Northcote High School will be the first Victorian government school to deliver the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) in China, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government’s newly expanded VCE Offshore program.
Minister for Education James Merlino signed the historic agreement today at the fifth annual VCE Conference in Melbourne’s sister city, Tianjin.
The agreement will see Northcote High School and Tianyi High School work together to deliver an Australian high school qualification in China.
Northcote High School will provide resources, professional learning and mentoring to its Chinese counterparts, who will then deliver the curriculum to Chinese students.
The move builds on the 17-year sister-school relationship between Northcote High and Tianyi’s parent school, Huaibei Number One Middle School.
Tianyi High School will deliver a Preparatory English program from September 2016, with Year 12 VCE Studies expected to get underway in February 2017. Subjects will include English, maths, physics and accounting.
This year, more than 500 students in China are due to complete their VCE, with the majority expected to continue their studies at a Victorian tertiary institution.
Other government schools are expected to have approved similar programs in the coming months.
The Labor Government expanded the VCE Offshore initiative to include government schools thanks to a $31.9 million boost to the international education sector, as well as encouraging more international students to study in Victoria.
International education is Victoria’s leading service-based export and supports more than 30,000 jobs across the state, generating $5.6 billion for the economy last financial year.
Partnerships like this one between Northcote and Tianyi sit at the heart of the Victoria-China relationship and help build stronger links and mutual understanding between the two regions.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education James Merlino
“This is an historic day for education in Victoria — it will grant us greater exposure in China and show prospective international students what our Education State has to offer.”
“The VCE-in-China program creates lasting connections between Victorian and Chinese school communities and gives our students fantastic opportunities for the future, like exchange programs and joint projects.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020