University graduates in China are viewed as the new mandarin class in China. University entrance examinations are seen as the modern counterpart of the long tradition of civil service examinations. It is noted that China's 630 universities and colleges only accommodate four to five percent of those seeking admission. (Author/MP)

A report on the early stages of a research project, The Skills and Procedures of Mathematical Problem Solving in pupils of 9-13 years (SPMPS), is given. The article explores the background to the need for such a project, both from a mathematical and pedagogical point of view. (Author/MK)