The Allan Labor Government top's three priorities in China are education, education and education.
Today in Beijing, the Premier met His Excellency Huai Jinpeng, China's Minister for Education, to formalise an education partnership that will benefit students and teachers across Victoria and China: the Education Working Group.
The landmark Memorandum of Understanding between Victoria and China's Ministry of Education will establish the Working Group, driving educational cooperation from the primary to the tertiary level.
The Working Group will meet every year to plan its agenda across schools, TAFEs and universities - from classroom exchanges and sister-school partnerships to advanced skills and international education.
Priorities will be based on those set out in a 2023 Joint Statement between Victoria and China, which included two-way exchanges between teachers and students, joint vocational programs, sharing of language and culture, supporting students with a disability, and more.
Victoria has more than 80 sister-schools in China, and over 280 students from 14 Victorian schools have visited. In 2024, over 83,000 students studied Chinese Mandarin in Victorian government schools, making it the most-studied foreign language.
Melbourne is Australia's top student city, ranked fifth best in the world. International education is Victoria's biggest services export, worth almost $16 billion a year and supporting 64,000 local jobs.
Victoria's public universities and TAFEs have 142 different partnerships with Chinese institutions. Seven of Victoria's 16 institutions are using the Government's Yes to International Students Fund to deliver a great Victorian education within China.
Through its China Strategy, Victoria aims to be the first port of call for Chinese business to innovate and invest, and the destination of choice for Chinese people to visit and study. That delivers jobs and stability in an increasingly uncertain global economy, and it will benefit everyone in our state.
As stated by Premier Jacinta Allan
"My top three priorities in China are clear: education, education, education."
"I'm honoured to have met with Mr Huai and land this historic agreement on day one of my visit to China."
"All up, this means more opportunities for teachers and students in the Education State."
As stated by Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll
"Through the Victoria-China Education Working Group, we can foster deeper mutual understanding and appreciation of each other's languages and cultures."
"Victoria looks forward to welcoming more Chinese international students while providing our own students with opportunities to learn about Chinese culture."
As stated by Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs Danny Pearson
"Our government will always remain committed to international education and welcoming international students from China and around the world to Victoria, home to Australia's Best Student City."
As stated by Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney
"This partnership will expand opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and student exchange in vocational education, helping to build a strong workforce for the future."
