The annual lecture series "Edge and Vision: The Annual Lectures of International Scholars" hosted by the Faculty of Education at East China Normal University (ECNU), was successfully held on December 12, 2025. The event was livestreamed via Zoom and WeChat.
Focusing on global educational development, current trends, and future directions, the 2025 lectures featured keynote speeches by five distinguished international scholars, with responses and discussions from five ECNU faculty members. The event attracted an audience of over 7,000 participants, facilitating the exchange of cutting-edge knowledge and research topics while strengthening academic dialogue between international experts and the faculty.
Marek Tesar, Distinguished Professor at East China Normal University and Dean of Faculty of Education, the University of Melbourne, delivered a presentation titled "Future of Education: Key Issues, Emerging Trends, and Future Opportunities for Early Years in Asia Pacific".
Nirmala Rao,Chair Professor of Child Development and Education at the Faculty of Education, the University of Hong Kong, shared insights on"Building Strong Foundations: Policy Strategies in High-Performing Early Childhood Systems".
Ting Wang,Distinguished Part-time Professor of East China Normal University, Emeritus Professor of University of Canberra, gave a presentation on"Educational Leadership in the AI Era: International Governance Pathways and Comparative Insights".
Kathryn M. Anderson-Levitt, Professor Emerita of University of Michigan–Dearborn and Professor of University of California, Los Angeles, presented on "Comparative Education: One Perspective on Theories, Paradigms, and Methods".
Philip Wing Keung Chan, Professor at the Faculty of Education, Monash University and UNESCO Chair in ICT for Rural Education Transformation, shared his reflections on"Bridging Worlds: A Reflection on Community Education and Lifelong Learning".
The five keynote addresses, each combining a global outlook with forward-thinking perspectives, along with the insightful dialogues that followed, provided a rich intellectual feast for the attending faculty and students. The interaction was vibrant, and the collision of thoughts sparked widespread resonance among the audience.
