UNESCO adds Guangzhou Becoming China's 1st to Join Global Network of Learning Cities

77 cities from 44 countries recently joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC), bringing the total number of cities within the UNESCO GNLC to 294 in 76 countries. And Guangzhou was the only Chinese city among the 294 members.

The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities is an international network consisting of cities that successfully promote lifelong learning across their communities. It includes 294 cities from all around the world that share inspiration, know-how and best practice among each other.

The UNESCO learning cities were added to the network following their nomination by the National Commissions for UNESCO in the concerned countries and the recommendations of a jury of experts. A strong commitment to lifelong learning by the mayor and city administration and a track record of good practices and policy initiatives are key prerequisites for becoming a learning city.

Guangzhou has been rated as China's second most changed city for two consecutive years. It hosts the China Import and Export Commodities Fair and is home to over 8,700 national high-tech enterprises. With a history stretching back more than 2,000 years, Guangzhou also boasts a thriving cultural scene, which is characterized by Cantonese cuisine, music and language.  

The city's waste separation initiative carries out online and offline publicity and educational campaigns focusing on ways to reduce domestic waste. Guangzhou is also seeking to improve residents' health literacy and integrate prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and health promotion into its health service system.

Public welfare programmes such as the Guangzhou Lifelong Education Lecture Hall and Guangzhou's University Hall of the Third Age provide targeted assistance to women, older people and the homeless. Coordinated action between the education sector, the women's federation, labour unions and other departments ensures that learning opportunities are accessible to all.  

Employment and entrepreneurship are promoted through coordinated action between vocational, academic, non-academic and post-vocational education stakeholders. Work initiatives include the Guangdong Skilled Workers programme, which has subsidized vocational skills training for 400,000 people to date. The Cantonese Cuisine Masterclass has provided training for 31,000 people, while the Southern Guangdong Home Economics programme has trained 176,000 participants.  

Guangzhou has many good practices in promoting lifelong learning. 

Its Study and Dream Project trains new industrial workers in line with economic and social development goals and lifelong learning targets. By July 2021, 160,000 industrial workers had benefited from the project, of whom more than 80,000 obtained higher education certificates, and around 30 per cent were promoted to professional positions. 

The city started the "Yangcheng Village Officials Going to University" project in 2012. Around 10,000 rural grassroots cadres were enrolled and more than 7,000 students obtained higher education certificates. Students' overall skills were improved, which provided new talent to the agriculture sector and contributed to the revitalization of rural areas.

Guangzhou also expands education provision for older people to improve their livelihoods. This initiative seeks to address the needs of Guangzhou's ageing population. Guangzhou' Open University of the Third Age was established in 2018. Since then, 4 million people have participated in its education programmes. To ensure that its outreach extends to rural adults, the university has 800 village teaching sites.