Faculty and students from East China Normal University’s Faculty of Education have made an exceptional mark at the 2026 annual conferences of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES),with a record 150 papers accepted—a historic milestone that significantly amplifies the “ECNU Voice” in global education discourse.
Students, as first authors, contributed to over 80% of the total, emerging as a pivotal new cohort shaping global understanding of China’s frontier education research. Notably, the 2026 AERA conference alone accepted 91 student-first-authored papers, reflecting a striking 62.5% increase from the previous year.
The research portfoliohighlighted twokey themes:
Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Education: Multiple studies investigated innovative applications of generative AI in areas such as writing assessment, teacher professional development, and learning interventions.
Educational Practices with Chinese Characteristics: Several papers addressed signature reforms and iconic concepts within China’s education landscape, including the “Double Reduction” policy, teacher rotation initiatives, and vocational education development. By articulating these experiences through internationally recognized academic language, the research substantially strengthens China’s capacity to engage in global scholarly dialogue.
