2024 Surrey Headteachers Visit Guiyang and Chengdu

November 2024 | Guiyang and Chengdu, China

Building School Partnerships Through Education and Culture

In November 2024, the UK–China Culture & Education Exchange Centre organised a visit to China for six primary and secondary school headteachers representing three education groups in Surrey, England. Travelling from London via Beijing to Guiyang, and then by high-speed rail to Chengdu, the delegation combined professional exchange with opportunities to experience local culture.

The programme brought British and Chinese educators together through school visits, partnership signing ceremonies and the 2024 UK–China Education Forum, jointly organised by the Centre and Chengdu’s Qingyang District Education Bureau.

Guiyang: Learning Together and Building Friendships

The first stage of the visit took the delegation to schools in Guiyang. Headteachers met school leaders, teachers and pupils, visited classrooms and explored different approaches to teaching and school life. The visits offered opportunities to exchange ideas about pupils’ learning and development, while friendly-school agreements established a foundation for continued cooperation.

Beyond the school gates, the delegation visited an ancient town near Guiyang. Its historic streets and traditional architecture provided a different perspective on the region and time for informal conversation with their hosts before the onward journey to Chengdu.

Chengdu: A Forum for Lasting Cooperation

In Chengdu, school visits and the UK–China Education Forum continued the dialogue. Educators discussed educational approaches, curriculum innovation and teacher development, sharing experience and considering practical possibilities for collaboration.

The programme facilitated friendship-school agreements involving more than ten primary and secondary schools in the UK and China. These partnerships laid the groundwork for future two-way exchanges for students and teachers. Classroom visits and conversations with pupils helped connect the formal agreements with the everyday experiences at the heart of education.

Experiencing Local Culture

Cultural exchange was an integral part of the journey. In Chengdu, the delegation explored Kuanzhai Alley and experienced the city’s local culture and everyday life. Sichuan hotpot and local snacks introduced the visitors to the region’s distinctive food, while a Sichuan opera performance offered a memorable encounter with the art of face-changing. Some also experienced Chengdu’s traditional ear-cleaning practice.

These shared experiences created space for friendships to develop beyond the meeting room. Discovering local traditions together helped the visiting educators gain a fuller appreciation of the communities connected to their new partner schools.

Looking Ahead

For the UK–China Culture & Education Exchange Centre, educational cooperation grows through both professional dialogue and personal understanding. The 2024 visit strengthened relationships between schools in Surrey, Guiyang and Chengdu and created opportunities for further collaboration.

We look forward to supporting these partnerships and developing further exchanges that bring students, teachers and school leaders together. Schools interested in UK–China educational cooperation are welcome to contact us at info@ukchinaedu.com.