Experts to overhaul China's exams

Durham University has won a contract with the Chinese government to help develop a national examination system in the country.

The £459,000 deal has been made with the university's Curriculum, Evaluation and Management Centre (CEM).

It is hoped that the centre, which developed Eton college's selection test, can help implement national curriculum-based assessments in China.

In 2004, a Chinese delegation visited Durham on a fact-finding mission.

'Significant development'

It included Madam Zhu Muju, from China's Ministry of Education, who has responsibility for the education of 600 million children.

The visit focused on how the CEM centre uses monitoring systems in this country to provide confidential information to schools and colleges, such as performance indicators.

Prof Peter Tymms, the centre's director, said: "This is a significant development in our collaborative work in China and it represents a major step forward in the international work of CEM and further enhances our worldwide status and reputation as a centre of excellence."

The three-year project will involve establishing two CEM monitoring projects in China, which are expected to run for the foreseeable future, according to the centre.