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UNESCO Futures of Education Report presented at the LEAD Academic Network Symposium on Digital Academic Leadership in China
From 22nd to 23rd July 2023, it was held in Guilin the LEAD Academic Network Symposium on Digital Academic Leadership. The symposium was organized by LEAD Academic Network, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, National Academy of Education Administration and Guangxi Normal University. The objective of the symposium was to facilitate dialogue and exchange expertise on the reform of digital academic leadership, the futures of education, the challenges of capacity building faced by teachers, and the cooperation between China and Europe. UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia in Beijing was invited by the organizers of the LEAD Academic Network to present the UNESCO Futures of Education Report at the conference, UN Transforming Education Outcomes and 2030 Roadmap on Higher Education adopted at the 2022 Third World Higher Education Conference.
Over 50 experts and scholars of many diverse universities and institutions in China attended the symposium, including representative from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Guangxi Normal University, National Academy of Education Administration, Yunnan Normal University, Beijing Normal University, Tongji University, Renmin University of China, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Beihang University, Beijing Institute of Education, Liaocheng University, Yan鈥檃n University, and Yunnan Technology and Business University.
Prof. Li Xianxian, Vice President of Guangxi Normal University, asserted in his opening remarks that this symposium played an important role in promoting the sharing of knowledge and cross-border cooperation among members of the LEAD Academic Network. Established in 2022 and grounded on the results of two EU-funded projects, LEAD and LEAD2, the LEAD Academic Network intends to build a community of academic and academic leaders who discuss and conduct research on academic leadership and university governance.
Prof. Zhu Chang of Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Prof. Ye Beibei, Vice-Principal of the Education Department of Guangxi Normal University, both shared their expectations for the LEAD Academic Network, hoping the collaboration between China and Europe in the field of academic leadership can be further strengthened.
Mr. Robert Parua, Programme Specialist for Education of UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia, gave a keynote presentation on the Futures of Education and Transforming Education. With the title 鈥淩eimagining our futures together: a new social contract for education鈥, the 2021 Report lays out an agenda for action at multiple levels and calls for global cooperation to enhance our future education systems. In his presentation, Mr. Parua also highlighted the key action areas derived from the United Nations Transforming Education Summit, China鈥檚 commitment to Transforming Education and UNESCO鈥檚 contribution to digital transformation. The presentation highlighted the role of higher education in sustainable development, UNESCO ICT in education programme, lifelong learning, recognition of qualification in higher education and higher education policy. It is very critical for higher education institutions in China and Europe to acknowledge the significance of rethinking and redefining the purpose of education in our times of increasing internationalization and digital learning. The 2030 Roadmap on Higher Education adopted at the 2022 Third World Higher Education Conference was shared with the participants.
The keynote presentations were followed by a roundtable on the academic cooperation between China and EU. Participants agreed that student exchange activities should be carefully designed and normalized. They also shared ambitions for LEAD Academic Network to welcome more representatives of academic journals to join their community.
The LEAD Academic Network Symposium on Digital Academic Leadership provided valuable opportunity for universities in China to dialogue about the future of higher education. They discussed the opportunities for potential collaboration with partner institutions and universities in Europe, such as Vrije Universiteit Brussel. As stated in the Futures of Education Report, education is the foundation for the renewal and transformation of our societies. UNESCO advocates for the creation of a shared vision of quality education, where collective action will ensure educational systems are equitable for all to leave no one behind.
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