On the afternoon of January 6, 2025, the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong STEAM Education Leaders Exchange and Training Program was successfully held at the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre (TEC). Commissioned by the Education Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (Hong Kong Education Bureau) and implemented by TEC, the ceremony was attended by Ms. Tse Yuen-ching, Principal Assistant Secretary (Curriculum Support) of the Hong Kong Education Bureau; Mr. Lam Wai-lim, Chief Curriculum Development Officer (Science); three science-related curriculum developers; Professor Zhang Minxuan, Director of TEC; Professor Hu Guoyong, Deputy Director of TEC; and 30 primary and secondary school principals and teachers from Hong Kong. The ceremony was chaired by Professor Hu Guoyong.
In her speech, Ms. Tse Yuen-ching, Principal Assistant Secretary of the Hong Kong Education Bureau, expressed sincere gratitude to TEC, noting that the program was an important outcome of cooperation between the Hong Kong Education Bureau and TEC, providing a valuable learning platform for Hong Kong educators. Ms. Tse emphasized that with the rapid development of technology and continuous social changes, STEAM education has become a key pathway for cultivating future talents, which the Hong Kong Education Bureau attaches great importance to. She hoped that through this program, Hong Kong could draw on Shanghai’s advanced experience in STEAM education to provide useful guidance for the implementation of STEAM education in local schools.
Professor Zhang Minxuan, Director of TEC, also delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. He first extended a warm welcome to the Hong Kong STEAM study delegation, and elaborated on the fundamental differences between the field of education and natural science research, further emphasizing the importance of strengthening educational exchanges and cooperation in promoting educational innovation and development. He expressed his expectation that this in-depth exchange between Shanghai and Hong Kong would not only facilitate mutual learning in educational concepts and practices but also cultivate more talents with both patriotic sentiments and excellent scientific and technological literacy, injecting new vitality into the country’s sustainable development. Professor Zhang also sent a heartfelt message, hoping that Shanghai and Hong Kong could take this opportunity of educational exchange to move forward hand in hand, making these two shining pearls embedded in the territory of the People's Republic even more brilliant, and jointly illuminating the future of education in China and even the world.
After the speeches, representatives from both sides exchanged souvenirs.
Following the opening ceremony, Xu Dianfang, former Director of the Shanghai Municipal Teaching Research Office, delivered an insightful lecture themed Exploring STEM from the Perspective of National Curriculum Teaching Reform. Focusing on four core areas—an overview of the national curriculum plan, the essence of subject curriculum standards, paths to deepen teaching reform, and case studies of Shanghai’s STEM education—Mr. Xu provided in-depth analysis and shared valuable educational concepts and practical experiences. He pointed out that although the current national curriculum system is still dominated by subject-based curricula, the country is actively advocating the concept of curriculum integration, which provides an unprecedented historical opportunity for the introduction and vigorous development of STEM education. Meanwhile, Mr. Xu shared diverse implementation paths of Shanghai’s STEM education, offering valuable references and insights for the participants.
This 5-day program features rich and varied content. In addition to attending expert lectures, participants will visit primary and secondary schools in Shanghai, tour local science popularization and cultural venues as well as high-tech enterprises in Shanghai, and participate in several seminars. These activities aim to broaden the horizons of Hong Kong’s primary and secondary school STEAM education leaders and provide them with a platform for in-depth exchanges with national curriculum leaders and educational experts.
Contributions/Photos provided by: UNESCO Teacher Education Centre
