Linda Darling-Hammond (right), 2022 Yidan Prize for Education Research Laureate and Founder of the Learning Policy Institute, and other panelists speak on the topic "Reshaping teacher preparation in light of the pandemic" during the 2022 Yidan Prize Summit on Dec 7, 2022. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - The Yidan Prize Foundation, the global philanthropic foundation behind the world’s highest education accolade, hosted on Wednesday a summit that highlighted educator development and empowerment.

The 2022 Yidan Prize Summit brought together leading lights in education, policy, and philanthropy to also discuss the importance of building connections between education policy and practice, innovations in STEM teaching and learning, and how collaboration can drive change in the classroom. 

Keynote speakers Christine Choi Yuk-lin, secretary for education of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and Jeffrey Jian Xu, a Senior Education Specialist (Education Technology) from the Asian Development Bank, emphasized the importance of equitable, quality education for all

Keynote speakers Christine Choi Yuk-lin, secretary for education of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and Jeffrey Jian Xu, a Senior Education Specialist (Education Technology) from the Asian Development Bank, emphasized the importance of equitable, quality education for all.

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Hong Kong educators and foundations discussed the evolving role of philanthropy and shared innovative and impactful programs which support teacher development and are already reaping rewards in schools.

“Education is an ecosystem. For this ecosystem to thrive, it must provide the conditions that recognize and support the essential work of educators and enable their success,” said Charles Chen Yidan, Founder of the Yidan Prize. 

Peter Poon from The D.H. Chen Foundation and Lillian Kiang from Bei Shan Tang Foundation shared the importance of collaborating with education stakeholders to support local teacher development and empowerment. 

They emphasized that teachers are their most important partners in driving change in education, highlighting how teachers can create a ripple effect in the community by supporting their peers and their students. 

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Linda Darling-Hammond, the 2022 Yidan Prize for Education Research Laureate, discussed challenges and opportunities that have arisen in education during the pandemic. 

She talked about teacher preparation programs that successfully prepare teachers for a changing world, drawing on examples from education systems including those in the Chinese mainland, the HKSAR, and Singapore. 

Panelists also discussed the importance of building connections between research, practice, and policy. 

In another panel, Yongxin Zhu, the 2022 Yidan Prize for Education Development Laureate, shared powerful examples of teacher motivation and professional development practices, drawing on over 20 years’ experience at the New Education Initiative in the mainland. 

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Panelists shared strategies for building strong peer networks, which connect and empower teachers to learn from one another.