SINO-SINGAPORE Tianjin Eco- City Investment and Development Co Ltd (SSTEC) has embarked on a joint venture with GEMS Education, the world's largest K-12 (kindergarten to Grade 12) education company, to co-develop GEMS' first flagship greenfield international school in China.

The GEMS World Academy (GWA) Tianjin will be located near the commercial centre of Tianjin Eco-City's Start-Up Area. It will open its doors in 2011 to more than 2,000 foreign students, ranging from pre-school to high school levels.

GWA Tianjin, with an estimated total investment of 140 million yuan (S$28.5 million), will deliver the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme.

The operator of GWA Tianjin will be a subsidiary of GEMS Education Holdings (PREACH) Pte Ltd, Singapore.

SSTEC is the master developer for the Tianjin Eco-City.

This article was first published in The Business Times.