The Yangtze River Delta region, made up of Shanghai city and Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces, agree on Dec 13-14 to join hands on regional education integration. [Photo/jsenews.cn]

The Yangtze River Delta region, made up of Shanghai city and Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces, agreed on Dec 13-14 to join hands on regional high-quality education development. 

Education in the area will advance in an integrated and high-profile direction, laying solid, guiding and complete foundations for boosting the regional economy. 

To reach the goal of comprehensive integration, the agreement suggests taking two steps. The initial one, which is set to be met by 2020, will forge an effective, open and connected mechanism that will cover the region and even China's central and western areas. 

The second step says that, by 2025, the region will take the lead in realizing educational modernization, and will shape an educational pattern that is at the same time distinctively Chinese and able to match the level of developed countries. 

A working plan was also inked, with a key emphasis on the next three years. In the field of higher education, joint laboratories are highly recommended, while in the area of basic education reform, consultation on major issues is promoted. The plan also encourages setting up a platform for the training of administrative staff and faculty members.