Florentine Strzelczyk, Western’s provost & vice-president (academic), Penny Pexman, Western’s vice-president (research), Donna Kotsopoulos, dean of Education, and professors Jun Li and Gabrielle Lee with delegates from Tsinghua University, Beijing Normal University, Shenzhen University and Nanjing University.
On the heels of the third annual Chinese Society for Education Conference, Western Education was pleased to welcome a group of nine senior administrators and faculty members from leading Chinese research-intensive universities to tour our campus on August 13.
The Faculty of Education – led by professor Jun Li, founding president of the Chinese Society for Education, and professor Gabrielle Lee – hosted delegates from Tsinghua University, Beijing Normal University, Shenzhen University and Nanjing University to discuss opportunities for collaboration.
Dean Donna Kotsopoulos brought greetings to the group that emphasized the faculty’s research strengths and strategic priorities, identifying cross-institutional partnership opportunities. She highlighted the vital role that education plays in equipping tomorrow’s leaders to navigate an uncertain future and how global perspectives enrich education.
“At Western Education, as we strive to make an impact in the world through teachers and education, we recognize that being educated means having a global perspective,” said Kotsopoulos.
“Fostering global and international cross-institutional partnerships is a strategic priority for us. We believe that establishing research engagement and collaborative programs across borders has never been more important.”
Florentine Strzelczyk, Western’s provost & vice-president (academic) and Penny Pexman, Western’s vice-president (research) also presented to the delegates about Western’s institutional research strengths and how partnerships are central to Western’s global impact.
The leaders highlighted Western’s long history of engagement across China through research relationships and opportunities for future partnership including student mobility, online learning, additional research partnerships and the co-development of programs.
During the meeting, Western Education signed a memorandum of understanding with Tsinghua University’s School of Education; an institution with over a century of dedication to educational research and talent cultivation. This new partnership will enable activities that may include research collaboration, joint academic activities and the exchange of students and faculty.
“We are so proud to begin this exciting partnership with Tsinghua University’s School of Education,” said Kotsopoulos.
“Tsinghua University is known for their exceptional commitment to international exchange and collaboration, including a high level of student mobility, faculty international engagements and their flagship Tsinghua Higher Education Forum. We welcome the opportunity to learn from and collaborate on their world class research in areas including higher education, artificial intelligence for education and K-12 education.”
Delegates from Beijing Normal University, Nanjing University, Shenzhen University and Tsinghua University each presented at the meeting on the academic and research strengths of their institutions and potential areas for partnership.
Following the delegation, Western Education is in conversation with Beijing Normal University about signing a memorandum of understanding that would establish collaborative teaching and research activities, and foster understanding about the economic, cultural and social contexts in which each institution operates. The faculty is also exploring a cross-institutional agreement with Nanjing University Institute of Education that would enable faculty and student exchange.
Learn more about the Faculty of Education’s commitment to recognizing education’s place in the world as outlined in our current strategic plan.
