The Hurun Education Top International Schools in China 2018 surveyed at least 330 school principals, senior teachers, investors, overseas study agents, and government departments, in China between July and December 2018.

“I hope the Hurun Education Top 100 can suggest diversified growth”

In the second year of the ranking, Beijing replaced Shanghai as the city with the most international schools on the list, Rupert Hoogewerf, chairman and chief researcher of Hurun Education, highlighted.

In total, 26 schools in Beijing made the top 100 list, compared to 23 in Shanghai. Last year the figures were 21 and 26, respectively.

The top 100 came from 24 cities across Mainland China, and two-thirds of the list came from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

The proportion of schools included that admit Chinese passport holders rose from 70% to 80% since last year’s ranking – eight of the top 10 schools are able to admit Chinese passport holders, up four from 2017.

“This ranking is primarily targeted at parents with children in China, helping them to find the most suitable school for their child, teachers already at or looking to work at international schools in China and admission officers of universities looking to recruit students from China,” Hoogewerf said.

Guo Fei, co-founder of Everest International Education, a strategic partner of the Hurun Education, said the list could identify more study options for prospective students and parents – 20 schools made the ranking for the first time.

“We have worked hard to engage with our broader community in Beijing”

“I hope the Hurun Education Top 100 can suggest diversified growth paths for outstanding students, flagging up traditional powerhouses such as Shanghai High School International Division, as well as perhaps lesser-known schools that have unique teaching philosophies and cultivation of talent,” Fei noted.

Simon Herbert, headmaster of second-place Dulwich College Beijing, said community engagement and exam results led to the high placing.

“We have worked hard to engage with our broader community in Beijing, to maintain excellent results and to ensure that our students appreciate what they have and their responsibility to others,” Herbert told The PIE News.

In total, five Dulwich College schools feature in the top 100.

“The Dulwich College International brand, led by chairman Fraser White, is known to be very high quality across China,” Herbert concluded.