EdUHK Organises Belt and Road International Conference on Multilingual Education, Cultural Heritage and Talent Cultivation
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) hosted the Belt and Road International Conference on Multilingual Education, Cultural Heritage, and Talent Cultivation on its Tai Po Campus, on 17 and 18 June. This conference brought together around 150 experts, scholars, educators and postgraduate students from various regions and countries, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The conference provided an international academic exchange platform for participants to explore how multilingual education can promote cultural integration, maintain the cultural continuity of overseas Chinese communities, and strengthen educational cooperation and talent cultivation among different countries and regions under the context of ‘Belt and Road’ Initiative.
Mr Nicholas Ho Lik-chi, Commissioner for Belt and Road for the HKSAR Government, and Professor John Lee Chi-Kin, President of EdUHK, officiated the Opening Ceremony.
In his welcome speech, Professor Lee said, “In the era of globalisation and guided by an important national strategy, the Belt and Road Initiative offers a unique chance for educational and cultural exchange. It fosters deeper understanding and connections among participating countries while facilitating cross-border collaborations. By promoting shared values and experiences, this initiative cultivates a sense of community that strengthens international relations and builds people-to-people bonds among countries along the routes.”
Mr Ho delivered the Opening Remarks for the conference. “Hong Kong leverages the unique strengths under ‘One Country, Two Systems,’ to position as an east-meets-west cultural hub, to strengthen cultural bonds among different religions, among different countries. And the Belt and Road Initiative has enhanced unparalleled connectivity through infrastructure development, policy coordination and other means,” he said.
The conference featured four keynote speeches, two plenary sessions, and 16 parallel sessions dedicated to paper presentations and discussions. Renowned scholars and experts from Belt and Road regions shared research findings and case studies on topics such as multilingual education and the roles of overseas Chinese education in Belt and Road countries, talent cultivation, and the transformative potential of digital education and technology. The keynote speakers included Professor Chew Cheng Hai from Nanyang Technological University, Professor Li Yuming from Beijing Language and Culture University, Professor Angel Lin Mei-yi from EdUHK, and Dr Dinara Dauyen, Associate Professor at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and Kazakh National Women's Teacher Training University.
Dr Jin Jing, Co-Chairpersons of the Organising Committee and Executive Co-Director of Centre for Chinese and Multilingual Education Development, along with Dr Tse Ka-ho, Executive Director of CKC Tech Culture Innovation Centre, delivered the closing remarks at the closing ceremony. They expressed their sincere gratitude to all attendees for their participation.
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EdUHK Organises Belt and Road International Conference on Multilingual Education, Cultural Heritage and Talent Cultivation
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