From June 30 to July 2, under the guidance of the Ministry of Education and the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, the 2024 International Symposium for Primary and Secondary School Principals, co-hosted by the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre (hereinafter referred to as the Centre) and the Shanghai Teacher Education Institute, was successfully held at our Centre. A total of 31 foreign principals from 14 countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Singapore attended the event, alongside over 70 renowned domestic educators and primary and secondary school principals, gathering to discuss key issues in teacher development. The theme of this symposium was Building a High-Quality, Professional, and Innovative Teacher Workforce.
Overview of the symposium theme and venue
The opening ceremony was chaired by Professor Zhang Minxuan from the Centre. Wang Ping, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Municipal Government; Yu Weiyue, Director-General of the Department of Teacher Work, Ministry of Education; and Zhou Yaming, Director of the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.
Speeches at the opening ceremony (from left to right: Professor Zhang Minxuan from TEC, Wang Ping, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Municipal Government; Yu Weiyue, Director-General of the Department of Teacher Work, Ministry of Education; Zhou Yaming, Director of the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission)
Group photo of guests at the main venue
Following the opening ceremony, in the first half of the plenary session, Mr. Andreas Schleicher, Director of the OECD Directorate for Education and Skills, delivered a keynote report introducing global trends in teacher development. Zhao Jing, Director of the Teacher Development Division, Department of Teacher Work, Ministry of Education, gave a keynote speech titled China's Actions in Leading Teacher Workforce Development, presenting China's local practices in building a high-quality, professional, and innovative teacher workforce.
Keynote speeches in the first half (from left to right: Andreas Schleicher, Director of the OECD Directorate for Education and Skills; Zhao Jing, Director of the Teacher Development Division, Department of Teacher Work, Ministry of Education)
The second half of the plenary session was chaired by Wang Yang, President of the Shanghai Teacher Education Institute. Peter Kent, former President of the International Confederation of Principals (ICP); Wong Siew Hoong, former Principal of Raffles Institution in Singapore; Dou Guimei, Principal of Tsinghua Primary School; and Zhou Bin, Principal of the Second High School Affiliated to East China Normal University, shared innovative school practices that support teacher development.
Keynote speeches in the second half (from left to right: Peter Kent, former President of ICP; Wong Siew Hoong, former Principal of Raffles Institution, Singapore; Dou Guimei, Principal of Tsinghua Primary School; Zhou Bin, Principal of the Second High School Affiliated to East China Normal University)
In the three parallel forums held in the afternoon, 25 renowned domestic and foreign principals—including Melissa Han, Head of the Primary Section at a high-tech school in the United States; Yasuyoshi Ara, Principal of Koriyama School in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan; Wu Rongjin, Principal of Luwan No.1 Central Primary School in Huangpu District, Shanghai; and Yuan Weixing, Principal of Bao'an Middle School in Shenzhen—along with Paul Byrne, Secretary-General of the European School Heads Association; Andy Mison, President of the Australian Secondary Principals' Association; and other education experts, delivered speeches. They shared policies, practical experiences, and typical cases related to teacher management and workforce development. During this period, Associate Professor Xu Jinjie from the Centre chaired the sub-forum on teacher policy. Officials and consultants from the French Ministry of National Education, Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and the Singapore Ministry of Education (departments responsible for teacher affairs) attended and spoke at the forum.
Associate Professor Xu Jinjie from TEC chairing the sub-forum on teacher policy (overview)
On July 2, principals from various countries visited and exchanged ideas at Nanyang Model High School (Xuhui District), Jinyuan Senior High School (Putuo District), Luwan Senior High School (Huangpu District), and Minhang Experimental Primary School (Minhang District) based on the symposium’s themes.
The symposium showcased the excellent demeanor of Shanghai’s primary and secondary school principals, teachers, and students, as well as Shanghai’s image as an open and inclusive metropolis. It received enthusiastic feedback and wide acclaim, with participants praising the organization and planning of the event. Media outlets including Shangguan News, Education Daily, Wenhui Daily, Shanghai Education Television, and Shanghai International Channel have continued to provide in-depth coverage.
Group photo of participating guests
