More university, research labs now open to school students

More university and research institute laboratories in Beijing are set to open to middle school teachers and students, as the city expands efforts to link scientific research more closely with classroom teaching.

Ahead of the two sessions due to open in the weekend — the yearly gathering of the city's top legislature and political advisory body — Li Yi, director of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, said the capital was turning experimental theories about education into practice.

"The concept of classes co-taught by scientists and teachers — once a futuristic idea — is becoming a reality here in Beijing," he said.

In accordance with the plan, university researchers will support middle school curricula, while students will gain access to laboratories and research facilities normally reserved for higher education. Officials said the aim is to narrow gaps between different stages of education and allow students to learn through hands-on experiments and project-based exploration.

Li said Beijing is building a more open and integrated education system, encouraging students to move beyond traditional subject boundaries and campus limits while strengthening links between education, industry and scientific research.

In Chaoyang district, several universities have already opened their laboratories to primary and secondary school students, allowing them to carry out experiments alongside university professors.

In 2024, the Chaoyang district government partnered with five universities — Beijing University of Chemical Technology, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology and China Women's University — to establish the Science and Technology Branch of Beijing Academy.

The school is a public comprehensive middle school and part of the Beijing Academy Education Group.

"Our students have already taken part in scientific experiments and artificial intelligence courses at these universities, and they have found the experience very rewarding," said Yu Ruili, Communist Party of China chief of the Science and Technology Branch of Beijing Academy.

Similar partnerships have been formed in Haidian district, where universities including Beijing Institute of Technology and Beihang University have signed agreements in recent years with Chaoyang and Dongcheng districts to open their laboratories to younger students.

The initiative also draws on major scientific infrastructure across the capital.

At the Beijing Huairou National Comprehensive Science Center — one of Beijing's three major science hubs — students are being invited to explore large-scale national research facilities through a program that aims to decode the nation's key instruments.

In Zhongguancun, often described as China's technology hub, Beijing has launched an AI academy for youth in collaboration with the Zhongguancun Academy. The program runs AI experience camps for middle school students and aims to identify and train young talent at an early stage.

The broader strategy involves coordinating off-campus laboratories, science venues and training bases to create what Li described as "boundary-less learning environments". The approach has attracted international attention.

Christopher Fowler, deputy headmaster of Brighton College in the United Kingdom, visited Beijing Academy in December and reviewed its cooperative programs with leading Beijing universities.

"It's breathtaking to see the students' research and the educational experiments there, fostering the creativity we aspire to see in our students," he said.

In the future, Li said, Beijing plans to introduce a "home science toolbox" initiative to further strengthen cooperation among families, schools and communities, with feedback from both international and local school leaders expected to shape the next stage of the program.