On the afternoon of November 2, 2024, the 2024 Shanghai Training and Exchange Program for Outstanding Indonesian Principals, co-hosted by the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre (hereinafter referred to as the Centre) and Indonesia's Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, officially kicked off. A total of 43 outstanding principals, educational supervisors, and administrative officials selected from various provinces in Indonesia participated in this training and exchange activity.
The opening ceremony of the program was hosted by Zhu Xiaohu, Project Director of the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre. Zhang Minxuan, Director of the Centre, delivered a speech first. He extended a warm welcome to the Indonesian delegates attending the training and exchange program in Shanghai, noting that as a platform for promoting international educational exchanges, the Centre is committed to building a bridge for exchanges and cooperation between educators from Southeast Asia and China. He pointed out that since its establishment, the Centre has maintained close cooperation with Indonesia's Ministry of Education, successfully hosting multiple training sessions and exchange visits, and will continue to advance bilateral cooperation in the future.
Ms. Rita Dewi Suspalupi, Director of the Directorate of Principals, Supervisors, and Educational Personnel under Indonesia's Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, delivered an enthusiastic speech. She praised China's educational achievements, which have attracted global attention, and emphasized that China's management and innovation in basic and secondary education are particularly worthy of learning for Indonesia. She hoped that all principals would engage in in-depth exchanges during the training, broaden their horizons, and gain new ideas for future educational management work.
Mr. Yaya Sutarya, the Indonesian organizer of the event, former Indonesian Education Counselor to China, and Deputy Director of the Regional Open Learning Centre of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), 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 models and management experience through this program, so as to promote educational reform and innovation in Indonesia.
Siswantoyo, Vice Rector of Yogyakarta State University in Indonesia, emphasized the important role of principals in educational transformation. He pointed out that principals are not only school managers but also core forces guiding students' growth. He noted that this training program, hosted by the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre, will promote the improvement of Indonesia's educational quality through the sharing of international educational management experience. He expressed expectation that the participating principals would bring what they have learned back to their schools, promote innovation and reform in local education, and lay a more solid foundation for the future of Indonesian education.
In the final session of the opening ceremony, the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre and Indonesian guests held a warm gift-exchange ceremony! 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 pathways, 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 low-performance schools. Through participation in international assessment programs such as PISA and TALIS, Shanghai has continuously improved in the global education system, gaining an understanding of the current state of educational quality and introducing the latest concepts. Professor Zhang also mentioned that in response to the complex and changing global educational environment, Shanghai's educational authorities have proposed new development requirements for teachers in eight key competencies, including digital skills, emotional support, and global perspective. This showcases Shanghai's advanced practices in educational modernization, providing innovative models for teacher development and school management, which offer valuable references for Indonesian educational administrators.
The program will run until November 8, featuring 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 the Centre's active commitment to improving global educational quality and supporting the professional development of educational administrators.
