2024年京津冀教育协同发展论坛在京举办 Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei upgrade education landscape in Xiong'an

Xiong'an Railway Station in Xiong'an New Area, Hebei province, June 2, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

The 2024 Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Coordinated Education Development Forum held in Beijing on Feb. 25, revealed significant progress in the region's collaborative education efforts.

A research report presented at the forum highlighted the establishment of educational partnership between 202 primary and secondary schools, along with kindergartens, in Beijing and Tianjin with their counterparts in Hebei province. This collaboration involves 273 schools in Hebei. 

In addition, 15 Beijing-based universities are poised to establish new campuses in the Xiong'an New Area. Among these universities, Beijing Jiaotong University, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing Forestry University, and China University of Geosciences (Beijing) began construction on their Xiong'an campuses last November. The Xiong'an campus of Beijing Institute of Technology has also received approval for construction.

These developments are expected to bring significant benefits to the region. "The inclusion of these esteemed universities will unquestionably bring top-tier talents and technological resources to Xiong'an New Area, and even contribute significantly to the higher education sector in Hebei," said Wang Huan'an, head of the research team and deputy director of the Development and Planning Department at Capital Normal University. "This will play a vital role in upgrading the local industrial structure and fostering socio-economic development," Wang added.

Nevertheless, the research report also acknowledges an existing gap in the levels of educational development across the three regions, with Beijing and Tianjin leading nationally while Hebei lags slightly behind. Wang pointed out that variations in educational philosophy, research, management and quality between schools in the three regions underscore the urgency and necessity of collaborative development, creating ample opportunities for educational cooperation. To address these disparities, the research report proposed several recommendations, including the establishment of a comprehensive governance mechanism and clarification of the rights and obligations of various parties engaged in cross-regional educational collaboration.

As the momentum of coordinated development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region accelerates, the demand for highly skilled professionals to support economic growth is on the rise. Zhou Li, vice president of the Beijing Institute of Economics and Management, announced at the forum a pilot project for joint training among vocational colleges in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, which aims to cultivate skilled professionals urgently needed in the area.