The 26th China Annual Conference & Expo for International Education (CACIE) grandly opened at the China National Convention Center. WANG Wei, President of East & West International Education Group (EWIE), attended the parallel forum “Innovation in International Talent Cultivation and High-Quality Development of Global Cooperation under the Vision of Building a Strong Education Nation” and delivered a keynote speech titled “Thoughts and Suggestions for the Coordinated Development of Studying Abroad and Internationalization at Home.” In his address, Mr. WANG introduced EWIE’s practices in localized internationalization in detail to the forum participants.
Mr. WANG first analyzed the status and major trends of overseas study. He stressed that studying abroad has entered a stage of rational and quality-oriented development. Study destinations are becoming more diversified. In addition to traditional destinations such as the UK, the US and Australia, countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, including Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, as well as neighbouring countries such as Japan and Russia, are increasingly favoured. At the same time, articulation pathway programmes such as 1+3, 2+2, 3+1 and international foundation courses are becoming important bridges for many Chinese students studying overseas.
Second, he stated that localized internationalization, which is broadly accessible and cost-effective, has become an international education form that is as important as studying abroad, and it has become an important channel for cultivating internationalised talent. Third, Mr. Wang particularly emphasized the value and role of curriculum internationalization in the overall development of educational internationalization. He noted that the core characteristic of localized international education lies in the internationalization of curriculum and teaching.
When discussing EWIE’s localized internationalization practice, he briefly introduced EWIE’s independently developed and implemented initiatives, including the New Youth Global Competence Development Program and the International Employability Enhancement Program for University Students in the New Era, as well as EWIE’s long-running international foundation programmes. During the session, FENG Jianghua, Deputy Director of EWIE’s International Curriculum Center, provided a detailed overview of EWIE’s international foundation offerings, including the International Foundation Certificate (IFC), International Year One (IYO) and International Pre-Master Program (IPMP).
In closing, Mr. WANG emphasized that international foundation programmes are not only connectors for academic progression but also pioneering zones and testing grounds for advancing curriculum internationalization. By exploring the integration of “international standards plus Chinese realities,” EWIE has optimized international education pathways and promoted deeper integration between Chinese and foreign education systems. He pointed out that high-quality internationalized curricula can serve national development strategies, provide talent support for breakthroughs in key core technologies and global governance, and enhance the soft power, international appeal and discourse influence of Chinese higher education.
The 26th CACIE was held under the theme “Education Opens the World.” This forum was one of the parallel events on the conference’s opening day.