A delegation of 11 Beijing universities, including Renmin University of China, Beijing Normal University, and Beihang University, participated in the "Study in Beijing" Education Exhibition 2026, held successively at the Athens University of Economics and Business in Greece and the University of Cyprus. The event, hosted by the Beijing Municipal Education Commission and organized by the Beijing International Education Exchange Center and other institutions, aimed to showcase Beijing's higher education resources and achievements in international education to local faculty, students, parents, and education professionals, according to Media OutReach Newswire.
The exhibition holds particular significance as 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of the China-Greece comprehensive strategic partnership and the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Cyprus, alongside the 5th anniversary of the China-Cyprus strategic partnership. At the Greek stop's opening ceremony, Fang Qiu, Chinese Ambassador to Greece, welcomed the Beijing education delegation, while Li Yi, Director of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, introduced the strengths and cutting-edge programs of Beijing universities and invited young people from Greece and other parts of Europe to study in Beijing. Nancy Pouloudi, Vice Rector of the Athens University of Economics and Business, and Alexandros Papalexandris, Greek Director of the Business Confucius Institute, also spoke, highlighting China-Greece language and cultural exchange.
In Cyprus, Yang Yundong, Chinese Ambassador to Cyprus; a senior representative of the Cyprus Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth; and Professor Tasos Christofides, Rector of the University of Cyprus, attended and delivered speeches. George Solomonides, a representative of Cypriot students studying in China, shared his experiences from studying in Beijing. The event underscores the continued advancement of educational cooperation between China and Cyprus, with steady progress in higher education exchanges, mutual recognition of academic degrees, and Chinese language teaching.
Beijing, home to nearly 100 universities and research institutions that can enroll international students, offers diversified educational programs, scholarship support, and internship and entrepreneurship services centered on the themes of "Understanding Beijing, Studying in Beijing, Integrating into Beijing, and Staying in Beijing." Participating universities set up booths covering fields such as aerospace, rail transit, energy and power, teacher education, international Chinese language, mathematics and humanities, food and business, tourism management, special education, and Olympic education. Local students and parents inquired about admission policies, program offerings, scholarship applications, and student life.
Ceremonies were also held in both locations for the designation of student-source base schools and the signing of sister-school agreements, promoting regular mechanisms in student recruitment, inter-school collaboration, teacher education, and youth exchanges. Currently, Beijing hosts 65,800 international students from 183 countries and regions and ranks 12th globally in the QS Best Student Cities 2027 ranking. The exhibition's implications extend beyond student mobility, signaling Beijing's push to deepen educational ties with Europe and positioning the city as a competitive global study destination.
