Exploring Global Thinking in Education
From July 20 to 22, 2018, Columbia Global Centers | Beijing hosted a three-day symposium featuring Columbia University's Teachers College. The program aims to foster conversations between alumni of Teachers College and local experts, in both academia and industry, on education improvement in China and the U.S. The symposium attracted more than 600 attendees, and more than 261,000 people watched the events online.
On July 20, in collaboration with China Education Improving Institute, the Beijing Center hosted three panel discussions covering reforms for college entrance examination, educational equity, education in rural areas, and early childhood education in China. The China Education Improving Institute was founded in 1921. Many of the Institute's major members were alumni of Teachers College, including TAO Xingzhi, HU Shih, Kuo Ping-wen, CHEN Heqin, and JIANG Menglin. The first-day program focused on the modern education ideas and practice that help children to achieve full development physically and mentally.
On July 21, the Beijing Center opened the Third No-Boundaries International Art Exhibition. The Third Exhibition was organized by the No-Boundaries Committee, Columbia Global Centers | Beijing, Columbia Global Centers | Paris, Columbia Global Centers | Nairobi, and Columbia Global Centers | Rio de Janeiro, and showcased in Beijing, Paris, New York, Nairobi, and Rio de Janeiro under the theme of “One Tree, One City.”
Following the opening ceremony, the Center hosted an enlightening panel discussion on globalization and children's art education featuring Professor Lydia H. Liu, Wun Tsun Tam Professor in the Humanities and the Director of Institute for Comparative Literature and Society at Columbia University; Dr. Portia Williams, Director of the Office of International Affairs at Teachers College, Columbia University; Professor Wei Zhen, Professor of Beijing Normal University's School of Arts and Communications, Director of Beijing Normal University Gallery; Ms. Baitong Yan, Founder of No-Boundaries International Art Exhibition; and Ph.D. candidate Jian Zhu from Capital Normal University. For more information, please click here.
On July 22, the Center hosted three panel discussions, “Teachers College and Its Inspiration to China's Education,” “Promoting Education Development through Capital Power,” and alumni sharing “What Do We Learn at Teachers College.” Later in the afternoon, the Center hosted a new student reception for Teachers College in collaboration with Future China Initiative. Dr. Portia Williams delivered a welcoming speech. For more information, please click here.