On October 13, 2026, the Global Network Program co-hosted the seminar “Building Balanced Development of Public Schools in China: Through A School Collaboration Approach.” Associate Professor Jing Liu from the Graduate School of Education at Tohoku University was invited as the guest speaker.

The seminar began with an introduction to the growing use of school collaboration as an approach to educational improvement around the world, followed by a discussion of disparities among schools and regions within China’s compulsory education system. Even within the same region, public schools in China differ substantially in terms of facilities, teachers, educational resources, and opportunities for students to advance to higher levels of education. These disparities have made equitable access to quality education an important policy challenge. In response, China has promoted policies encouraging schools to share educational resources through various context-specific mechanisms, including school alliances, Education Groups, and urban-rural school partnerships.

Particular attention was given to “Education Groups,” in which multiple public schools collaborate and share educational resources. Through these groups, high-performing schools share their educational philosophies, school brands, management practices, leadership expertise, teacher training, curricula, and educational technologies with member schools. Such collaboration aims to strengthen school capacity and improve the overall quality of education while expanding access to professional development opportunities and educational resources for teachers and school leaders. The presentation also addressed several challenges, including tensions between top-down government initiatives and schools’ own motivations, disparities among Education Groups, and the potential risk of homogenizing schools.

A case study of Education Groups in Chengdu illustrated how these mechanisms operate in practice. In response to rapid urbanization and growing demand for quality education, Chengdu has promoted urban-rural educational integration and resource sharing among schools. Government authorities have introduced top-down measures, including improvements in school infrastructure, redistribution of human resources, and the establishment of organizational and evaluation systems for Education Groups. At the same time, schools and teachers have developed bottom-up initiatives and innovations. Exchanges among teachers and school leaders, curriculum sharing, lesson study, teacher training, and joint activities have created mechanisms for sharing knowledge and educational practices across participating schools.

The lecture further demonstrated how school collaboration can expand students’ access to quality educational resources, school-based curricula, and advanced educational facilities and technologies. Particular attention was given to the role of Education Groups in improving migrant children’s access to quality education. Member schools also exchange human resources by sending experienced teachers from leader schools to other member schools and organizing teacher training, lesson study, workshops, and other professional development activities. At the same time, the importance of preserving each school’s distinctive characteristics while developing shared values and a common culture across participating schools was emphasized.

A total of 58 students and faculty members participated online. During the Q&A session, participants raised questions about the educational circumstances of migrant children, the role of Education Groups in improving their educational opportunities, and how schools can maintain their autonomy within government-led school collaboration initiatives. Participants actively exchanged views on these issues. The seminar provided a valuable opportunity to explore how school collaboration and resource sharing can contribute to reducing disparities among schools in China and to deepen understanding of how education systems can balance top-down policy initiatives with school-level autonomy and innovation.