The world is experiencing increasingly uncertain and complex changes at an unprecedented speed. How can school education meet the world's new expectations?

As a global education pioneer rooted in China, how does YCYW prepare students to handle future challenges?

By breaking down boundaries between disciplines and bridging East and West, what sparks of innovation will emerge from this interdisciplinary integration?

On 1-2 March, experts and professors from both Chinese and international educational sectors convened at YCIS Shanghai Puxi to share insights about "Transforming Education, Empowering Humanity: China's Contributions to the Understanding of International Education".

With two keynote addresses, five guest speeches, and twenty professional workshops, the symposium was stimulating and thought-provoking.

We have compiled the videos of the seven presentations below for your reference. In addition, you can scan the QR codes at the end of this article to watch a complete replay of the two-day symposium.

School Education: International Expectations and Trends

Professor Zhang Min-xuan

Director, UNESCO Teacher Education Centre

Director, International Education Research Institute, Ministry of Education, China

Director, Centre for Comparative Education, The Chinese Society of Education

Synopsis: Citing important documents from international organisations including the United Nations and recent educational research from various countries, the speech provides a comprehensive overview of how the education sector has been responding to emerging trends and prospects, especially in regard to the digital transformation of education.

How YCYW Prepares Students for the Future

Dr Troy Lui Tsz-tak

Chief Education Officer and Head of Curriculum Professional Development Division, YCYW Education Network

Synopsis: Because of the challenges facing humanity in the 21st century, education must extend to the real world. Education must guide students to acquire communication and collaboration skills and other abilities through real-life interactions, and to develop character traits such as flexibility and adaptability. 

Future-oriented Astronomy Education

Mr Liu Jian

Deputy Director-General of Shanghai Science and Technology Museum

Director, Shanghai Astronomy Museum Administrative Committee

Synopsis: The speech highlights the innovative practices and valuable experiences of the Shanghai Astronomy Museum in promoting astronomy education for the public. The speaker emphasises the importance of astronomy in fostering the interests of students in science, and integrating various fields, including the arts and humanities, to promote the students' holistic development.

 International Education Beyond East and West 

Dr Gary Morrison

Founding Chairman of the College Governing Council and Supervisor, Yew Chung Community College (now known as YCCECE)

Synopsis: The speech uses vivid examples to underscore the importance of cultivating a global vision in today's diverse and complex world. The speech also introduces YCYW's educational practice of integrating Chinese and Western cultures and its focus on the development of the students' character.

YCYW Early Childhood Education: The 12 Values

Dr Stephanie C. Sanders-Smith

Yew Chung - Bernard Spodek Scholar and Associate Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, University of Illinois, Urbana - Champaign, USA

Synopsis: As the principal author of The Yew Chung Approach to Early Childhood Education, Dr Sanders-Smith systematically elaborates on the external manifestations and the internal connections of the 12 Values, which are at the core of YCYW's ECE pedagogy.

Chinese Kindergartens Quality Rating Scale 

Professor Shi Ping

Director, YCCECE Chor Hang Educational Research Institute

Head, YCCECE Chinese Mainland Development Office

Synopsis: The speech reviews the evolution of kindergarten education quality assessment in China since the 1980s. It introduces the YCYW Guidelines for Quality Assessment of Kindergarten Education (tentative translation) for the Chinese mainland. These guidelines, integrate Chinese national requirements with international best practices.

Pedagogical Quality in Early Childhood: Crossing Frontiers and Learning From One Another

Professor Kathy Sylva

Professor of Educational Psychology and Honorary Research Fellow, Department of Education, University of Oxford, UK

Member of the YCCECE Board of Governors

Synopsis: Drawing on longitudinal research on a sample of 3,000 children, the speech demonstrates the positive impact of high-quality preschool education on children's cognitive development and social-behavioural outcomes.