It is the first time that China and the United States have co-sponsored an educational event.

The forum invited nearly 300 officials, experts and scholars from both countries to discuss such issues as the strategy on the development of higher education after China's entry into the World Trade Organization, and the way to govern universities.

According to the organizers, another important feature of the IECW, namely, the International Education Exposition, will take place afterwards. More than 20 reputable and renowned US universities including Harvard University, George Washington University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology will take the floor to introduce to Chinese students programs for study in the United States.

Jiang Zhenghua, vice-chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, said technology and personnel are key to international competition. The IECW with its theme of "education, economy, science and cooperation", will help promote China's educational sector.

Ji Baocheng, chairman of the IECW organizing committee and president of Chinese People's University, said that China's higher education system has made great achievements, which have laid a solid foundation for cooperation between China and other countries.

Statistics indicate that in 1949 when the New China was founded, there were only 205 universities and 113,000 on-campus students throughout the country; by the end of last year, the number of Chinese higher education institutions and private universities surged to 2,000 and 1,400 respectively, with a total of 12.14 million on-campus students.

Currently, China has the largest number of college graduates in the world.

(Xinhua News Agency September 26, 2002)