China - Inclusion of Sino-foreign educational institutions in 12th 5-year Plan

The Ministry of Education of China (“MoE”) has released an opinion on the establishment of higher education universities and colleges within the 12^th 5-year plan spanning 2011 to 2016 and was helpfully summarised by our colleagues at Martin Hu & Partners.  The opinion stipulates that all Sino-foreign collaborative higher educational instituted delivering higher education which have legal person status shall be included in the 12^th 5-year Plan regarding higher education school establishment of the provincial governments.

This means that provincial governments will examine and approve any Sino-foreign educational institution with an overall consideration rather than an individual consideration in order to avoid superfluous educational resources or any disadvantage to Chinese national medium and long term educational plans.

The opinion also emphasised that the foreign educational partner of a Sino-foreign undergraduate institution should be an internationally recognised and renowned higher educational institute.

For higher education institutions wishing to set up a branch in China it will be important to be able to demonstrate international recognition and that the courses on offer will benefit medium and long term educational plans in order to satisfy the MoE