29 May 2019
Around 270 delegates from more than 140 Cambridge schools discussed how to prepare today’s students for the world of tomorrow at the recent East Asia Schools Conference in China.
At this year’s conference, speakers and delegates shared new ideas and best practice on issues such as effective leadership, teaching and learning, university recognition, Cambridge Global Perspectives and Cambridge Primary.
Speakers included Jonathan Woetzel, Senior Partner and Director at the McKinsey Global Institute, who explored the promise and challenge of Artificial Intelligence, and Dr Conrad Hughes, Campus and Secondary Principal at the International School of Geneva, Switzerland, who shared ‘seven global challenges and seven future-proof responses’. Dr Hughes also led a workshop on educating and leading for less prejudice.
Claudia Bickford-Smith, Cambridge International’s Director, Development, spoke about Cambridge International’s vision of education in the future and its role in supporting schools. And Professor Wu Hua, Professor and PhD advisor of the Faculty of Education at Zhejiang University talked about the achievements of private education in China during the past few years and analysed the current challenges faced by the new private education policy.
Cambridge students were also present, and their contributions were one of the highlights of the conference. The five students, all from Chongqing, took part in a panel discussion and shared details about their school lives, how they understand and view the future, and how teachers can prepare them for the future.
Dr Rehema Clarken, Academic Principal, International Curriculum Centre (BFSU Campus), Beijing Foreign Studies University, said: 'This year’s East Asian Schools Conference was outstanding. The keynote speakers gave me many big ideas to think about as an educator. I learned a great deal from the breakout sessions too.'