The Suzhou municipal government and Central China Normal University sign an agreement on March 24 to form educational ties. [Photo/WeChat account: suzhoufabu365]

The Suzhou municipal government and Central China Normal University signed an agreement on March 24 to form educational ties, local media outlets reported.

The two sides will set up an integrated full-time junior and senior high school in Suzhou's Wuzhong district. It will be built in two phases, covering a total area of 26.7 hectares. The first phase will have a floor area of 120,000 square meters. 

The new school will be run by CCNU's No 1 affiliated middle school, a model of Hubei province's compulsory education, which is widely known for its school management and campus culture. The new school is expected to enroll grade-7 students this September.

According to the agreement, CCNU will also build a research institute and graduate school in Suzhou, aiming to push forward the city's economic and social progress via its strength in teacher education, scientific research, and social services.

The two sides will also carry out long-term and multilevel cooperation in basic education, regional integration, cultural innovation, the commercialization of scientific research achievements, and talent cultivation and exchange.