A total of 58 overseas schools of higher learning and educational organizations have signed up for the first China Hebei International Education Expo, to be held between June 6-9 in Shijiazhuang, capital of north China's Hebei Province, sources in Shijiazhuang said on Monday.

These overseas universities and educational organizations are from 18 countries and regions including Britain, the United States, Russia, France, Germany and Japan. Hebei's 75 universities, key secondary schools and foreign languages schools have also signed up for the event.

The event is jointly sponsored by the State Overseas Study Fund Commission and Hebei Province.

Liu Yongrun, director of the provincial education bureau, said that Hebei hoped to use the expo as a platform for its achievements in the educational field and to boost foreign exchanges.

According to Liu, Hebei has made marked progress in expanding compulsory education, and developing secondary and tertiary education. The enrollment rate of schools of higher learning exceeds 60 percent.

The expo mainly features the general educational situation, foreign exchanges and requirements of participating universities and schools.

A forum with the theme of "strengthening international cooperation and promoting educational development" will also be held during the June 6-9 period.

Participants will discuss the educational systems of different countries, development trends in education, the role of international cooperation in higher education, educational development in China since it joined the World Trade Organization, international cooperation in the educational field and new openings for exchanges.

(Xinhua News Agency June 3, 2002)