The Essay
China Higher Ed in this Asian Century
China is implementing a dynamic dual-track internationalization strategy.
By Jon Santangelo, Founder of Chariot Global Education, current IB International Educator, and former Spokesperson to BOSSA, China’s study abroad industry association.
"Within the Chinese higher education system, graduate employment is a critical performance indicator for universities.."
China is poised to be the engine of the Asian Century in higher education. No other country will replace it as the world's largest education market and source of international students, at least for the foreseeable future, but shifts are occurring within its own borders in terms of competitiveness.
Pre-pandemic, when BOSSA began collecting big data on provincial study abroad trends in Beijing, Guangdong and other provinces across China, early signals of a global shift emerged. Demand for the United States appeared to peak, the United Kingdom began filling that vacuum, and nearby regional destinations like Singapore and Japan were gaining traction.
That trajectory accelerated during the pandemic. While US demand dropped drastically, other destinations gained significant momentum. Today, Anglosphere institutions’ admissions staff are not travelling to China nearly as often as before 2020; evidenced by employing a part- to full-time in-country representative which has become the norm. Simultaneously, destinations across Asia continue to gain further traction, with Hong Kong, for example, experiencing a fervour of Mainland Chinese students.
The Strategic Shift: TNE and the New Dual-Track Model
China is now emerging as a study destination in its own right, driven by the rise of Transnational Education (TNE).
"Joint programmes, including pathways, foundation courses, and OSSD, are gaining significant traction in China, attracting students who haven't met direct university entry requirements either at home or abroad," states Mingze Sang, Director of BOSSA, China's education agency association.
The strategic landscape has irrevocably shifted. "The conversation is no longer just about TNE in isolation; it is about aligning with the dynamic, dual-track internationalisation strategy of the Chinese government," explains Dr Cheryl Yu, Director of Programmes at the TNE Institute. This strategy involves 'bringing in' global education expertise while simultaneously 'going global' with Chinese institutions.
For UK universities to thrive, a rigid, single-path approach is obsolete. Dr Yu recommends a four-pronged strategy: robust direct recruitment from the mainland; traditional TNE partnerships within China; establishing TNE hubs in third countries that connect to the Chinese market; and collaborating with Chinese partners to co-deliver TNE in the host country or even third countries.
However, challenges remain. Parents hold reservations about foundation programmes, citing concerns over students struggling academically, failing to meet conditional offers, and rising UK tuition and living costs. As Sang notes, price sensitivity and a desire for cultural familiarity have led to a noticeable increase in interest in Asian destinations like Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, Japan, and Malaysia.
Domestic Incentives and the AI Mandate
The dynamic doesn’t stop at TNE. Within the Chinese higher education system, graduate employment is a critical performance indicator for universities.
A key dynamic is how further education is counted: pursuing a postgraduate degree is officially classified as "employment," according to Sang, regardless of where the study takes place. This creates a powerful and advantageous trend for international recruitment. It is an easier path for university career guidance departments to boost their official "employment rate" than by facing the highly competitive domestic Master's entrance exams. This incentive makes Chinese universities highly receptive to partnering with international education providers to facilitate study abroad pathways.
It is against this backdrop of strategic internationalisation and domestic incentives that China is gearing itself towards being a leader in artificial intelligence in higher education, implementing proficiency and certification programmes within institutions and corporations.
"The TuLIP (The Turing Learning Initiative for AI Proficiency) is executing a high-stakes strategy to become the definitive global standard for AI proficiency within the Chinese education sector," states Imran Ali-Farzal, TuLIP’s Chair of Trustees.
Developed in collaboration with leading UK exam boards and education specialists, TuLIP is positioned as the "IELTS for AI proficiency" due to its international standardisation. The programme's core value is its direct link to international admissions: its certification is mapped to the UK’s UCAS Tariff Points system, providing a significant academic advantage for students seeking global university placement.
Domestically, TuLIP is aligning with government mandates and the Ministry of Human Resources to create a fast-track to employability credentials. To achieve rapid scale and authority, the initiative is built upon a top-tier partnership with Alibaba for curriculum delivery and market reach. The deployment strategy focuses on building ten thousand partner sites with the ambitious goal of reaching five million students, effectively securing TuLIP's position as the category leader in the Asian AI education market.
The certification provides a rigorous, three-part assessment covering foundational AI knowledge, practical application (such as prompt engineering), and critical AI ethics. “By aligning its framework with international standards from organisations such as UNESCO, OECD, and ISO, TuLIP offers Chinese students and professionals a trusted credential that directly enhances employability and provides a measurable academic advantage in university admissions,” concludes Farzal.
Inbound and Outbound China Recruitment in the Asian Century
“To remain competitive in this century, universities should consider collaborating with regional partners to deliver dual-track A-Level and Foundation programmes that offer both academic rigour and flexibility that is tailored to the aspirations of Chinese students,” says Richard Mann, Academic Director of London/Beijing based London Global Education.
"Additionally, universities should prioritise skills-based English instruction and active learning methodologies to better equip students with the communication and critical thinking skills necessary for success in international academic environments,” he states.
"A dual-track model enabling students to combine A-Levels with a foundation programme simultaneously, offering a structured and internationally recognised alternative to the Gaokao pathway, is the way forward," explains Dr Yu. At the recent BUILA conference, Dr Yu also highlighted China's Education Modernisation 2035 policy, which prioritises TNE within China despite the country already being the largest host of UK TNE programmes.
The most profound trend shaping global recruitment is the accelerating regionalisation of the Chinese student body.
Malaysia serves as an excellent case in point. Current estimates indicate over 47,000 Chinese students in Malaysia, a fivefold increase since 2019. Malaysia offers UK-accredited or joint-degree programmes through branches of universities like Nottingham, Southampton, Heriot-Watt, and Xiamen University Malaysia. Crucially, it provides lower-cost, culturally resonant study environments for Chinese students seeking more accessible international pathways.
As Study Malaysia highlights, this appeal is driven partly by the number of highly-ranked universities, its relatively low cost of living, and lower tuition fees compared to other top destinations. And this phenomenon also draws appeal to nearby destinations such as Japan, Singapore and Korea.
The Anglosphere no longer holds a monopoly on study abroad aspirations for Chinese students. Increasingly, their decisions are guided by changing economics, readiness, and rankings, regardless of whether a university is in the West or elsewhere in Asia. As Keyu Ma, a college counsellor at a Chinese boarding school, observes, "For my generation, going abroad was about the holistic experience; rankings were secondary. Now, it's all about the rankings."