Taobao University, a training subsidiary of China's e-commerce giant Alibaba, will hit the road in March and April as part of a tour to counties in Shanxi province. The university is expected to deliver training sessions on e-commerce in rural areas, innovation and entrepreneurship in partnership with Shanxi Nongtao Network Technology.

The one-month lecture tour, targeted at local e-commerce demonstration counties and counties with high levels of poverty, aims to develop residents' knowledge and skills in operating internet businesses, as well as promoting the development of regional e-commerce to the benefit of all stakeholders.

Experts and entrepreneurs from Taobao University, e-commerce startups and traditional small and medium-sized companies, as well as village job hunters and officials will discuss how to promote county-level e-commerce in Shanxi during the university’s tour.

Taobao University, an online and offline learning platform for people involved in e-commerce, has trained and assisted more than five million people since its establishment in 2003.