1.How to do policy advocacy and research

The lack of consultation with independent non-profit organizations in policy advocacy results in a shortage of third-party assessment in important policy-making in China, which leads to a high cost in the trial and error in the implementation of national educational policies, negatively affecting the development of the state and people’s lives. Meanwhile, non-profit organizations usually lack the ability to professionally communicate with the Government when they are doing policy research and advocacy. Based on its rich experience on policy research, advocacy, and its power of influence as a nongovernmental think-tank, 21st Century Education Research Institute uses domestic and international experts on policy advocacy and research to effectively help organizations and their professionals implement policy advocacy in China.

Yifang Foundation is the sole sponsor of this program.

2.Research and policy advocacy on the teachers in small-scale schools in rural China

Located in remote areas, small-scale schools are usually short staffed and highly educated teachers prefer to teach in more populated areas. This has negatively affected the educational system in rural areas and increased the educational inequality gap between urban and rural areas. In 2013, the institute began researching the construction of small-scale rural schools were ignored so they could find a solution to these problems. Based on this research 21stCentury Education Research Institute advocated for further policy change in 2014. The policy was designed to improve the livelihood of the teachers, guarantee the construction of rural schools, promote education in China’s rural areas, and realize a balanced development of education in China. The program was designed to last 10 months. It mobilized experts and the media to educate the public about their research and promote the career development of rural teachers.

They would also research documents, collect sample cases, commission investigations, and analyze typical cases to identify the situation, complementary mechanism, and training system of rural teachers, and compile all the information into a report, which would be disseminated to the public and used as an evidence for policy advocacy. The goal of the program is to make more people aware of the situation teachers teaching in small-scale rural schools face, and contribute to the policy they advocate.

Yifang Foundation is the sole sponsor of this program.