Taiwan Participates in the 2023 Education World Forum in London to Foster Global Educational Collaboration
The 2023 Education World Forum—described by UNESCO as “the world’s largest gathering of education and skills ministers”— was held at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster in London from May 7 to May 10. There were more than 1,000 participants, including 117 education and skills ministers from 130 countries and territories all around the world, government officials, UNESCO representatives, NGO representatives, education providers, and its supporting agencies in the UK: the Department for Education, the Department for Business & Trade, the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, and the British Council.
Andy Cheu-An Bi, Director of the Education Division at the Taipei Representative Office in the United Kingdom, and Assistant Director Kai Tsou took part in the Forum, representing Dr. Pan Wen-Chung, Taiwan’s Minister of Education, to boost international cooperation with Taiwan in the field of education.
The theme of this year's Education World Forum (EWF) was New Beginnings: Nurturing Learning Culture, Building Resilience, Promoting Sustainability. Stronger, Bolder, Better Education by Design. It addressed “how education has changed, and what we have learned from recent disruption and responses” and also considered the longer-term challenges that education faces.
More than 60 speakers took part in thought-provoking panel discussions on topics covering a wide range of practical matters that can contribute to fortifying and advancing education systems worldwide. These include policies for development of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values; the importance of leadership; lifelong learning; and the growing potential of technology’s support for education’s core aims
State Secretary for Education, Gillian Keegan gave a keynote address in which she spoke about the challenges encountered during and since the Covid-19 pandemic, the future implications of generative artificial intelligence, the importance of equipping young students with essential skills, and the value of international mobility in education. After her address, the Education Secretary Keegan engaged in discussions with Director Bi, underscoring their shared commitment to reinforcing cooperation between Taiwan and the UK, particularly with regards to student mobility. Taiwan's Ministry of Education recently extended Turing Scheme subsidies to University of Bristol students, enabling them to undertake studies in Taiwan.
Similar sentiments were exchanged with Professor Sir Steve Smith, the UK Government International Education Champion. He has long been a cherished partner of the Education Division, in his prior roles as vice-chancellor of the University of Exeter, and chair and board member of Universities UK. The Education Division was delighted to participate in this event and interact with education experts from the UK and around the world. It provided an excellent opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and cultivate new partnerships that will foster robust education, and enhance related innovation and progress in Taiwan, the UK, and beyond.
You can get more details of the topics covered here: https://www.cambridge.org/partnership/three-takeaways-from-the-education-world-forum-2023
