The duties and functions of Department of International Cooperation and Exchange are as follows:

To formulate guidelines and policies for the foreign affairs of China's educational sector, and to draft relevant laws and regulations; to manage, coordinate and supervise educational cooperation and exchanges between China and other countries; to manage the cooperation and exchanges between China's educational sector and international organizations as well as inter-regional governmental organizations; to formulate guidelines and policies for Chinese students studying abroad and international students studying in China, and to undertake overall management of this issue; to plan, coordinate and instruct the work of teaching Chinese as a foreign language; to manage educational aiding programs provided to other countries by China as well as educational aiding programs offered by other countries to China; to participate in the administration of employing foreign teachers by schools of different levels, and to supervise the selection and employment of foreign teachers by the affiliated universities; to examine, approve and administrate institutions and programs engaged in educational cooperation and exchanges; to give instruction on the operation of education departments in Chinese embassy and consulate abroad; to manage the Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan affairs on behalf of the Ministry of Education, to formulate concerning policies, manage, coordinate and supervise the educational exchanges between education systems of inland China and that of Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan District.