New Shanghai Initiative Cultivates Next-Gen Global Leaders

Shanghai, a pioneer of China's reform and opening-up, is once again positioning itself at the forefront of global education.

On December 5, the city unveiled the Inter-School Youth Development Alliance (IYDA), a nonprofit initiative aimed at cultivating the next generation of globally minded leaders through cross-cultural exchange and collaboration among international schools.

The alliance, initiated by Shanghai Daily and guided by the Information Office of Shanghai Municipality and the Shanghai Global News Network of Shanghai United Media Group (SUMG), is more than a network of schools; it is a strategic effort to align Shanghai's local strengths with global educational trends.

The launch builds on years of groundwork. Shanghai Daily has organized international school music concerts and English writing competitions for several years, events that drew wide participation and fostered cross-school connections. Those efforts, organizers say, helped lay the foundation for a more formal alliance.

Fourteen schools have joined the alliance in its first year. They are The British International School Shanghai, Puxi; Concordia International School Shanghai; Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong and Puxi; German School Shanghai; Shanghai American School; Shanghai Community International School; Shanghai French School; Shanghai Hong Qiao International School; Shanghai Japanese High School; Shanghai Singapore International School; Wellington College International Shanghai; Western International School of Shanghai; and Yew Chung International School Shanghai.

Membership in the alliance comes with a range of benefits. Schools can participate in international exchange programs, host flagship events, and vote on key alliance decisions. Media support from the Shanghai Global News Network helps raise schools' profiles, while foreign influencers from Shanghai Daily's Spark program extend the international reach.

Yet, the IYDA is more than an administrative network; it reflects a broader narrative about Shanghai's role in global education. The city's modern international school sector began to take shape in the 1990s, as China's opening-up accelerated and the expatriate community expanded.

In 1993, Yew Chung International School Shanghai became the city's first independent international school that was approved by local authorities, with a campus on the Chinese mainland.

By the early 2000s, rising demand for international education had taken root, giving shape to a three-part system: international divisions within public schools, private bilingual schools, and international schools that enroll students from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and overseas.

Shanghai's push to innovate in this space has been steady. In 2014, the city designated 21 public schools as pilots for international high school curricula – an effort to expand openness, absorb global best practices, and meet families' increasingly varied expectations.

Today, the scale of international education in Shanghai is striking. KingLead, an education platform, counts more than 150 schools offering some form of international education. Government figures suggest that nearly 40 of them are full international schools.

The "Hurun Education Top International Schools in China 2025" list, released in July, underscores Shanghai's prominence. Forty of the schools on the list are based in Shanghai, including four in the national top 10: YK Pao School (No. 1), Shanghai Pinghe School (No. 3), Shanghai World Foreign Language Academy International Department (No. 5), and Ulink College of Shanghai (No. 7).

In a more narrowly defined ranking – the Hurun Education International Schools Open to Non-Chinese Passport Holders Only Top 30 – Shanghai's presence was even stronger. The city claimed six of the top ten spots, including Shanghai American School (No. 4), Shanghai High School International Division (No. 5), Wellington College International Shanghai (No. 6), Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong (No. 7), Yew Chung International School Shanghai (No. 8), and Concordia International School Shanghai (No. 9).

The launch of IYDA marks a new step in Shanghai's push to strengthen international education. By formalizing collaboration and integrating media and global influence, the alliance does more than connect schools; it shapes an ecosystem where students can cultivate cultural confidence alongside global literacy. Analysts note that such initiatives are increasingly critical as China positions itself on the world stage and as Shanghai competes to attract both domestic and international talent.

For educators, parents, and policymakers, IYDA represents an attempt to address a long-standing challenge: how to produce students who are not only academically capable but also culturally adaptable, innovative, and globally aware. In a city where international families, expatriates, and cross-border students intersect with local communities, fostering these qualities is both a social and economic imperative.

Shanghai's experiment with IYDA may offer lessons for other cities in China and beyond. By blending local cultural strengths with global standards, the alliance illustrates how education can serve as a bridge for soft power, talent development, and international connectivity – shaping the leaders of tomorrow in a world where borders are increasingly porous.

2026 Calendar for Inter-School Youth Development Alliance (IYDA)

1. The English Talent Show

• Registration: March 23 | Finals: Around June 14

• Participants: Students aged 7–17 from IYDA member schools

2. The Media Workshop

• Date: July (summer break)

• Participants: Students aged 7–17

• Details: Skills for Academic Advancement provides expert-led training in English writing and video production. Mornings feature interactive lessons; afternoons include corporate visits. Certificates of completion will be awarded, and outstanding projects may be featured on Shanghai Daily's social media channels.

3. The Alliance Themed Concert

• Date: Around October 20

• Performers: Celebrity artists, choirs, and symphony orchestras from member schools

• Venue: Shanghai Concert Hall