign students. In 1997, 22 universities and colleges in Shanghai received a combined 2,762 foreign students in study programs for at least one year. Of the foreign students, 2,015 were self-funded, making up 80 per cent of the total; 341 students were on Master degree programs or advanced research projects, making up 15 per cent. Another 2,295 foreign students from 101 countries came to the city for short-term study.According to the provisions of Ministry of Education, local universities authorised to process Chinese government scholarships all have established procedures to process the scholarships to foreign students.The city regards the foreign students' work as an international responsibility and an opportunity to increase international exchange and co-operation in technology and culture. Related government departments in the city have also organised activities to enrich the after-class life of foreign students in the city. The activities include "Contest on Knowledge of Africa", "African Song and Dance Performance by Foreign Students", "Expatriates Sing Chinese Songs", "Photo Show of a Day in Shanghai", and classes teaching shadow boxing, Chinese cooking and Chinese folk arts.

Joint-venture Schools

Co-operation with foreign education resources started in Shanghai in 1992. This new development in education affairs has become a new channel to introduce foreign education resources to the city. Up to 1997, more than 70 foreign-backed teaching programs are mainly non-degree classes and the teaching subjects cover automobile maintenance, computer, foreign languages, arts, business secretary skills, sales, office automation, international trade, business administration, real estate management and accountant. These programs deal with high school, vocational school and adult education, and advanced learning.
The Sino-European International Business Administration Institute in Shanghai was established in 1996 and jointly founded by the Chinese Government and European Union Commission. This business school is designed to train Chinese business executives of international management knowledge and skills. The school is the largest education co-operation with foreign resources and a good try. Several hundreds graduates from the school are now the management forces of enterprises in Shanghai and other Chinese Provinces.
Shanghai University co-operated with Sydney Technology University in 1994 to establish the Shanghai Sydney Business Administration Institute to Provide degree and non-degree programs. In 1997, the school had an enrolment of 870 students, 55 Chinese teachers and 20 expatriate teachers.
Shanghai Finance University and the Webster College of United State have jointly opened an MBA program. Currently, 120 students are enrolled in the program. The American college will issue degree credentials to graduates of the study program.

Schools for Expatriates Children

The opening of more foreign business offices and foreign-funded enterprises in Shanghai has resulted in the increase in expatriate families in the city. Shanghai started setting up schools for expatriate children in 1989 in a bid to improve investment environment. By 1997, 12 schools for expatriate children were open and enrolled 2,873 expatriate children.Meanwhile, some existing expatriate schools launched expansion projects. In July, 1996, Japanese School in Shanghai broke the ground for 20,000-square-metre new campus project in the city's Hongiao area. The American School in the city also started projects to build permanent campus in both Pudong and Puxi -- East and West Shanghai.

Foreign Experts and Teachers

In 1950s, foreign education experts in Shanghai were mainly from the former Soviet Union. Since 1990s, the number of foreign education exports and teachers increased fast. Between 1990 and 1995, an accumulated 993 foreign experts and teachers worked in Shanghai's schools on long-term contracts while 4,539 foreign scholars worked on short-term contracts.In 1997, Shanghai had 420 foreign experts and teachers working on long-term contracts in local schools while 1,200 foreign scholars came to local schools for short-term work. Their contributions to the city's education were appreciated and endorsed. Four of them have received the "Magnolia Honour Award" and "Magnolia Commemorative Award" from the city government.The work of foreign experts and teachers has produced a great benefit to the city's economic and social development. By 1994, Shanghai universities had co-operated with foreign experts in an accumulated 457 research programs and produced solutions for 340 technology projects.

International Seminars

International seminars created opportunities for exchange between Chinese and foreign scholars. The seminars will also bring the latest research development and information and help update education and research.Incomplete statistics show that Shanghai Jiaotong University, Fudan University, Tongji University and other schools hosted a combined more than 100 international seminars, assembling a total of more than 8,000 foreign and 2,000 Chinese scholars.During the 1990s, international seminars in Shanghai involve an increasingly high level scholars and have a growing influence.In 1997, Shanghai universities and other education institutions hosted 59 international seminars, including "21st Century Higher Education Forum", "International Seminar on Molecular Virus Immunity", "The Second Forum of 97' Chinese Orthopaedists Annual Meeting", "International Seminar on Fibreoptics Telecom Technology" and "Ninth Conference on Finance of Pacific Rim Nations and Regions".