Book Seminar: Enhancing China’s Competitiveness Through Lifelong Learning, Washington, DC - September 17, 2007

This book discusses the issues and steps involved in building a lifelong learning system in China, including: a coherent policy framework, a sound incentive and institutional framework, a sound regulatory environment, a coordinated governance process, a timely and reliable management information system, a dynamic link with the evolving global system, and the optimal use of limited resources.

Enhancing China’s Competitiveness through Life Long Learning, Carl Dahlman, Douglas Zhihua Zeng, Shuilin Wang (PDF, 227Kb)

 Watch B-Span's video coverage of the event here.

Launching Seminar for book on “Enhancing China’s Competitiveness through Lifelong Learning”. Presidential Plaza, Beijing, China - June 19, 2007.

Background

Education and training is one of the fundamental pillars of the knowledge economy. The increasing importance of knowledge has made investments in education and skills more critical for economic growth and global competitiveness.  Higher average levels of education are necessary to be able to make effective use of all the new knowledge, and high quality tertiary education is necessary to create and to use knowledge. Furthermore, worker skills have to be constantly updated to use new technologies and carry out new functions in the rapidly changing economic and social context. 

China has made very impressive progress in expanding access to education at all levels, improving adult literacy, and providing training and retraining to rural migrants and urban laid-offs from state owned enterprises. However, given the more competitive global environment and the rapid pace of growth, China needs to develop a more  effective system of lifelong learning  both as a means of ensuring competitiveness as well as social cohesion and welfare. Currently China has a very fragmented and inefficient system of education and training and is facing very large demands to increase access and quality. To reap economies of scale and synergies, and avoid wasteful use of limited resources, China needs to develop a more integrated lifelong learning system with appropriate bridges and inter-phases among its different segments and stakeholders.

Resources

Financing Life Long Learning , Carl J. Dahlman, Douglas Zhihua Zeng, Shuilin Wang (PDF, 64Kb) Preparing Korea’s Future Through Lifelong Learning - From the National HRD Perspective, Sang-Hoon Bae (PDF, 801Kb)

To disseminate this report and share the Korean experiences with China, the World Bank Institute, China’s State Council Development Research Center, National Development & Reform Commission, and the Korean Development Institute organized a one-day joint seminar on lifelong learning in Beijing.  

Objectives

The purpose of the proposed seminar was three folded: first, to disseminate the key findings of the World Bank lifelong learning report among the Chinese policy-makers, think tankers, practitioners, academia, civil society and public media to maximize its impact; second, to provide a platform to discuss some of the key issues concerning lifelong learning, such as the role of governments, financing, linkage between education and labor market, etc. and to share Korea’s experiences in these areas; third, to explore the areas for potential follow-up or further work through strong partnerships between the Bank and the key stakeholders in China.

For more information of the seminar, please download the event agenda (PDF, 12Kb)

Participants

The seminar was attended by Chinese policy makers, experts from think tanks, practitioners in education and training, public media, Korean experts, World Bank experts, and some other international experts.

Co-sponsors

The seminar is sponsored by the World Bank Institute, State Information Center of the National Development & Reform Commission, State Council Development Research Center and the Korea Development Institute.