ABSTRACT
What insights can be learned from the shift to Shanghai-China as a reference for educational policy borrowing by other countries? This chapter argues that rather than learning from Shanghai, policymakers externalize to Shanghai in order to justify support for domestic reforms. Accompanying the reservation of learning from Shanghai is a perception that its educational system is too exam-centric and stressful. Such a perception is held not only by outsiders but also by the Chinese themselves. The chapter explores the prospects for Shanghai as a reference society through its ongoing education reform that aims to address prevailing educational challenges.
