STEM institute might attract more to science

Editor's note: UNESCO inaugurated its International Institute for STEM Education in Shanghai on Sunday. It is the first Category 1 institute of its kind in China. What does this mean for China's education reforms and for global cooperation in STEM? China Daily asked Xiong Bingqi, director of the 21st Century Education Research Institute; Chu Zhaohui, a senior researcher at the China National Academy of Educational Sciences; and Wang Yan, an associate research fellow at the Country and Area Studies Academy, Beijing Foreign Studies University. Below are excerpts from the interviews. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

UNESCO's decision to set up the International Institute for STEM Education in Shanghai marks more than the opening of a new institute. It underscores both Shanghai's pioneering role in education reform and China's growing influence in shaping the future of science and education. As the 10th UNESCO Category 1 hub in the world, it highlights China's expanding role in global education governance.

STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — has always been part of Chinese classrooms. Most students study math, science and technology-related subjects. But STEM education goes beyond rote learning, encouraging curiosity, problem-solving and creativity, preparing students to thrive in the 21st century.