From June 14 to 15, 2025, the Second Forum of “Education for the Countryside” Series was held at Southwest University in Chongqing. Ms. Wang Siyao and Ms. Fang Yuan’an, programme coordinators from the UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED), participated in the forum and delivered a presentation.

Jointly organized by the Faculty of Education at the University of Hong Kong and the Faculty of Education at Southwest University, the forum was themed on “Ruralizing Education: Towards a Sustainable Future”. It focused on emerging concepts, pathways, and challenges in rural education. The event brought together experts and scholars from Australia, Canada, and other countries, along with domestic researchers, representatives from non-profit organizations, and grassroots educators. Participants engaged in rich discussions around critical issues such as “how teachers can be rooted in the rural context” and “future directions for rural education.”

Ms. Wang Siyao delivered a presentation titled “Critically Reconstructing in-Service Training for Rural Teachers: Insights from Fieldwork in Seven Provinces.” Based on research conducted in the first half of 2025 across seven provinces in China, she pointed out that current in-service teacher training models often reflect urban-centric assumptions, overlooking the diversity of rural contexts and teachers’ subjectivities. As a result, many rural teachers face challenges such as limited understanding of local realities and a lack of pride in their rural identity. To address these issues, her presentation proposed two practical approaches: first, incorporating the development of local educational resources into training programmes to empower teachers to design and deliver culturally relevant, place-based curricula; and second, strengthening the training of teachers’ capabilities to respond to real-world rural challenges, thereby enhancing their professional judgment and problem-solving skills. Ms. Wang also introduced INRULED’s upcoming comparative research on small-scale rural schools in East and Southeast Asia. The project aims to identify and share context-sensitive teacher support policies and practices that contribute to the sustainable development of rural education in the region.

During the forum, participants visited the Tao Xingzhi Memorial Hall to learn more about Tao’s influential educational philosophy, including the ideas that “life is education” and “teaching, learning, and doing are one.” As one of the most important thinkers in the history of rural education in China, Tao’s principles continue to provide vital inspiration for advancing student-centered and locally grounded education in today’s rural contexts.

INRULED’s participation in the forum reflects its ongoing engagement in global and regional rural education governance. It also contributes to fostering deeper connections between educational research and grassroots practice.