Photo: VCG

Chinese students have diversified their destinations for overseas study to more Belt and Road partner countries and increasingly aligned their majors like STEM with domestic labor demand, an education official said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the current trend of studying abroad is becoming more common.

"Students now pursue 'knowledge plus skills plus cultural competency,' not just diplomas," said Wang Daquan, director of the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE).

The 30th China International Education Exhibition Tour (CIEET 2025) is set to travel to four cities from April 11 to 20, with a focus on aligning overseas study choices with competitive job markets as an increased number of students have returned home in recent years, it was announced at the press conference.

Organized by the CSCSE, a public institution affiliated to China's Ministry of Education, the event will kick off in ­Beijing alongside the China Study Abroad Forum with the theme "Quality, Trust, Safety: For the Sustainable Development of International Education." 

The forum aims to address pressing challenges in international education, including credential recognition, risk assessment, and employment pathways, drawing nearly 1,000 delegates from 24 countries and regions.  

The forum will also debut a suite of authoritative reports, including the 2025 China Study Abroad Report, a Blue Book of Chinese Students Studying Abroad and a Blue Book of Students Returning to China, which emphasizes employment trends. 

According to Wang, as of March 24, the education expo has attracted 246 universities and educational institutions from 24 countries and regions, while the number of exhibition booths has reached nearly 450.

Some participating schools from the UK, Australia, Italy, Singapore, the UAE, Germany, Indonesia and Iran will exhibit as official delegations. While the UK remains the largest participant, newcomers like Vietnam and Ecuador are making their debut.  

Grace Liu, education ­manager at the Australian ­Embassy, revealed at the press conference that as of December 2024, the number of Chinese students studying in Australia has surpassed 188,000, a 14 percent increase from 2023.

Leina Shi, director of education at the British Council, stated that over 1,500 middle school students from the UK would visit 19 universities in 11 cities across China. She emphasized that education can be a bridge connecting the cultures of students in both China and the UK.

With returnees facing a tight domestic job market, the exhibition will debut an employment advisory corner offering career coaching, Shi added.

According to Wang, during the event the CSCSE will also launch a global study mobility alliance, co-founded by 20 Chinese and foreign universities, to promote educational exchanges. 

The initiative will roll out "Study Tours in China" and "Study Tours around the World" programs targeting cross-cultural skill development. These will provide rich learning experiences for short-term overseas study by Chinese and foreign students.

The tour will hit Wuhan, Shanghai, and Guangzhou after Beijing, and feature expanded hours and interactive zones.