On the afternoon of May 20, 2025, the opening ceremony of the 4th Hong Kong STEAM Education Leaders Exchange and Training Program was successfully held at the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre (hereafter referred to as the Centre). The program is co-hosted by the Education Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (hereafter referred to as Hong Kong Education Bureau) and the Centre. Attendees included Mr. Wu Daqi, Chairman of the Standing Committee on STEAM Education, Curriculum Development Council, Hong Kong Education Bureau, and Chair Professor at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou); Ms. Tse Yuen-ching, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee on STEAM Education, Curriculum Development Council, Hong Kong Education Bureau, and Principal Assistant Secretary (Curriculum Support) of the Hong Kong Education Bureau; Mr. Ho Tik-sun, Chairman of the Science Education Committee, Curriculum Development Council, Hong Kong Education Bureau, and Principal of China Fund Secondary School; Mr. Chan Cheung-wai, Chairman of the Technology Education Committee, Curriculum Development Council, Hong Kong Education Bureau, and Principal of Queen's College; Professor Hu Guoyong, Deputy Director of the Centre; Professor Wang Jie, Deputy Director of the International Teacher Education Centre at Shanghai Normal University; and approximately 30 representatives from the Curriculum Development Council and the Hong Kong Education Bureau. The opening ceremony was chaired by Professor Wang Jie.
Professor Hu Guoyong, Deputy Director of the Centre, delivered a speech at the ceremony. He first welcomed all participants to Shanghai for the exchange activity, stating that while the duration of this program is limited, it is hoped to give everyone a general understanding of Shanghai's STEAM education and promote educational exchanges and cooperation between Shanghai and Hong Kong. The education sector in Shanghai is also interested in Hong Kong's experience, and he looks forward to mutual learning between the two sides to jointly advance the development of national science and innovation education.
Mr. Wu Daqi, in his speech, noted that this program has built an important platform for STEAM education exchanges between the two regions, and he extended sincere thanks to the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre. He pointed out that the program provides a valuable learning opportunity for Hong Kong educators: by learning how Shanghai teachers address various issues in STEAM education, they can not only absorb cutting-edge experiences from Shanghai but also share relevant experiences of Hong Kong teachers, achieving two-way empowerment. He emphasized that such a win-win cooperation model is of far-reaching significance, and he looks forward to further deepening educational collaboration between Shanghai and Hong Kong in the future to jointly promote innovative development of STEAM education.
Building on the successful experience of the first three sessions, this four-day program has been further optimized to create an immersive training experience for participants through diversified learning formats. The curriculum, combining theoretical depth and practical insights, includes policy interpretation and theoretical guidance from authoritative experts, as well as carefully arranged field visits to high-quality primary and secondary schools and science education bases in Shanghai. Participants will systematically grasp the orientation of national science education policies, conduct in-depth visits to characteristic practice cases of Shanghai's STEAM education, and gain a direct understanding of Shanghai's distinctive STEAM education research activities through participation in local teaching research events. This integrated model of theory and practice not only helps Hong Kong educators quickly grasp the essence of Shanghai's STEAM education but also builds a platform for ideological exchanges between educators from Shanghai and Hong Kong. In-depth exchanges between colleagues from both regions will inspire innovative ideas, laying a solid foundation for further cooperation and coordinated development.
(Contributions/Photos provided by: UNESCO Teacher Education Centre)
