In the afternoon of November 2, 2024, the 2024 Indonesia Excellent Principal Training & Exchange Program, Shanghai, co-hosted by the UNESCO Teacher Education Center (hereinafter referred to as UNESCO TEC) and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia (hereinafter referred to as Indonesian Ministry of Education), was officially launched. A total of 43 outstanding principals, educational supervisors, and administrative officials selected from various provinces of Indonesia participated in this training and exchange activity.
The opening ceremony of the program was hosted by Zhu Xiaohu, Project Director of UNESCO TEC. Zhang Minxuan, Director of UNESCO TEC, delivered a speech first. He extended a warm welcome to the Indonesian representatives who came to Shanghai for training and exchange, and stated that as a platform for promoting international educational exchange, UNESCO TEC is committed to building a bridge for communication and cooperation between educators from Southeast Asia and China. He pointed out that since its establishment, UNESCO TEC has maintained close cooperation with the Indonesian Ministry of Education, having successfully held multiple training sessions and exchange visits. It will continue to advance bilateral cooperation in the future.
Ms. Rita Dewi Suspalupi, Head of the Directorate of Principals, Supervisors, and Educational Personnel of the Indonesian Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, delivered an enthusiastic speech. She praised China's educational achievements for attracting global attention, especially in the management and innovation of basic and secondary education, which are highly worthy of Indonesia's learning and reference. She hoped that all principals would conduct in-depth exchanges and broaden their horizons during the training, so as to bring new ideas to their future educational management work.
Mr. Yaya Sutarya, the Indonesian organizer of this activity, former Education Counselor of the Indonesian Embassy in China, and Deputy Director of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Regional Open Learning Centre, stated that this training program provides a valuable opportunity for knowledge sharing and experience exchange. He hoped that the principals would gain an in-depth understanding of China's educational model and management experience during this study, so as to promote Indonesia's educational reform and innovation.
Siswantoyo, Vice Rector of Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, emphasized the important role of principals in educational reform. He pointed out that principals are not only managers of schools but also core forces guiding students' growth. He also stated that this training program hosted by UNESCO TEC will promote the improvement of Indonesia's educational quality through the sharing of international educational management experience. He expected the participating principals to bring what they have learned back to their schools, promote the innovation and reform of local education, and lay a more solid foundation for the future of Indonesian education.
In the final session of the opening ceremony, UNESCO TEC and the Indonesian guests held a warm ceremony of exchanging gifts. Principals from schools across Indonesia specially brought characteristic gifts symbolizing Indonesian culture and traditions, conveying Indonesia's emphasis on global educational cooperation.
After the opening ceremony, Professor Zhang Minxuan shared Shanghai's successful experience in basic education and teacher professional development. He introduced Shanghai's unique trinity teacher professional development system, which includes teacher career promotion channels, performance evaluation and reward mechanisms, and in-service training. Professor Zhang pointed out that Shanghai's high-quality educational achievements stem from the accumulation of traditional educational culture, combined with modern educational reform policies such as curriculum reform, optimal allocation of resources, and support for underperforming schools. By participating in international assessment programs such as PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) and TALIS (Teaching and Learning International Survey), Shanghai has continuously improved in the global education system, understanding the current status of educational quality and introducing the latest concepts. Professor Zhang also mentioned that in response to the complex and ever-changing global educational environment today, Shanghai's education authorities have put forward new development requirements for teachers in eight key competencies, including digital skills, emotional support, and global perspective. This demonstrates Shanghai's advanced practices in educational modernization, provides an innovative model for teacher development and school management, and offers valuable reference for Indonesian educational administrators.
This activity will last until November 8, with contents including expert reports, school visits, cultural exchanges, and international seminars. Indonesian principals will gain a comprehensive understanding and experience of the development of Shanghai's basic education. This activity vividly reflects UNESCO TEC's positive commitment to improving global educational quality and supporting the professional development of educational administrators.
