98th Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Education

On this day, September 24, 2010, in Winnipeg, Canada, the First High-Level Consultation on Education Collaboration between the Provinces and Territories of Canada and the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China took place.

Ministers responsible for education in the provinces and territories of Canada and education leaders from the People’s Republic of China held fruitful discussions on a variety of education issues of mutual interest, including:

   
• Trends and strategies in education
   
• Postsecondary-education quality assurance, program accreditation, and mobility
   
• Postsecondary research collaboration and innovation
   
• Teacher training
   
• Provision of education services in remote areas
   
• Potential areas for future education-related collaboration
   
• Teaching of the Chinese language

During the meeting, the parties expressed their interest in increasing collaboration and exchange between Chinese higher-education institutions and those administered by the provinces and territories of Canada to support the development of talent among individuals, strengthen the role of universities in building innovative societies, promote the exchange of university faculty and students, and encourage research cooperation and innovation.

The parties see value in the exchanges between students and scholars and the need to further advance the mutual recognition of academic credits.

The parties see the value of exchanges in elementary and secondary education and discussed collaboration on training programs for principals and teachers in elementary and secondary schools. Both sides wish to encourage the establishment of friendly links between elementary and secondary schools, with a view to enhancing exchanges and friendship between the younger generations of both countries.

The parties wish to encourage education cooperation and exchanges among provinces and territories of both countries based on their different needs.

While in Winnipeg, both sides discussed the trip to China in October 2010 by a number of Canadian education administrators and elementary/secondary school principals. Both sides also discussed a proposed visit to China in 2011 by 100 Canadian secondary-school students. The two initiatives were announced by Chinese President Hu Jintao during his Excellency’s visit to Canada in June.

The Honourable Li Weihong, Vice Minister of Education for China, extended an invitation to provincial and territorial ministers to visit China. The Honourable Diane McGifford, Chair of CMEC, received the invitation on behalf of her colleague ministers and offered to lead the visit.

The parties agreed that the inaugural meeting had been of great value to them and that future engagement would be pursued.                          

 

                                                           

Li Weihong            Vice Minister            Ministry of Education            People’s Republic of China (PRC)

Diane McGifford            Chair            Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC)