Photo: Xinhua

The 29th China International Education Exhibition Tour (CIEET) is to be held in four cities - Beijing, Wuhan, Shanghai and Guangzhou - from April 13 to 21, aiming to offer better services for those who intend to study abroad, officials from the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) announced at a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday.

Attendees said that the event will strongly advocate for "safe and successful studying abroad" and create a platform for mutual selection between overseas Chinese students and employers, as well as facilitating extensive exchanges and cooperation between domestic and foreign universities and employers.

Wang Daquan, director of the CSCSE, a public institution affiliated to China's Ministry of Education, said that as of Monday, the center has received applications for participation from more than 220 universities and institutions in 24 countries and regions, the highest number in nearly five years. Among them, nearly 450 exhibition booths have been registered, and booth saturation is evident in the four cities.

He also noted that one notable feature of this year's exhibition is the high enthusiasm among participating countries. 

In addition to traditional study destinations like the UK, the US and Australia, the CIEET has seen significantly increased participation from countries taking part in the Belt and Road Initiative. A total of 73 schools and official institutions from 11 countries or regions in ASEAN, East Asia, the Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe will participate, accounting for about one-third of the total.

At the summit in San Francisco, the US in November, China stated it aimed to invite 50,000 US youths to China for exchange programs over the next five years. Concerning this, Wang told the Global Times that the invitation will further deepen the mutual understanding among the youths in both countries.

"We welcome US youths to actively participate in the China-US youth innovation contest held by CSCSE. The CSCSE will actively explore and expand new projects such as study tours and study abroad programs, enhancing cultural exchanges between Chinese and American youth through diverse forms of communication," Wang said.

During the press conference, officials responsible for overseas studies from the UK, the US, South Korea, Italy, Spain, Australia and Germany introduced the situation of overseas study in their countries and extended invitations to Chinese students.

Xing Jianjun, China director of the Uni-Italia Association, told the Global Times that 2024 also marks the 700th anniversary of the death of famous traveler Marco Polo, and so China and Italy are currently conducting a series of cultural and educational activities to commemorate this event.

Employment prospects for overseas Chinese students have always been a topic of social concern. Wang said that from 2018 to 2023, the number of overseas Chinese students returning to China for credential evaluation has increased by 50 percent, indicating a growing trend of returning to China to seek employment among students.

He added a recruitment fair along with an event themed on keeping overseas Chinese students safe will be pivotal components of the exhibition in Beijing.