The 2020 Presidents’ Forum of the Alliance of Asian Liberal Arts Universities (AALAU), co-organized by ECNU’s Faculty of Education, International Exchange Division(Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs) and the Academic Affairs Office was held at ECNU on November 12.
Guided by the theme of “Constructing the Liberal Arts Education for the Future: Challenges and Opportunities”, nearly 60 educational leaders and scholars representing 22 universities from India, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Chinese mainland and Hong Kong exchanged views on the future development of the alliance.
Online and on-site attendants pose for photo.
ECNU President Qian Xuhong, an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, declared in his welcoming speech that universal access to higher education, the rise of a knowledge-based economy amid the backdrop of globalization and the COVID-19 pandemic have posed serious challenges to the higher education sector. To address these challenges, all universities must take active initiatives and remain united in their pursuit of higher education. He expected that the forum could provide a platform for alliance members to search for approaches to deal with new opportunities and challenges in liberal arts education and explore new education models with Asian characteristics.
ECNU President Qian Xuhong delivers a speech at the opening ceremony.
ECNU Assistant President Lei Qili presided over the opening ceremony of the forum.
Leonard K Cheng, President of Lingnan University, delivered a keynote speech titled “Liberal Arts Education for the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities”, in which he noted the skills and traits required for all talented individuals in the 21st century. He pointed out that the skills and traits for life and career development in the 21st century consist of 4C, namely critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration. They also include such aspects as leadership and social skills, behavioral traits such as self-motivation, lifelong learning entrepreneurship spirit, integrity as well as personal and social responsibility.
Leonard K Cheng, President of Lingnan University, delivers a keynote speech.
Vice President Dai Liyi gave a keynote speech titled“Promoting the Comprehensive and Free Development of Human Beings: A Practical Exploration of General Education and Cultivation Education in ECNU”, which centers on a score of practices ECNU has adopted over the past years in general education and teacher cultivation education. These practices include conducting general education curriculums based on mental training, enhancing physical, moral and labor education, strengthening innovation and entrepreneurship education, and exploring teacher cultivation education within a collegiate system.
ECNU Vice President Dail Liyi makes a keynote speech.
At the sub-forums held in the afternoon, university representatives from all alliance members shared their experiences with innovation of education pattern, curriculum development, innovation and entrepreneurship, brain science, learning science and liberal arts education.
Wu Wei, Meng Zhongjie, Ruan Pingzhang and Pei Xinning chair the sub-forums.
In the closing speech, ECNU Vice President Li Zhibin expressed his appreciation to Hong Kong Lingnan University, which took the lead in founding the AALAU. He concluded that the forum put forward many useful suggestions and consolidated the foundation for further exchanges and cooperation in the future. It also showed the far-reaching significance of joint development of Asian universities in the post-pandemic era.
Established in November 2017, AALAU is a network of prestigious liberal arts universities in Asia that share common values, a global vision and a commitment to educating future leaders. ECNU was among the first group of the universities. So far, the number of universities in this alliance has expanded from 15 to 26 in seven Asian countries and regions.
Source: Faculty of Education; Office of Academic Affairs; International Exchange Division(Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs)
http://english.ecnu.edu.cn/ff/41/c1703a261953/page.htm