[Pre-trip Task] Education

In preparation for our comparative studies,

1. Research on the education structure of the city we are visiting. (i.e. Primary - Secondary schools)

In YangZhou, their education system is based on the national system for the public education, including primary schools, middle schools and universities. At least nine years of education is compulsory for all students. 

Yangzhou's higher education system has undergone two major periods of restructuring in its history. In 1950, the central government adopted the educational model from the former Soviet Union, reorganizing the previously-established comprehensive universities into new institutions. Again in 1999, in accordance with recent policy reforms, Yangzhou's universities underwent an opposite adjustment, an amalgamation, that resulted in the reduction of the number of higher education establishments and a wave of institutional name changes. 

It is the province in China that owns the largest number of institutions of higher education with 105 universities and colleges and an annual student enrollment of close to a million in 2007. 

Their international co-operation programs have been well established in the past years. Its universities and colleges have accepted international students from over 100 countries, and have had extensive exchange programs with more than 300 universities internationally. The number of higher education institutions funded by private sectors nationally and internationally are on the rise and they offer youth alternative educational pathways for career attainment. 

2. Find out about the school we are about to visit. (History, strengths, school day etc.)

• Shuren School of Yangzhou Middle School Education (扬州中学教育团体树人学校）                             
• School rules: (中学生日常行为规范)

         一、自尊自爱，注重仪表
         二、诚实守信，礼貌待人
         三、遵规守纪，勤奋学习
         四、勤劳俭朴，孝敬父母
         五、严于律己，遵守公德

• established in June 1999
• After 16 years, the school has two campuses: Jiulonghu Campus and Nanmenjie Campus. It has three divisions: Junior High School Division, Senior High School Division and International Division.
• Currently, it has 117 classes, 5374 in-school students, and 393 full-time teaching and non-teaching staff.
• It has won many titles and honors at both national and regional levels such as “National Exhibition School for the Teaching and Research of Foreign Languages for Primary and High Schools”, “National Exhibition Centre for Popular Geography Science”, “National Experiment Centre for Creative Writing for Primary and High School Students”, “Jiangsu Civilized Unit”，“Jiangsu Safe Campus”，“Jiangsu Water-Saving Model Unit”，“Jiangsu Model School for International Education Cooperation and Communication”, “Jiangsu Model School with Excellent Young Pioneers” etc.
• 在4月23日，树人学校九龙湖校区的初二年级学生参加了在扬州音乐厅举行的扬州市首届“朱自清读书节”启动仪式，并进行了经典美文的诵读表演。

3. Firm up 3 questions we would like to find answers to during the immersion that could help us with our comparative studies.