From July 8th to 9th, 2023, UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education(UNESCO INRULED) successfully organized the Development Consultation Meeting and Editorial Board Workshop for Education and Rural Development. The meeting brought together a diverse group of experts and scholars with expertise in rural education and development from various countries, including Australia, Japan, and the United States. Prof. Wang Chen, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Education at Beijing Normal University, and Mr. Robert Parua, Education Specialist at the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia attended and addressed the meeting. The chief experts of UNESCO INRULED and relevant project personnel also actively participated in the meeting. Chaired by Prof. Zeng Xiaodong, Executive Director of UNESCO INRULED, the meeting aimed to identify development priorities, expand cooperation network, and mobilize resources for INRULED’s sustainable development.
Prof. Zeng Xiaodong warmly welcomed the attending experts and briefed the audience on INRULED’s history and functions. She emphasized INRULED’s commitment to promoting rural education development and highlighted the progress made in terms of rural education research, training, information management, and networking. It is hoped that with strengthened collaboration among multiple stakeholders, knowledge sharing, experiences exchanges, and project cooperation can be facilitated, so as to contribute to the realization of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Prof. Wang Chen acknowledged the crucial role INRULED plays in promoting rural education and sustainable development as a Category II centre under the auspices of UNESCO. He emphasized the needs to leverage collective wisdom to re-examine the positioning, value, and issues of rural education so as to encourage innovative and inclusive perspectives, as well as practical approaches and strategies that enhance the professionalism, internationalism and impact of INRULED’s work.
Mr. Robert Parua pointed out that as one of the most longstanding Category II centres, INRULED has made considerable progress in promoting policy dialogues, academic research, capacity building, and international cooperation in rural education and development. It also played a crucial role in promoting collaboration among UNESCO and other partners. It is hoped that INRULED will further leverage its comparative advantages to make larger contributions.
During the meeting, the Chief Experts, including Prof Zhang Lili, Prof. Sang Guoyuan, Prof. Wang Li and Prof. Li Baoping, and project personnel of INRULED presented the work approaches, plans, and project progress of the five thematic areas of INRULED, namely, quality teacher for rural schools, gender equality and women leadership, skills development for rural transformation, ICT in Education for Rural Development, and education promotes social transformation in rural areas. They also highlighted INRULED’s efforts in promoting policy dialogues, research and training, and partnerships in rural education. They called upon the participants to strengthen cooperation, promote knowledge sharing and experience exchange, and contribute collectively to the development of rural education.
The attending experts and scholars, including Prof. Chris Nyland, Prof Philip Roberts, Prof. Edward Vickers, Prof. Sun Qi, Dr. Philip Chan, Dr Liu Jing, Prof. Berenice Nyland, engaged in discussions and exchanges on relevant topics concerning education and rural development. They discussed on themes including the development strategies and vision of INRULED, international cooperation and resource sharing, visibility and impact enhancement of INRULED’s work, which provided valuable suggestions and recommendations for the future development of INRULED.
Moderated by Prof. Sang Guoyuan, the Young Scholars Presentation session featured presentations of postdoctoral fellows of INRULED sharing the research outcomes of their respective project teams. They presented and discussed on topics including capacity building for rural community learning centres, teacher collaborative learning, rural education and marginalized groups, which deepened the understanding on challenges of and potential solutions for rural education.
Meanwhile, the Editorial Board Workshop for Education and Rural Development was held on July 9th. Committee members discussed the future development direction of the journal, including its positioning, aim, scope, audience, and topic identification. They also reviewed contributing manuscripts for the current volume.
The successful convening of this meeting has infused renewed vigor and momentum for INRULED’s work. It will propel INRULED to strengthen partnerships and fulfill its functions so as to enhance the quality of rural education and foster high-quality development in rural areas.
