I. Program Overview

The China-England Mathematics Teacher Exchange Program is a key program under the China-England High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism. It refers to the mutual secondment of mathematics teachers between the United Kingdom and China (Shanghai) for teaching and training purposes, jointly led by the Ministries of Education of both countries, and co-implemented by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Shanghai Normal University, and the UK Centre for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching.

II. Program Origin

The program originated from Shanghai's PISA test results in 2009 and 2012. As Shanghai achieved the top global ranking in two consecutive PISA tests, an increasing number of countries sought to learn from Shanghai's experience in basic education development through various channels and methods. In February 2014, Elizabeth Truss, then UK Minister of State for Education (vice-ministerial level), visited China and proposed to observe primary school mathematics teaching in Shanghai during her trip. The curriculum-guided and textbook-based teaching support, step-by-step and progressive teaching methods, and teachers with solid professional foundations left a deep impression on Truss. In interviews with major mainstream media both in Shanghai and after her return to the UK, she repeatedly stated that British mathematics teaching was at least a decade behind China, and expressed a strong willingness to carry out mathematics education cooperation with China, especially with Shanghai.

Figure 1 Signing Ceremony of the China-England Mathematics Teacher Exchange Program

Seizing this cooperation opportunity in a timely manner, the research team led by Professor Zhang Minxuan facilitated the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and the UK Department for Education to reach an agreement on the implementation plan of the China-England Mathematics Teacher Exchange Program. Both parties agreed to conduct phased extended training and practical teaching through mutual secondment of mathematics teachers between Shanghai and the UK from September 2014 to early 2016, with all project-related costs borne by the UK side.

III. Program History

To date, the program has been held for three phases. The first two rounds focused on exchanges among primary school mathematics teachers, while the latest round has expanded the cooperation to cover the secondary school sector in full.

Figure 2 Group Photo of British Mathematics Teachers Visiting Shanghai and Leaders

1. First Round (2014)

During the Second Meeting of the China-England High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism held in Beijing on April 23, 2014, the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and the International Directorate of the UK Department for Education signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Mathematics Teacher Exchange between China and England. During the first round, China and the UK successfully completed the mutual secondment of 256 teachers.

2. Second Round (2016)

On December 6, 2016, the Fourth Meeting of the China-England High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism was held in Shanghai. Based on the summary and evaluation of the outcomes of the first round of cooperation, both parties reached an agreement on the second round of the China-England Mathematics Teacher Exchange. Witnessed by the leaders of both countries, the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and the International Directorate of the UK Department for Education renewed the Memorandum of Understanding on Mathematics Teacher Exchange. Vice Premier Liu Yandong presided over the meeting and highly praised the project as a model of cultural and educational exchange between China and England.

3. Third Round (2018)

Thanks to the smooth implementation of the first two rounds, on November 26, 2018, Li Yongzhi, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, and Paul Kett, Director of the Standards and Testing Agency at the UK Department for Education, signed the third round of the project memorandum on behalf of both parties, agreeing to continue promoting the exchange of mathematics teachers. On November 11, 2019, 105 British mathematics teachers from the 6th batch visited Shanghai to start their exchange journey; on February 29, 2020, 94 Chinese mathematics teachers traveled to the UK for a two-week demonstration teaching program.

IV. Program Impact

As of January 2019, the two parties have mutually seconded more than 720 primary and secondary school teachers across five batches, effectively advancing the in-depth development of educational exchange and cooperation between the two countries. Through academic seminars on mathematics education theories, immersive teaching exchanges, classroom simulation teaching, field visits, and experience sharing, the China-England Mathematics Teacher Exchange Program has promoted effective and in-depth communication in mathematics teaching between the two nations.

Figure 3 The Times' Report on the China-England Mathematics Teacher Exchange Program

The program has attracted extensive media attention. Major domestic media outlets such as Dragon TV, Shanghai TV Station, Jiefang Daily, and Wenhui Daily have covered and positively reported on it. The practical teaching exchanges conducted by Shanghai mathematics teachers in the UK have been widely recognized by British teachers and students for their strong practicality and targetedness, and have also gained attention and positive coverage from British mainstream media. It even sparked widespread discussions in British society on the educational systems, models, and methods of China and England.

It can be said that the China-England Mathematics Teacher Exchange Program is a new highlight in the China-England High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism and the field of educational cooperation in recent years, and also the first successful example of China's educational export to a developed country. As Liu Limin, then Vice Minister of Education, stated: This is the first teacher exchange program fully funded by a developed country and carried out with a developed country, which is of great significance. From the perspective of Shanghai's educational development, the project has played a leading role in expanding the international perspective and teaching capabilities of basic education teachers in Shanghai; it also holds far-reaching strategic significance for promoting the internationalization of Chinese education and enhancing the influence of Shanghai and China in the global educational landscape.

Figure 4 Jiefang Daily Interviews and Reports on the China-England Mathematics Teacher Exchange Program