On May 10, 2024, the 2024 Young Scholars Forum of Journal of Comparative Education was held at the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre (hereinafter referred to as the Centre). With the theme Reform and Development of Basic Education from an International Comparative Perspective, the forum included 4 keynote reports in the main venue and 5 parallel sub-forums. Attendees included Zhang Minxuan, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Comparative Education; Li Hong'en, Associate Editor-in-Chief of Educational Research; Hu Yi, Associate Senior Editor of Foreign Education Research; Lin Lan, Editorial Director of Educational Development Research; Li Xueshu, Editor of Open Education Research; and Zhang Ruifang, Editorial Director of Comparative Education Review. Also participating were young scholars and students from over ten institutions of higher education, including Beijing Normal University, Zhejiang University, East China Normal University, South China Normal University, and Southwest University.
In the morning, the opening ceremony was held at the Shicheng Lecture Hall of the Centre, with speeches delivered by Professor Zhang Minxuan and Associate Editor-in-Chief Li Hong'en.
On behalf of the editorial office of Journal of Comparative Education, Professor Zhang Minxuan delivered a welcome speech. Against the backdrop of challenges and new missions facing comparative education research in the new era, he expressed expectations for young scholars’ theses and research, noting that Papers are 'crafted through research, not merely written'. He encouraged young scholars to first conduct solid, in-depth research to produce high-quality, influential papers.
Associate Editor-in-Chief Li Hong'en, in his speech titled Approaches to Academic Writing: A Shared Reflection with Young Scholars, reaffirmed Educational Research’s long-standing commitment to supporting young scholars’ development. He acknowledged and encouraged young scholars for their increasingly acute topic-selection awareness and rigorous research methods. Drawing on common issues in young scholars’ submissions, he provided detailed, practical guidance on how to develop an excellent academic paper from seven aspects, including the appeal of research topics and the summarizing power of abstracts.
The second session in the morning featured keynote reports by young scholars. Four presentations showcased diverse research approaches: Associate Professor Tan Huiling from Beijing Normal University’s Collaborative Innovation Centre for Basic Education Quality Monitoring delivered A Comparative Study on the Institutional Elements of Large-Scale Education Quality Monitoring Project Reporting Systems; Professor Huang Xingfeng from Shanghai Normal University’s Research Institute for International and Comparative Education (RIICE) presented Mathematics Education and Cross-Cultural Exchange in Tanzania: A Field Report; Li Yuemin, a doctoral student from Zhejiang University’s College of Education, shared Research on the Transnational Appeal of China’s Basic Education – An Analysis Based on 242 PISA-Related Texts from British Media; and Associate Professor Song Jia from RIICE delivered Constructing a Social Contract for Global Teacher Development and Professional Transformation – Based on an Interpretation of UNESCO’s Global Teacher Report. These covered institutional comparison, field research, text analysis, and interpretation of international organization reports. Journal of Comparative Education aimed to convey its expectation that young scholars focus on educational hotspots and skillfully apply research methods.
In the afternoon, discussions were held in 5 parallel sub-forums themed around Governance and Reform, Teachers and Parents, Artificial Intelligence, Digitalization and Educational Development, Learning and Evaluation, and Special Session on International Comparative Research on Primary and Secondary School Competitions. Each sub-forum was guided by a senior editor from leading educational journals, with 25 selected speakers presenting and discussing their work.
Sub-forum 1, Governance and Reform, was chaired by Associate Professor Song Jia from Shanghai Normal University, with Professor Zhang Ruifang, Editorial Director of Comparative Education Review, serving as the commentary expert. Ren Ping (Guangzhou University), Liu Kunzhe (South China Normal University), Dan Jinfeng (Southwest University), Guo Lan (Beijing Normal University), and Shen Yujia (South China Normal University) shared their research on topics including Value Evolution, Era Characteristics, and Reform Trends of Legal Education in German Primary and Secondary Schools, Evolution, Characteristics, and Prospects of Basic Education Curriculum Reform Policies in Macao Since Its Return to China 25 Years Ago, Evidence-Based Educational Interventions for At-Risk High School Students in the United States, Sustainability Dilemmas of Service-Learning in U.S. Primary and Secondary Schools – A Case Study of Wisconsin, and Identity Construction of ASEAN in Global Educational Governance: Process and Mechanisms. From an editor’s perspective, Professor Zhang Ruifang reminded researchers to provide objective evidence, exercise caution in translation, and carefully choose terminology in academic writing. She emphasized that insights and references in comparative education papers should be highly targeted to highlight their practical value. She also stressed the standardization of reference citations and advised researchers to pay attention to specific requirements of target journals regarding table formatting and paper structure. In her concluding remarks, Associate Professor Song Jia thanked Professor Zhang Ruifang for her guidance, noting that face-to-face exchanges with editors on content perception and perspective insights had deepened understanding of paper writing, and expressed gratitude to all participants for their support of Journal of Comparative Education.
Sub-forum 2, Teachers and Parents, was chaired by Associate Professor Zeng Yan from Shanghai Normal University, with Hu Yi, Associate Senior Editor of Foreign Education Research, as the commentary expert. Five young scholars – Tang Bowen (Beijing Normal University), Bai Shengnan (Henan University), Zheng Biqing (Fujian Normal University), Zhao Lanbo (Beijing Academy of Educational Sciences), and You Hongmiao (East China Normal University) – presented research on Multiple Types and Overlapping Evolution of Modern Teachers’ Social Roles – A Qualitative Analysis Based on UNESCO Reports and Chinese Educational Policies, A Multilevel Analysis of Factors Influencing Teachers’ Participation in Professional Development from an International Perspective, Returning to a Balanced State: An Analysis of Policies to Reduce Workload for Novice Teachers in British Primary and Secondary Schools, The Potential, Actions, and Roles of American Parent-Teacher Associations in Awakening Families to STEM Education – Based on the 'STEM+Family Program', and The Professionalization of British Parents: Underlying Logic, Policy Tools, and Multiple Dilemmas. Mr. Hu Yi provided valuable revision suggestions on the strengths and weaknesses of each paper, noting that in comparative education papers, whether writing conclusions or discussions, researchers should first clarify the specific connotations of these terms: conclusions are personal perspectives derived from analyzing a problem, while discussions engage with others’ viewpoints – but both require dialogue with existing literature. The forum not only provided a platform for young scholars to exchange ideas and learn but also broadened their academic horizons and inspired new research insights.
Sub-forum 3, Artificial Intelligence, Digitalization and Educational Development, was chaired by Associate Professor Zhang Huafeng from Shanghai Normal University, with Li Xueshu, Editor of Open Education Research, as the commentary expert. Liu Xudong (Jiangsu Normal University), Zhu Li (Sichuan Normal University), Liu Yu (Capital Normal University), Gao Wenxin (East China Normal University), and Liu Siyu (Hubei Normal University) shared their work on Transformation and Response: Prospects of Educational Legislation in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Mechanisms and Strategies of UNESCO’s Digital Governance in Education – A Nvivo Qualitative Analysis Based on 44 Texts, Research on the Impact Mechanism of ICT Use and Psychological Traits on Students’ Mathematical Problem-Solving Abilities – An Analysis Based on PISA 2022 Data, Digital Leadership of Primary and Secondary School Principals: Conceptual Understanding, Practical Paths, and Improvement Strategies, and Policy Evolution, Practical Strategies, and Realistic Insights of Sweden’s Digital Transformation in Education. From an editor’s perspective, Editor Li Xueshu offered valuable suggestions for improvement on each young scholar’s paper, noting that academic writing should make good use of two tools: theoretical and empirical. He encouraged young scholars to skillfully apply theoretical frameworks, clarify the logical structure of their papers, and produce better research. Associate Professor Zhang Huafeng concluded the sub-forum and expressed sincere gratitude to the commentary expert and the presenting young scholars.
Sub-forum 4, Learning and Evaluation, was chaired by Associate Professor Bian Cui from Shanghai Normal University, with Lin Lan, Editorial Director of Educational Development Research, as the commentary expert. Kan Zhaocao (East China Normal University), Yan Xiaomei (Shanghai Jiao Tong University), Zhao Yifan (East China Normal University), Wu Qian (East China Normal University), and Wang Zhongkui (Shanghai Academy of Educational Sciences) presented research on The Reform Process, Current Challenges, Characteristics, and Insights of Singapore’s Science Education, International Exploration and Insights into Outdoor Play Experiences from a Child’s Perspective, The Hidden Realm of Learning: New Progress in International Workplace Learning Research, How Interdisciplinary Concepts Enhance Students’ Science Learning – Insights from U.S. and German Science Education Standards and Practices, and Australia’s National Education Monitoring and Assessment Framework and Its Implementation Path. After the five presentations, Director Lin Lan, drawing on her 21 years of editorial experience, offered valuable advice on issues in their papers: excellent research should be driven by theory, practice, and policy; thus, topic selection should adhere to policy, practice, and problem orientations, with a value stance that serves national major development strategies and addresses social challenges through research. She reminded young scholars that manuscript selection often begins with first impressions – titles should both convey the core idea and attract attention – but papers that are ultimately published must be committed to quality, deriving innovative viewpoints from extensive research materials, and presenting outstanding studies with clear foundations, concerns, and focuses.
Sub-forum 5, Special Session on International Comparative Research on Primary and Secondary School Competitions, was chaired by Professor Ningbo from Shanghai Normal University, with Hu Guoyong, Executive Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Comparative Education, as the commentary expert. Huo Ming (Northeast Normal University), Du Yijin (Shanghai Normal University), Jin Haijing (Gannan Normal University), Chen Chuan (Shanghai Normal University), and Zhang Zhihui (Northeast Normal University) shared their research on The U.S. Primary and Secondary School Competition System from a Global Perspective: Strategies, Practices, and Insights, Research on National Competitions for Primary and Secondary School Students in the UK, Enlightenment of South Korea’s Primary and Secondary School Competition Activities for China, Institutional Design and Current Status of National Competitions for Primary and Secondary School Students in Japan, and Stimulating Interest and Pursuing Excellence: An Exploration of Singapore’s Subject Competition Model and Its Insights. Professor Hu Guoyong commented on the young scholars’ research, noting that competition activities should consider educational equity, talent selection, and China’s current need for cultivating top innovative talents. He emphasized that practices, institutional designs, and regulatory approaches of competition activities in different countries are shaped by their cultural contexts, and their effectiveness and applicability should be viewed cautiously when drawing lessons.
At the afternoon closing ceremony, Professor Hu Guoyong, Executive Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Comparative Education and Professor at Shanghai Normal University, delivered a closing speech. He thanked young scholars for their attention and support, stating that Journal of Comparative Education would continue to support their academic development, adhere to the principle of quality first, and encourage them to conduct solid research and publish excellent papers. During the ceremony, Professor Hu Guoyong and Associate Professor Yan Wenle presented certificates to the young scholars participating in the forum, with a group photo taken to commemorate the occasion.
The 2024 Young Scholars Forum of Journal of Comparative Education was part of the series of events celebrating the 10th anniversary of Shanghai Normal University’s Research Institute for International and Comparative Education (RIICE). It aimed to better promote the growth and development of young scholars, jointly explore hot issues in comparative education, and share research outcomes and experiences. It is hoped that the forum will inspire young scholars’ innovative thinking and drive the innovative and in-depth development of comparative education research.
Contributions: Editorial Office of Journal of Comparative Education
