{"id":14863,"date":"2024-11-06T10:27:52","date_gmt":"2024-11-06T10:27:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/?p=14863"},"modified":"2024-11-20T14:32:55","modified_gmt":"2024-11-20T14:32:55","slug":"building-cultural-bridges-between-the-uk-and-china-through-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/building-cultural-bridges-between-the-uk-and-china-through-education\/","title":{"rendered":"How a British entrepreneur brought the UK boarding school model to China"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BE Education<\/a> has become a prominent player in bridging the gap between the British and Chinese education systems. What started as a simple favour for a friend has grown into a business that not only helps Chinese students enter prestigious British schools but also fosters cultural exchange and understanding between the two nations  <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

BE Education\u2019s story began when William Vanbergen, a British entrepreneur, came to China over 20 years ago. \u201cNot long after I came to China, a friend asked if I could help a student apply for a British school,\u201d says Vanbergen. \u201cWe succeeded, and from there, BE Education was born.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initially, the business was focused on helping Chinese students gain admission into top British boarding schools. This came at a time when the growing middle class in China was looking to send its children to study abroad \u2013 a new luxury they could now afford. And British schools, renowned for their holistic rather than exam-focused approach, were very much in demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Vanbergen notes, \u201cChinese parents love the idea of British education. It has the best reputation globally, even compared to American schools. The way education is approached in the UK \u2013 challenging students to think critically \u2013 is different from the education system in China, which tends to emphasise knowledge through memorisation.\u201d This cultural difference has driven many Chinese families to seek education abroad, especially for children whose future success they hope will come from a broader, more international perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The allure of a British education<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Over time, BE Education\u2019s focus has expanded. It now operates schools in China that are modelled after British boarding schools. These schools \u2013 located in Changzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Hong Kong \u2013 serve over 2,500 students and have brought a new level of educational quality to China\u2019s Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. \u201cOver 30 percent of the graduates at Wycombe Abbey Changzhou have gone on to study at the world\u2019s top 20 universities,\u201d Vanbergen notes. The schools maintain a high student-to-teacher ratio of under 4:1, a hallmark of their commitment to delivering quality education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While BE Education schools follow the British boarding model, they have adapted to local needs. For instance, China\u2019s mandatory nine-year education system (from ages 6 to 15) requires adherence to national curricula. BE Education balances this by integrating British A-levels for students over 15s, while providing a rich extracurricular environment. \u201cOur Changzhou school includes an exceptional boathouse and a boating lake, inspired by the holistic activities offered by a leading British boarding school,\u201d says Vanbergen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many students in BE Education\u2019s Chinese schools experience boarding commonly associated with British ones. \u201cWe operate a house system akin to UK boarding schools,\u201d Vanbergen explains. \u201cIn China, many boarding school students must return home at weekends, whereas we offer a full boarding experience with weekend boarding, common in the UK, giving a deeper and more impactful, holistic education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n