Initiated by the Shanghai Education Commission, the "credit bank" is designed to provide a personal study situation account for each person who has registered for continued education.
The system will be able to record and certify courses the account owners have taken, as well as store and exchange credits they have earned.
The commission is also encouraging universities to open their distance learning or Web-based education programs to the public, and is building more community schools for continued or spare- time education.
"Our goal is to build up a citywide life-long education system that can allow anybody to learn at any place and any time they want," said Li Junxiu, the commission's vice director.
The notion came after members of the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People's Consultative Conference, the city's top advisory body, launched an inspection on Shanghai's life-long education situation.
Earlier this year, a couple of CPPCC members put up proposals that the city government issue regulations to ensure study for preschoolers and retired people, and extracurricular learning for working people.
The city government has increased its investment in locals' part-time training and education since 2006.
Sixteen of the city's 18 districts and Chongming County had set up their own community school.
More than 2,700 courses in 12 categories, such as health and family education, had been available on a city-level community education Website.
