Peking University, Nov.8, 2011: On the morning of November 6, 2011, the fifth session of Educational Panel of the Beijing Forum 2011, which is the end of the Educational Panel this year, was hosted in the New Meeting Room of Peking University (PKU) Yingjie Exchange Centers. 4 scholars, representing 4 different countries, illustrated the main topic “Space for Educational Innovation” in various aspects and dimensions.

Space for Educational Innovation

In this session, scholars continued to talk around the central topic, which was heatedly discussed yesterday afternoon. Professor David A. Greene from the University of Chicago shared his ideas first. Nowadays universities are seen as engines of economic development, incubators of innovation, essential to a knowledge-based economy, and the home of many of the most significant discoveries in a wide array of fields. However, there are a variety of threats to institutional innovation. Focusing on institutional threats and opportunities, Professor Greene gave his thoughts on how universities might maintain distinctive identities, and foster an environment that promotes innovation in scholarship and teaching as well as in management practices. 

Professor Gu Ja-oek, coming from Korea Education Development Institute, focused on the issues in his hometown. In his research “Evolution and Prospects: Evaluation of Educational Institutions in South Korea”, he illustrated the topic “education boom”, which is regarded as one of Korean traditional education’s main features, from different dimensions and various aspects. What interested the audience most was that Professor Gu Ja-oek gave his presentation in Chinese and his son was a student of PKU School of Economics.

Similar with Professor Gu Ja-oek, Anthony Welch, professor from the University of Sydney, is very familiar with Chinese culture and society as well. In his speech entitled “High-skilled Diaspora as Source of Innovation in Chinese Higher Education and Research”, he talked about “Hai Gui”(overseas returnees) and “Hai Dai”(overseas returnees who are temporarily unable to find a job), which are popular new words created by Chinese people, giving Chinese audience new thoughts on these indigenous issues.

Being the last one to present his speech, Professor Normand Labrie from the University of Toronto chose post-secondary education as his main topic. He carefully examined how public policies aimed at increasing access to postsecondary education in Ontario impacts the French-language community both in terms of institutional development, individual preferences and constraints experienced by students and their families.

Inheritance and Innovation in Education

From the afternoon of November 4 to the morning of 6, hosted in Diaoyutai State Guesthouse and PKU, the Educational Panel of the Beijing Forum 2011 has received fruitful results. Focusing on the theme “Inheritance and Innovation in Education”, 5 different sessions were carefully designed, with more than 30 scholars’ presentation. Heated discussions and deep researches were made about the potential of educational technology, the vitality of traditional education and space for educational innovation. 26 key-note speeches were made concerning about different topics from postsecondary education to school renovation, giving the audience various topics and different dimensions to think.

Reported by: Gao Hongfei

Edited by: Arthars