Recently, British Prime Minister Theresa May arrived in China and further laid the foundation for educational cooperation between China and the UK. On February 2nd, 2018, British Prime Minister Theresa May visited Shanghai to attend the China-UK Business Forum, visit the educational technology exhibition, and interact with several students from the Youdao Online School under the umbrella of TAL Education Group. She expressed her appreciation for the product technology and development prospects of online education in China.

According to Bai Yunfeng, President of TAL Education Group, the "Youdao Online School Live System" and "Youdao Online School VR Classroom" showcased at this event are online educational products that the Youdao Online School has independently innovated and applied. They currently serve over 6 million registered students, and their research and development in facial and voice recognition technology enable real-time recognition and feedback on a student's language, tone, and even semantic expression, allowing teachers in online classrooms to "hear" their students with the help of technology.

British Prime Minister Theresa May experiencing products from the Youdao Online School under TAL Education Group

During her visit, Theresa May conversed with the young students, discussing topics such as football and Harry Potter. During the conversation, the students communicated in English, with one child becoming an "Auntie May little fan" on the spot. The entire conversation between Theresa May and the students is as follows:

Facilitator: Could you tell Auntie May what do you like about the UK?

Xixi: Harry Potter, because I’m a Harry Potter fan, I read all the books.

Auntie May: Harry Potter, Harry Potter books, I read all the books too.

Heming: I want to play and study in Oxford with my mom.

Auntie May: Well I study in Oxford, so that’s very good.

Xinyi: I like you most Auntie May. I know this time you come to China for work, I hope you come back for a travel, I’d like to be your tourist.

Auntie May: Thank you, Thank you very much, good bye!

During Prime Minister Theresa May's visit to China, a special "English is GREAT" promotion project was launched, aiming to promote English education in China. The Youdao Online School under TAL Education Group also conducted practical explorations in English teaching, breaking away from "traditional" human-assisted English learning and actively trying out new learning methods with machine-assisted English teaching. While introducing full-time foreign English teachers from the UK, US, Australia, and Canada for online classes, the "Youdao Online School Double Excellence English" live classes also adopt voice recognition technology to automatically grade students' voice, tone, and semantic expressions. Currently, the percentage of students registered in English courses at the Youdao Online School has reached about 30%.

The exhibition also featured other educational technology products under TAL Education Group, such as "Snow Reading," "ABCtime Live," and the "Magic Mirror System."

British Prime Minister Theresa May experiencing products from TAL Education Group

British Prime Minister Theresa May experiencing products from TAL Education Group

In recent years, TAL Education Group has gradually set its sights on leading international educational technology companies, accelerating its internationalization strategy. It has successively collaborated with authoritative international academic institutions and international renowned publishers such as Oxford University Press and the UK's Dorling Kindersley, introducing high-quality content from around the world to continuously create an internationalized educational core, and bring more systematic and internationalized learning resources to Chinese children.

Peter Phillips, CEO of Cambridge University Press (right), shaking hands warmly with Bai Yunfeng, President of TAL Education Group (left)

On the same day, with British International Trade Secretary Liam Fox as the witness, TAL Education Group's Youdao English and Cambridge University Press signed a contract in Shanghai to establish the Youdao English Overseas Research Institute in the UK. They will join forces to conduct cutting-edge academic research, delve into the essence of subjects and scientific methods, and further upgrade teacher training, learning content, and research and development based on the latest research findings. Ultimately, they aim to provide Chinese children with an excellent learning experience beyond language and cultivate Chinese individuals with international perspectives and cultural confidence, comprehensively deepening cooperation between TAL Education Group and the UK in the field of education. In the future, TAL Education Group will also actively expand into the international education field, carrying out its mission of "using technology to promote educational progress" and assisting more Chinese students in stepping onto the global stage.