As part of efforts to advance the “Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation” between Beijing Normal University (BNU) and the University of Goroka (UOG), a delegation led by Professor Zhou Zuoyu, Vice Chairman of the University Council of BNU and Director of the UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED), visited Papua New Guinea (PNG) from July 3rd to 8th, 2025. The delegation attended the “China-Pacific Teacher Education Forum 2025” held at UOG in Eastern Highlands Province, PNG. During the conference, they hosted two capacity-building workshops: one for local rural teachers and the other for university faculty, and conducted field visits to local basic education schools and the China-aided Juncao and Upland Rice Technology Project in Goroka. Representatives from BNU’s Office of International Exchange and Cooperation, the UNESCO Chair on Artificial Intelligence in Education, and INRULED joined the delegation.
The Opening Ceremony
The “China-Pacific Teacher Education Forum” was jointly organized by the UOG, BNU, and UNESCO INRULED, with strong support from the Chinese Embassy in PNG. The forum focused on the theme “Teacher Challenges in the Pacific: Enhancing Quality Education for Sustainable Development”, addressing critical issues such as rural education, technology-enabled education, and teacher education, with a particular emphasis on resolving difficulties faced by teachers in rural and remote areas. The forum attracted approximately 150 participants from Pacific Island countries and PNG, including government officials, university presidents/vice-chancellors, deans of education, university lecturers, and primary/secondary school teachers.
The opening ceremony took place on the morning of July 5th. Attendees included PNG’s Minister of Education, H.E Mr. Lucas Dekena; UOG Vice Chancellor Dr. Teng Waninga; UOG Chancellor Mr. Joe Wemin; and Mr Chen Jilang, Counsellor of Chinese Embassy in PNG. Professor Zhou Zuoyu delivered remarks on behalf of BNU and INRULED. He highlighted the history of cooperation between BNU and UOG, introduced relevant initiatives by BNU and INRULED, and called for joint efforts to advance teacher education in the Pacific region and beyond.
Opening Remarks by Professor. Zhou Zuoyu
On the afternoon of July 5th, Professor Zhou Zuoyu delivered a keynote address titled “Closing the Gap: Teachers’ Capacities and the Roadmap towards Equitable and Quality Education in China”. Professor Zhou emphasized the central role of teachers in educational development. He highlighted how China addresses challenges such as teacher supply-demand imbalances and unequal access to technology through policy innovation and technological empowerment, thereby upgrading teacher capacity and providing practical examples for promoting global educational equity. Additionally, Dr. Zhao Yuchi, Executive Director of INRULED; Dr. Da Ting, core member of the UNESCO Chair on AI in Education; and Ms. Wang Siyao, Programme Coordinator of INRULED, delivered thematic reports respectively on “Developing Support System for Rural Teachers’ Continuing Professional Development”, “Exploring and Practicing Generative AI to Empower Human-AI Collaborative Teaching”, and “BNU’s Qiangshi Programme (Teacher Support Project)”,.
During the conference, Dr. Zhao Yuchi facilitated a capacity-building workshop titled “School-Based Teacher Professional Development”, which attracted 35 participants including school principals, teachers, inspectors, provincial education advisors, and teacher educators. The workshop focused on sharing China’s teaching-research system and related activities, such as lesson planning, lesson observation and evaluation, action research, and the development/utilization of local teaching resources, and was well-received by the participants. Dr. Ting Da conducted a workshop on “Artificial Intelligence in Education,” attended by approximately 50 university lecturers and administrators, designed to help participants leverage large language models to enhance teaching and research. Both workshops featured distinct content, innovative methods, and clear objectives. Through interactive discussions, Q&A sessions, and hands-on activities, the workshops equipped participants with practical, applicable skills. The successful workshops offered reference for the newly established Institute of Global Teacher Development at Beijing Normal University.
The delegation also organized a partnership roundtable during the conference, bringing together representatives from universities and educational institutions across PNG, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, and New Caledonia. The discussion aimed to expand cooperation networks and explore future collaborative possibilities.
Furthermore, to understand the realities of education development in PNG, on July 4th, Professor Zhou Zuoyu and the delegation visited Asaroka Lutheran Secondary School. They received a warm welcome from the school principal, teachers, and students. The delegation toured key teaching facilities, including classrooms, the library, computer labs, and science laboratories. They held friendly discussions with teachers and students on topics such as teaching needs, challenges, quality improvement, and future development. On the same day, the delegation also visited the China-aided Juncao and Upland Rice Technology Demonstration Project site.
This visit further solidified the cooperation between Beijing Normal University, INRULED, and the University of Goroka, laying a solid foundation for expanding collaboration with South Pacific Island nations. The forum marks a key 2025 cooperative project following Professor Zhou’s inaugural visit to PNG last year, which resulted in the signing of a Chinese language education cooperation agreement with UOG. Looking ahead, both institutions will continue deep collaboration in areas such as rural education, teacher development, and educational informatization.