Discussing the Future Learning Ecosystem of the Greater Bay Area: Yidan Education Forum 2023 Hosts Roundtable Forum and New Book Launch

The Yidan Education Forum 2023 kicked off with its first event on April 22, hosting a roundtable forum titled "The Future of Learning Ecosystem in Bay Areas: Education, City, and Sustainability". The event was co-organized by the Chen Yidan Foundation, the Graduate School of Education, Peking University, the UNESCO Chair in Asia-Pacific Higher Education, and the Institute of Economics of Education, Peking University, with the Yidan Education Research Institute handling the organization and World Publishing Corporation providing publication support.

The forum featured discussions on topics such as the innovation ecosystem in Greater Bay Area (GBA) education, the cultivation of innovative talents, the interplay between education and societal sustainability in the GBA, the role of universities, and the region's urban development. The roundtable brought together renowned scholars from Peking University, Beijing Normal University, SDX Joint Publishing Company, World Publishing Corporation, Stanford University, and the University of Helsinki, as well as key experts from the GBA’s education innovation front, including representatives from Hong Kong Chu Hai College, the Great Bay University (in preparation), Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, and the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation.

Rao Ruirui, Secretary-General of the Chen Yidan Foundation, emphasized in her speech that education must expand its presence, focus on local elements, and actively embrace the future.

Li Guijuan, President of the Shenzhen Institute of Education Sciences, welcomed the experts from afar and encouraged meaningful exchanges with local scholars.

Prof. Chen Zhi, President of Hong Kong Chu Hai College, sharing experiences of running a school in the GBA.

Dai Changliang, Executive Director of Great Bay University (in preparation), discussing how to align university development with the GBA's innovative growth.

He Kui, Vice Editor-in-Chief of SDX Joint Publishing Company, sharing thoughts on the future development model of the GBA.

Experts at the forum noted that for over two centuries, the GBA has been at the forefront of dialogue between China and the world. This region serves as a bridge through which China communicates with the world, accessing the latest achievements in Western technology and civilization and exploring how these achievements can be disseminated, implemented, and innovated locally in China. The GBA also acts as a window for the world to understand China, with its stories of technological, cultural, and urban development being increasingly recognized globally. Education lies at the core of urban and societal development in the GBA, and building a collaborative ecosystem that integrates universities, industries, and culture is key to attracting and cultivating high-end talent, thereby effectively driving technological innovation, industrial upgrading, and cultural development. This approach is essential for achieving sustainable development in education, cities, and society at large.

Roundtable Discussion

The forum also released the keynote report titled Collaboration・Symbiosis: Education Innovation Agglomeration and Industrial Innovation Agglomeration. Led by Professor Ha Wei of the Institute of Economics of Education, Peking University, the report critically examined the classic Triple Helix framework (Government-Industry-University Collaboration) and innovatively proposed a path for evolving collaborative innovation. It offered a comparative analysis of educational innovation regions across North, East, Central, and South China, with a targeted focus on the education and social innovation ecosystems of the GBA.

Prof. Ha Wei sharing the keynote report

Q&A Session

The Yidan Education Forum also hosted its first-ever book launch event. The newly released book, Collaborative Innovation between School and Society: Global Trends and Chinese Practice, is the result of a special research project by the Chen Yidan Foundation and Peking University’s Graduate School of Education. The book, authored by Prof. Ha Wei and Dr. Fan Ai’ai, was published by World Publishing Corporation. Focusing on primary education, the book examines the practice of collaborative innovation between schools and society globally and within China, drawing on the theory of educational ecosystems and the core teaching concepts proposed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The book was highly recommended by Dr. Tang Qian, former Assistant Director-General for Education, at UNESCO; Dr. Xie Weihe, former Vice President of Tsinghua University and a distinguished professor of education sociology; and Dr. Ding Xiaohao, Professor and Director of the Institute of Economics of Education, Peking University.

Group photo of book launch partners (from left to right): Dr. Xu Guoqiang, Vice Editor-in-Chief of World Publishing Corporation; Dr. Chen Chen, Research Advisor at the Chen Yidan Foundation; Professor Ha Wei of Peking University; and Rao Ruirui, Secretary-General of the Chen Yidan Foundation.