The 4th Graduate Student Academic Forum of UNESCO Teacher Education Centre Successfully Held

Against the backdrop of escalating global changes, high-level opening-up of education has become a key strategic path to underpin the building of a strong education country. To explore the multi-dimensional value of educational opening-up in enhancing international competitiveness in education and serving national strategies, and to promote educational exchanges and mutual learning between China and foreign countries, the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre successfully hosted the 4th Graduate Student Forum from June 21 to 22, 2025. With the theme High-Level Opening-Up of Education and the Building of a Strong Education Country, the forum included five sessions: thematic exchanges, invited reports, keynote speeches, parallel session sharing, and Shicheng Interviews. Over 100 teachers and students from 35 domestic and overseas institutions participated.

The opening ceremony was held on the morning of June 22 at the Shicheng Lecture Hall on the second floor of the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre. Professor Hu Guoyong, Dean of the Institute of International and Comparative Education at Shanghai Normal University (SHNU), and Professor Huang Haitao, Dean of the College of Education at SHNU, delivered welcome speeches respectively and shared messages with the graduate students. The ceremony was chaired by Associate Professor Song Jia, Secretary of the Party Branch of the Institute of International and Comparative Education at SHNU.

Invited Reports

In the invited report session, Professor Rao Congman, Vice Chairman of the Comparative Education Branch of the Chinese Society of Education and Dean of the Institute of International and Comparative Education at Northeast Normal University, shared insights under the theme Research and Writing in Graduate Academic Development. He emphasized that graduate academic development requires building a multidimensional competency system, including key aspects such as professional knowledge, academic expression, academic thinking, research capabilities, academic collaboration, academic norms, and psychological resilience. He also noted that graduate development should focus on cultivating four awarenesses: problem awareness, theoretical awareness, methodological awareness, and logical awareness. Taking problem awareness as an example, he stressed that research should focus on valuable and solvable problems rather than superficial discussions.

Professor Xu Hui, Vice Chairman of the Comparative Education Branch of the Chinese Society of Education and from Southwest University, systematically sorted out the connotation and evolution of the world education hub. Combining the goal of building a world education hub in the development plan for building a strong education country, he pointed out that it is necessary to base on local educational practices, absorb international experience while strengthening the radiating power of Chinese culture, and promote the two-way output of educational concepts and practices.

Professor Teng Jun, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the Comparative Education Branch of the Chinese Society of Education and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Education at Beijing Normal University, shared under the theme Re-understanding the Essence of International Education. She proposed that international education should integrate the time dimension, arguing that current confusions in international education stem from the contradiction between time advantages and spatial positions. She suggested that in the time dimension, we should study in segmented fields; in the spatial dimension, we should understand ourselves through others and transcend boundaries; and we should solve global problems through cultural resonance, offering new insights for international education.

Keynote Speeches

The keynote speech session invited four graduate students from Beijing Normal University, Xiamen University, Zhejiang University, and SHNU to share their research. Zhang Tianshu, a PhD student from Beijing Normal University, based on PISA 2022 data, selected four education systems (Hong Kong, China; Finland; Singapore; and the United States) and used Multilevel Latent Profile Analysis (MLPA) to explore the relationship between digital learning models and academic performance. Shao Jianyao, a PhD student from Xiamen University, analyzed 14 international and 26 national university rankings using social network analysis to explore the similarities and differences between global standards and national characteristics for top universities. Song Yu, a PhD student from Zhejiang University, systematically deconstructed 70 policy texts released by the UK government and institutions through the theoretical framework of policy tools, analyzing the preferences and characteristics of UK international talent cultivation. Ye Tong, a PhD student from SHNU, analyzed Australia’s journey and dilemmas in building a world education hub, noting that Australia has formed regional advantages in Asia by positioning international education as a strategic priority, optimizing educational services, and empowering university research, but still faces historical and practical bottlenecks in becoming a world education hub. Professors Xu Hui, Rao Congman, and Teng Jun commented on the four students’ speeches.

Parallel Session Reports

On the afternoon of June 22, the forum held eight parallel sessions focusing on Global Talent Cultivation and Agglomeration, Global Education Development and Governance, Global Perspectives on Teacher Development, International Cooperation in Teacher Education, Building a World Education Hub, Educational Transformation in the Digital Age, International Trends in Mathematics Education, and STEM Education and Innovative Talent Cultivation. A total of 72 graduate students and 17 review experts conducted thematic sharing and exchanges.

Thematic Exchange: Journey Together in Research – Graduate Students' Study and Life

The thematic exchange was held on the evening of June 21, chaired by Shen Huayu, Director of the Academic Department of the Student Union of the Institute of International and Comparative Education at SHNU. Zhang Tianshu (PhD student, Beijing Normal University), Shao Jianyao (PhD student, Xiamen University), Song Yu (PhD student, Zhejiang University), and Ye Tong (PhD student, SHNU) discussed issues such as PhD application processes, PhD life, use of research tools, and paper publication with on-site students. Based on their learning and life experiences, the four students advised everyone to maintain lifelong learning ability and resilience, be good at self-directed learning and recording, accept failure and grow from it, lay a solid foundation and make good use of research tools, and communicate sincerely and effectively with supervisors.

Shicheng Interviews: Graduate Academic Development and Diversified Career Choices

6On the afternoon of June 22, the Shicheng Interviews session invited Dr. Guo Jing, Associate Researcher and Deputy Director (on secondment) of the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre and from Shanghai Teacher Education College; Associate Professor Wang Shuai from Shanghai Jiao Tong University; and Associate Professor Xiong Yu from SHNU as guests, with Hou Jia, a PhD student from SHNU, serving as the host. The interview focused on topics such as the contemporary value of diversified career choices for graduate students and the challenges and organizational support for non-academic career choices. Through the guests’ sharing, on-site students gained valuable guidance and deepened their understanding of future development.

Closing Ceremony

The closing ceremony was held on the afternoon of June 22 at the Shicheng Lecture Hall on the second floor of the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre, chaired by Dr. Sun Yang from the Institute of International and Comparative Education at SHNU. In the award presentation session, eight outstanding papers selected by parallel session review experts were announced, and Professor Wang Jie, Vice Dean of the Institute of International and Comparative Education at SHNU, and Associate Professor Zhang Jilong, Vice Dean of the College of Education at SHNU, presented certificates to the winners. Professor Wang Jie delivered the closing speech, reviewing the main sessions of the forum and fully affirming and encouraging every actively participating student. As the forum concluded successfully, Professor Wang expressed hope to welcome more students next year to exchange and share academic insights together.