BEIJIG- China's education system, a complex tapestry woven from centuries of tradition and modern innovation, is attracting increasing global attention.  

One key catalyst in this growing interest is the China International Press Communication Center (CIPCC), a media exchange program that provides a platform for international journalists to delve into China's educational landscape.

Foreign journalists participating in CIPCC’s initiative visited the Communication University of China (CUC) in Beijing on Wednesday morning.

Upon our arrival at the CUC, we were greeted with a warm welcome while observing the performance of the newly established Weifeng Gong and Drum Team. 

Zhongrui Chen, a master’s student in international journalism at the CUC, said Weifeng Gong and Drum is a traditional Chinese folk music art and one of China’s intangible cultural heritages. He added that it was performed at the 1990 Beijing Asian Games opening ceremony. 

He said teachers and students have practiced this Weifeng Gong and Drum piece for over two months. 

During our tour, we had the opportunity to explore the CUC Media Museum, where we gained insights into the evolution of China's media sector. Participants in the CIPCC media exchange program acquired firsthand knowledge of China's radio, television, and film sectors, which have a history spanning over a century.

We also visited one of CUC's key innovation laboratories, the Information Accessibility Lab, where we were informed about a film initiative designed to support individuals with visual impairments.

The university has initiated a public welfare project - the Guangming Cinema, or Bright Cinema in English, producing audio-described films for the visually impaired. 

The initiative incorporates descriptions of visual scenes alongside dialogues and sound effects, transforming visual details into auditory cues to assist visually impaired individuals in comprehending films.

We were informed that the project started in late 2017, and since 2018, CUC teacher and student volunteers have been producing more than 100 audio-described films annually, meaning that visually impaired people can enjoy two audio-described films per week on average.

The representatives of foreign media outlets were also provided with deep understanding of China’s history as they attended a lecture presented by Professor Minsu Wu. 

She addressed China's history dating back to 3,000 BC and illustrated the evolution of education in the country using slides displayed on the screen. She emphasized that education has been instrumental in China's progress and in alleviating poverty.

The visit to the CUC was a component of CIPCC's media exchange initiative during the first half of 2025. Last month, CIPCC unveiled its plans for this year. The 2025 program has achieved a remarkable milestone by inviting over 120 journalists from more than 100 countries, setting a new record for the largest number of journalists invited since the plan began in 2014.