In May and June 2023, the College of Education at Zhejiang University organized an exchange program on the theme of Global Education Reform and Sustainable Development. The program focused on current topics in higher education and featured exceptional lectures by renowned experts and scholars from prestigious universities such as Oxford University, the University of Western Ontario, and Boston University of Massachusetts. The lectures explored various aspects of higher education, including the evaluation of top-tier universities, talent development, and supporting career advancement for prospective college students. With the active participation of over 500 teachers and students, the program provided valuable insights into the high-quality growth of higher education.

On May 5, Professor Huang Futao from Hiroshima University in Japan, gave a report titled “Undergraduate Studies in Leading Overseas Universities”. During the presentation, Prof. Huang encouraged participants to contemplate the nature of undergraduate education in top-tier universities and the criteria used to evaluate it. He illustrated his points by presenting case studies from institutions like MIT and Department of Engineering at Cambridge, showing the framework of undergraduate curricula and highlighting key characteristics of bachelor's degree programs, which implied the importance of integration, multidisciplinary, and internationalization in shaping future university curricula.

On May 21, Associate Professor David Mills from University of Oxford, brought us a lecture titled “Global Education Reform: Beyond Rankings and Metrics”. Engaging with the attendees, Prof. Mills explored the impact of global university rankings on the operations and competitive strategies of universities, as well as the strategies employed by higher education institutions to respond to these rankings. He stressed the importance of developing more meaningful rankings that can accurately gauge the quality of universities. Such a thought-provoking lecture provided valuable insights into the realm of global education reform.

On May 27, Professor Li Jun, a renowned expert in the studies of education and East Asia from Western Universityin Canada, and President of Comparative and International Education Society (CIES), delivered an insightful academic lecture titled “Educational Improvement Science (EIS) in Global Perspective”. Prof. Li approached the topic from the perspective of modern technological advancements, demonstrating the educational opportunities and challenges brought by technology. While the awareness of EIS has long been acknowledged, there has been a persistent divergence regarding “what to improve” and “who should drive the improvement”. As highlighted by Prof. Li, it is crucial to perceive EIS as a valuable tool for identifying suitable approaches to enhance school management.

On June 3, Professor Yan Wenfan from the University of Massachusetts Boston, USA,gave an in-depth presentation on “Meeting the Challenges of the Future: Global Education Reform and Sustainable Education”. It delved into the limitations of traditional education systems and the education reforms needed in the era of AI, while sharing innovative practices from Ivy League institutions and offering development recommendations for domestic C9 league. Prof. Yan aligned closely with the evolving landscape, addressing key issues such as comprehensive talent cultivation and the design of effective evaluation systems. In the vibrant Q&A session, students actively posed various questions, which were met with meticulous responses from the esteemed professor.

On June 10, Professor Chang Tongshan, Director of Institutional Research and Academic Planning at the University of California (UC) Office of the President, introduced “American College Student Life: From High School to Post-Baccalaureate Education or Career”. Prof. Chang provided valuable insights into the entire journey of American students, starting from their high school college application preparation, navigating college study and life experiences, and culminating in graduate application and career preparation. Three key actions were highlighted - clarify the direction, seize the opportunity, and actively participate - which succinctly captured the essence of his lecture. The content struck a chord with the audience, prompting enthusiastic engagement and numerous questions from students.

On June 27, Professor Barney Dalgarno, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education, and Doctor Duncan Driver, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Education, both from the University of Canberra, jointly delivered a presentation on “Reforms to Teaching and Teacher Education: Narratives of Policy and Practice”. Doctor Duncan Driver firstly introduced the background information of Australia’s school system, curriculum, class and school organization structure and teaching mode. Following that, Prof. Barney Dalgarno shared insights on the challenges, underlying causes, and reforms encountered in Australian school education and teacher education, analyzing influential narratives from government and academia. The session concluded with a friendly discussion among participants, exploring educational differences between China and Australia, including teacher treatment, differentiated teaching, technology-assisted learning and ICT skills training.

The exchange program forms a vital component of the College of Education's “Seeing the World - Global Competence Enhancement Program”. Through this program, students have the opportunity to attend lectures and presentations delivered by esteemed experts and scholars in the realm of global higher education. Engaging in interactive sessions, they actively discussed and exchanged ideas with the professors in the interactive sessions, fostering international perspective and enhancing their understanding of global issues, as well as improving their language and communication skills and enhancing their global competency.

Edited by: Dinara Tursonbek, YAO Yining, YAN Te, YUAN Jinshan, HU Yizhuo

Photo taken by: Dinara Turusombek, LIN Junjie, LI Weijun