Karin Elbek, a partner with RUM, one of the four Danish architect firms designing the Chengdu Horsens Kindergarten and the Chengdu Horsens Primary School, makes a presentation on the designing process to members of the Chengdu media delegation. [Photo by Huang Zhiling/chinadaily.com.cn]

The design shows that Danish education advocates individuality and hopes that each child can find his or her own space, Elbek said.

The quality of Danish services for the aged is known worldwide. The VIA University College in Horsens has cooperated with Chengdu to seek ways for the Chinese city to provide better service for its elderly residents.

Rikke Hjuler Mikkelsen, who is in charge of the international program at the college, said the Danish encourage the elderly to live at home as long as possible. Only when they cannot take care of themselves will they move to facilities for old people.

Mikkelsen said 10 doctors and nurses from the West China Hospital of Sichuan University would receive short-term training on service for the aged at the Danish college this summer.

When the Chengdu delegation visited the Horsens Central Wastewater Treatment Plant, they learned wastewater from homes and businesses in the city of 80,000 people makes its way to the plant through a 1,100-kilometer pipeline. After 18 hours of treatment, water that meets the requirements for discharge is released into the sea.

The Danish wastewater treatment process is the same as that in Chengdu, which does a good job in treating its urban wastewater but is yet to adequately treat wastewater in the countryside, said Erling Nielsen, a manager at the Horsens Central Wastewater Treatment Plant.

He said his plant would share its wastewater treatment success story with Chengdu.