中文
By Xia Fangting
China will play an expanding role in shaping the future of global education, the CEO of education provider Study Group said on Jan. 14, calling for stronger cross-cultural understanding to address global challenges.
"If people don't educate new generations to understand each other, it will be very hard to solve global problems," Ian Crichton said in an exclusive interview. "The days when you could solve a problem within one country are gone. People must understand how to engage cross-culturally, to respect and understand each other."
The world is now smaller as people travel and cultures mix, making it more important that people learn to engage across cultures, he said.
Crichton highlighted China's progress over the past four decades in lifting its population out of poverty, calling the transformation "incredible."
"From bicycles everywhere to electric mobility, renewables, high-tech and gaming industries," he said. The world "needs to see this progress in China first-hand."
Such development in China "came from serving the world, not just itself," he added.
China has a huge role to play in global education, Crichton said, noting the country is aligning its workforce's skills with future national needs through vocational education.
"China is taking the lead, and other countries will start to copy that," he said.
The next global trend may see more people choosing China as a study destination, he added. While many Chinese students currently go abroad to learn about the world, Crichton predicted that trend would reverse over the next 20 years.
"The world will come to China. Chinese students will meet people from all over the world in their own classrooms. That's exciting," he said.
When asked about building a global education ecosystem that bridges East and West, Crichton said the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative has already generated extensive educational cooperation between nations.
"I visited a university in southern China that works with a Thai partner on rubber research — that's a great example," he said.
Ian Crichton, CEO of Study Group, speaks at the Bellerbys Global Education Launch Ceremony in Beijing, Jan. 14, 2026. [Photo courtesy of Study Group]
Earlier on Wednesday, Crichton delivered the opening address at a ceremony in Beijing marking the launch of Bellerbys Global's nine study centers across China.
Bellerbys Global, a brand under Study Group, offers locally delivered British-standard foundation programs. Study Group is an international education provider that facilitates student progression to top universities worldwide through pathway programs.
The launch underscores the group's focus on local partnerships in China.
The event brought together government representatives, experts, partners and education agencies from around the world to explore new models of global education cooperation.
