Foreword

As a Category II Centre engaged in research and training  for rural education within UNESCO, International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED) initiates and facilitates exchange and dissemination of experience   in international rural education within the Education for All (EFA) framework. INRULED undertakes human resource development programmes for international rural education for UNESCO member states, especially in developing countries.

Rural areas and developing countries are the most difficult challenge in the development of quality education for all. Addressing this challenge is the concern of UNESCO, China and other developing countries and it is also specifically INRULED’s mission. The INRULED centre works to bring about positive changes in the thinking and behaviour of the rural population and to achieve inclusive and sustainable development in rural areas through education, research and training. In particular, INRULED actively establishes and expands partnerships with Africa-oriented institutions which consist of international exchange and cooperation programmes, academic seminars, information exchange, joint research and training workshops.

Our current programme covers four main areas: skills development for rural transformation; quality teachers for rural schools; gender equality and women’s leadership; and ICT in education for rural development. INRULED has widely disseminated and published what it has achieved through the programmes. For instance, the outcomes of our skills development for rural transformation programme were handed out and well received at the UNESCO Third International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education and Training. In cooperation with Beijing Normal University (BNU) and UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA), INRULED organized the Roundtable Event on China-Africa Cooperation in Education and the China-Africa Dialogue on Gender Equality and Leadership in Education this year in Beijing. In support of the UNESCO Strategy on Teachers (2012-2015), INRULED has also launched teacher-related projects jointly with IICBA and will actively participate in China’s Funds-in-Trust initiatives with UNESCO. To expand the scope of research, INRULED and IICBA have jointly collected and analyzed good and best practices on rural teachers’ professional development and ICT in education for rural development.

In the year ahead, we will continue our work of research, capacity building, networking and information dissemination for developing countries. As Africa is the priority of UNESCO and INRULED, we intend to play an increasingly important role in China-Africa cooperation in education and rural development. INRULED will work across a wide range of issues to promote quality education for inclusive and sustainable rural development, and will maintain its high output of external coordination and collaboration. INRULED will continue the momentum of visits and dialogue with African partners, and push forward the establishment of a new approach of educational cooperation between China and Africa.

INRULED’s undertaking has received support of many institutions and individuals. I and my colleagues would like to express our gratitude to Dr.  Tang  Qian, UNESCO Assistant  1 Director-General for Education, and Ms. Lalla Aïcha Ben-Barka, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for African Department, for the excellent guidance they have given on INRULED’s development during their visits to INRULED and BNU. We acknowledge the support and involvement of China’s Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We also record our thanks  for support and information sharing to UNESCO HQs, Chinese NatCom, Bangkok and Beijing Offices. Our heartfelt appreciation also goes to BNU for its generous support for INRULED’s programmes and daily operations, especially the construction of the new office building.

As always, we look forward to working with our partners and stakeholders in the year ahead.

Mr. Dong Qi

Director, UNESCO INRULED