On the morning of October 27, the 2025 Belt and Road Teacher Development Exchange Project officially opened at the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre (TEC). Initiated by the New Teacher Fund of Soochow University and hosted by TEC, this workshop focuses on the theme Social and Emotional Learning for Teachers and Students in the AI Era. It aims to explore new teaching challenges brought about by artificial intelligence (AI), focus on the co-construction and sharing of educational resources, and address the mental health of teachers and students. Over 40 educational officials and experts from 20 countries participated in the program. The opening ceremony was chaired by Professor Wang Jie, Deputy Director of the International Teacher Education Center of Shanghai Normal University.
Professor Zhang Minxuan, Director of TEC, delivered a welcome speech first. He stressed the urgency and importance of fostering teachers’ and students’ social and emotional competencies amid the rapid development of AI. He expressed the hope that BRI partner countries would work hand in hand, share their educational experiences, and build an international platform for educational cooperation and exchange along the Silk Road.
Ms. Guo Xiaoyue, Vice Dean of the Institute of New Education at Soochow University and Secretary-General of the New Teacher Fund, also delivered an opening speech. She pointed out that teachers’ emotional literacy and mental health are key to building a high-quality educational ecosystem, and this workshop would provide a valuable exchange opportunity for educators from various countries.
After the opening ceremony, Professor Zhang Minxuan gave the first keynote speech on the theme Social and Emotional Learning for Students in the Digital Age. He noted that while AI has improved teaching efficiency, it also poses new challenges to students’ emotional cognition, interpersonal communication, and social adaptability. He emphasized that school education should place greater emphasis on integrating emotional education with technological application.
Professor Ye Zhaohui, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Hong Kong, delivered a keynote speech themed Challenges and Opportunities in Promoting Adolescent Mental Health. He analyzed the current mental stressors faced by adolescents, proposed diverse pathways for schools and families to jointly advance mental health education, and highlighted the importance of early intervention and holistic care.
The invited lecture in the afternoon was given by Dr. Xu Xinhai, Chairman of the New Education Branch of the Chinese Tao Xingzhi Research Association and Deputy Director of the Nantong Municipal Bureau of Education. Titled Living a Happy and Fulfilling Educational Life: Practical Exploration and Theoretical Construction of the New Education Experiment in 25 Years, his lecture systematically elaborated on the practical achievements of the New Education Experiment in promoting the joint growth of teachers and students and building an emotional campus culture.
Professor Cheng Jieming, Emeritus Professor of the University of Hong Kong, chaired a workshop on Global Challenges in Social and Emotional Learning. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as policy support for teachers’ and students’ social and emotional learning under different cultural backgrounds, implementation difficulties, and assessment mechanisms.
It is reported that the workshop will run until November 10. Through diverse forms including thematic lectures, school visits, and workshop discussions, it will build a global platform for teacher development and educational innovation collaboration, and deepen research and practical exploration in teachers’ and students’ social and emotional learning.
Photos and Text Contributions: UNESCO Teacher Education Centre (TEC)
