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Participation in the HealthTech Forum
Dr Margarita Pavlova and the UNESCO-UNEVOC team were invited to participate in the HealthTech Forum 2018 on 16 March 2018. The forum was organized and held at the Institute of Vocational Education (IVE, Kwai Chung), which is a member of the Vocational Training Council, the largest vocational and professional education and training provider in Hong Kong.
This year the theme of the HealthTech Forum was transforming services for the elderly with technology. Experts and scholars from Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong attended this event and presented on issues related to the ageing population and highlighted some of the latest trends in using technology for solving problems and product development. The panel discussion attended by guests from the Executive Council of the government and industry representatives was about the importance of collaboration and the role of the government and industry in supporting innovation in the elderly services industry. This topic is closely related to the focus of an ongoing GRF project led by Dr Pavlova called “Greening Skills in Hong Kong: effective partnerships between vocational education, government and industry to support the greening of the economy”.
The team also had the opportunity to visit the HealthTech Exhibition to learn about the latest products and services in this particular industry.
A group photo of Dr. Pavlova and other scholars and experts. International Symposium: Promoting Community Engagement for Vocational and Professional Education and Training, 15 March 2018, EdUHK
On 15 March 2018, Dr Margarita Pavlova organized the International Symposium: Promoting Community Engagement for Vocational and Professional Education and Training at the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK).
The symposium was co-organized by the UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong), the Department of International Education and Lifelong learning at EdUHK and the University of Glasgow. Experts and scholars from the UK, Italy and Hong Kong as well as representatives from local VPET institutions attended.
During the symposium, Dr. Pavlova gave a presentation about the findings of two projects. The first project, a general research fund (GRF) project, entitled “Greening Skills in Hong Kong: effective partnerships between vocational education, government and industry to support the greening of the economy”, is one for which she is the principal investigator. The project's findings revealed that although VPET providers in Hong Kong engaged in variety of activities in the community, the focus on environmental/sustainability issues was not a major aspect of their work.
The second project, jointly conducted with the University of Glasgow, the Hong Kong College of Technology, and the Hang Seng Management College, focused on the effectiveness of a benchmarking tool developed by the University of Glasgow and applied by two VPET providers in Hong Kong, Hang Seng Management College (HSMC) and Hong Kong College of Technology (HKCT).
Apart from Dr Pavlova’s presentation, Professor Michael Osborne and Dr John Tibbitt from the University of Glasgow, the developers of the benchmarking tool, also discussed the tool and the regional engagement of their university. Other speakers included Professor Roberta Piazza from the University of Catania, Ms Ada Li from the Hong Kong College of Technology (HKCT), Dr Shirley Yeung, the founding director of the Centre for Corporate Sustainability and Innovation at Hang Seng Management College (HSMC) and Mr Leung Yam-shing from the Vocational Education Council (VTC), who shared their experiences of using the tool and their perspectives about engaging their VPET institutions with the local community.
A group photo of speakers and attendees.
At the symposium, Dr. Pavlova gave a presentation about the findings of two projects. Dr. Margarita Pavlova's presentation at the UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre Qatar Seminar Series
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A new article on recycling in Hong Kong by Dr. Margarita Pavlova
Waste problem is one of the most evident environmental problems in Hong Kong. According to the latest Waste Statistic from the government, the amount of total solid waste disposed at landfills has been rising for five consecutive years, while the recovery rate of waste has been decreasing for five consecutive years. To achieve a better waste management in Hong Kong, different stakeholders should work together to come up with a creative solution.
In the article “Can we really recycle in Hong Kong”, Dr. Margarita Pavlova has urged the government, environmental industries, hotel industries, education institutions and the public to take a collective approach to tackle the waste problem. Proactive environmental policies, partnership among different industries and the development of green mindsets by education, are some of the suggestions to support recycling in Hong Kong.
The 4th EAS TVET Providers’ Network Conference 2017 and KRIVET-UNEVOC-OVEC Capacity Building Workshop, 27-30 November 2017, Bangkok, Thailand
On 29 November 2017, Dr Margarita Pavlova gave a presentation at the 4th EAS TVET Providers’ Network Conference 2017 and KRIVET-UNEVOC-OVEC Capacity Building Workshop. It took place at the Al Meroz Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.
The event was called ‘Enhancing TVET Capacity for Youth Employment, Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development through Developing Active TVET Agents in Asia’. About 170 delegates, including policymakers, TVET experts and practitioners from 20 countries attended.
The aim of the conference and workshop was to increase the capacity of potential network agents in the TVET sector, and help them identify the alignment of national and local issues with regional and the global agendas, so they can work together consistently to change TVET for youth employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable development.
This activity was designed to strengthen the network of the TVET sector in Asia and to facilitate collaboration on greening TVET in the region by creating collaborative action plans for greening.
As a part of the country-based presentations, which introduced green policies and greening TVET practices in different countries, Dr Pavlova highlighted issues examined in several Hong Kong research projects, including her current GRF project. In addition, she led the team that focused on the development of action plans for greening the curriculum. This group was composed of ministry representatives from Mongolia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Fiji, as well as academics from South Korea and Samoa. Some of these activities will be funded by Korea and China.
Dr Pavlova’s engagement in the workshop directly contributed to the following outcomes of the conference:
1. Raised awareness of greening TVET policy as a tool to address issues related to youth employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable development.
2. Strengthened the capacity of TVET practitioners and policymakers to become facilitators of change in greening TVET.
3. Collection and analysis of practices on greening TVET
4. Establishing new partnerships between TVET practitioners and policy makers for greening TVET.
Dr. Pavlova giving a presentation at the 4th EAS TVET Providers’ Network Conference 2017 and KRIVET-UNEVOC-OVEC Capacity Building Workshop
A Group photo
Dr Pavlova and the team that focused on the development of action plans for greening the curriculum
The World Bank project on capacity building for Lead Teacher Training Universities (LTTUs) in Vietnam, 2017-2018
Dr Margarita Pavlova is a Deputy Team leader for the World Bank project on Capacity Building for Lead Teacher Training Universities (LTTUs) in Vietnam. The team leader is Chair Professor Lee Chi Kin John (VP Academic).
The Education University of Hong Kong won a bid and has been appointed by the World Bank to provide consultancy services for the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) to improve the performance of LTTUs with the objective of promoting the quality of continuous professional development (CPD) of teachers in Vietnam. Other members of the team include Professor Tsui, Professor May Cheng May-hung, Professor Kerry Kennedy, Professor Allan Walker, Professor Bob Adamson and Professor Lim Cher-ping.
A series of face-to-face training workshops will be conducted by the EdUHK team over a 10-month period. They are aimed to support management teams of eight LTTUs to build capacity for planning the implementation of the MOET’s Enhancing Teacher Education Program (ETEP). In the first trip, which took place from 16 to 20 October, the EduHK project team visited the first four LTTUs: Ho Chi Minh City University, Hue University of Education, Thai Nguen University and Hanoi Pedagogical University 2. During these visits, the team evaluated current university practices on quality assurance systems, training programmes, internal and external collaboration, educational environment and resources.
After the first trip, the project team analyzed the data from the site visits and the self-evaluation reports prepared by the universities, and identified the strengths and weaknesses of the four LTTUs. The second trip, which took place from 20 to 25 November, the project team worked on the strategic plans with the four LTTUs. The aim was to elaborate and finalise the plans, so they can be included in the Performance Agreements between MOET and the LTTUs. By the end of the project it is expected that eight universities will have clear action plans to implement with respect to educational reform in Vietnam and gradually establish themselves as hubs for the new continuous professional development of teachers system in Vietnam.
A meeting of the project team
The World Bank project team
Training workshops for the management teams from the eight LTTUs in Vietnam
Dr. Pavlova delivering a speech
Productive Exposure Visit Program for High-Level Government Officials from Nepal
On 15–19 July 2017, Dr Margarita Pavlova, from The UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) led an exposure visit program for nineteen high-level government officials from Nepal.
The ‘Towards Policy Formulation’ program was jointly organized with the Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC), a regional intergovernmental organization in the Asia Pacific region mandated to improve the quality of vocational education and training in TVET. Currently, the government of the Philippines hosts the CPSC.
The delegation included representatives from various Nepalese governmental and educational organizations, including the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, National Planning Commission, Skills Development Project funded by the Asian Development Bank, Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training and principals of TVET institutions, including the Shankharapur Polytechnic Institute.
They were welcomed by the UNEVOC Centre in Hong Kong for five days to explore and identify Hong Kong’s TVET system and policy formulation in order to help facilitate key strategic reforms to improve the overall management and performance of TVET systems in Nepal, as well as improving the quality and relevance of training and TVET teacher education.
The delegates themselves are in charge of policy formulation and its implementation in the area of skills development in Nepal and ensure it coheres with the economic development plans of the country. This visit was designed to impart knowledge and facilitate exposure to best practices in teaching and learning that can be applied in the context of Nepal. Three under-secretaries of education led the group.
During the day at the EdUHK, Dr George Siu-keung NGAI (EPL) presented the delegates with the EdUHK professional and vocational education (PVE) program for TVET teacher education at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Then Dr Margarita Pavlova clarified the Hong Kong Qualification Framework for delegates. As a knowledge transfer activity, Dr Pavlova presented results of several studies on green skills and greening of TVET (a research focus of the UNEVOC center) and took delegates to the Zero Carbon Building to illustrate concepts of green construction so delegates could gain a deeper understanding of the importance of greening in education agendas.
Visits to public and private TVET providers, including the VTC headquarters, IVE (Morrison campus) and the Hong Kong College of Technology were arranged thanks to long standing collaborative activities between the UNEVOC Centre and these institutions. The purpose of the visits was to explore potential cooperation between Hong Kong and Nepal in relation to skills development. Leaders of these institutions met the delegates personally.
Another highlight of the exposure visit was a visit to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, organized by Professor Chi-Kin John Lee and Professor Wai Yee Joanne Chung. The delegates were welcomed by the Director of International Affairs, David Joiner, Associate Dean (Research) at the Faculty of Engineering, Professor Felix Chan, Director of the Industrial Centre, Dr Michael Leung, Director of the Hong Kong Community College, Simon Leung and other members of the PolyU team.
The Nepali delegation was able to observe different advanced technology and projects students are involved in. They exchanged ideas on about the concept of work-integrated education and discussed its benefits for TVET students. The delegation was able to clarify the difference between sub-degree programs as well as their benefits for students. Relationships between pathways and qualification frameworks were also analyzed.
The exposure visit program was a great success in terms of facilitating the exchange of ideas between the Nepali delegates and the Hong Kong community.
A visit at Zero Carbon Building, Hong Kong
The Nepali delegation with Dr. Margarita Pavlova (middle) UNESCO-UNEVOC Greening TVET curriculum and skills – Teacher Mentoring and Peer Learning Program for Asia-Pacific region
A four-day UNESCO training workshop, ‘Greening TVET Curriculum and Skills – Teacher Mentoring and Peer Learning Program’ (TMPLP) for Asia-Pacific region was held at the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) between 17 and 20 June. The UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong), the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre in Bonn, and the International Education and Lifelong Learning Department at EdUHK jointly organized the workshop.
The TMPLP provided government officials, TVET leaders and teachers from the Asia-Pacific region, as well as Canada, with opportunities to reflect on their current teaching practices and to effectively apply ‘greening’ concepts, knowledge and skills into the vocational and professional education system as well as the curriculum.
The four-day workshop was a pilot for a series of workshops conducted worldwide to stimulate the integration of greening skills into TVET curricula and training.
Nine high-ranking delegates were invited to Hong Kong to participate. Training activities clarified the concept of greening skills and assisted delegates to shape green practices into teaching and learning programs in their respective countries. The primary purpose was to facilitate the design and implementation of measures for greening curricula as well as to highlight behavioral changes linked to sustainability.
The nine delegates were
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Dr Ramhari Lamichhane, Director General of Colombo Plan Staff College, Philippines (a regional intergovernmental organization in the Asia Pacific region mandated to improve the quality of vocational education and training in TVET)
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Mr Ratu Saula Baleisuva, Ministry of Education of Fuji
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Mr Senthuran Thirunavukkarasu , Acting Deputy Director, Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission, Sri Lanka
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Dr Sothy Yok, Director, National Technical Training Institute, Cambodia
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Dr Yusri Kamin, Head, Department of Technical & Engineering Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
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Dr Affero Ismail, Lecturer, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn, Malaysia
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Ms Khandarmaa Tsendsuren, Teacher, Mongolia Korean Polytechnic College, Mongolia
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Ms Helen Knibb, Professor; PhD Candidate, Trent University, Canada
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Dr Wei Ming, Researcher, National Institute for Vocational Education, Shenzhen, China
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Mr Shyamal Majumdar, Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre, Mr Kenneth Barrientos, Program Officer of UNESCO-UNEVOC and Dr Margarita Pavlova, Director of the UNEVOC Centre in Hong Kong represented the UNESCO-UNEVOC network.
On the first day of the TMPLP, the delegation attended the Vocational and Professional Education and Training International Conference 2017 (VPET 2017) put together by the partnership arrangements between VTC and UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong). Mr Shyamal Majumdar delivered a keynote speech and Dr Margarita Pavlova gave a closing speech at the Hong Kong Convention Centre.
Student ambassadors from the VTC arranged guided tours around the WorldSkills Competition exhibition for the delegation.
On the morning of 19 June, the EdUHK president welcomed the UNESCO-UNEVOC delegation at the Council Chamber. During the plenary session, Dr Jackson Lau, Head of the Environmental Office of Vocational Training Council and Mrs Presha Ramsarup from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg shared their expertise on integrating generic green skills and developing greening skills across different occupations at the TVET within the context of Hong Kong and South Africa. Mr Victor Kwong, Chairman of Environmental Working Committee, Towngas, adopted a corporate perspective by discussing developments in the private sector in terms of greening the business world.
In the following days, delegates actively participated in rounds of intensive discussions and activities organized by Dr Margarita Pavlova. She shared a series of content modules for use by TVET institutions for developing generic green skills in particular occupations. Two of the modules were used for training to demonstrate a learner-centered pedagogy. One focused on understanding the links between environment and industry, the other on creating greener workplaces based on the ideas of the circular economy and lifecycle analysis. These knowledge transfer activities were well received and a decision was made that, in collaboration with the UNESCO-UNEVOC center (Bonn), the units will be adapted by UNESCO to be used by member countries for greening skills in TVET. Dr Eric Tsang gave a presentation on global reporting frameworks in order to clarify the industry’s approach to evaluating environmental and social impacts.
Participants were presented with certificates at the end of the workshop. Each participant also provided suggestions as to how to move forward and share this learning and stimulate knowledge transfer in the Asia Pacific region.
Thanks to Ms. Tracy Lau, Research Assistant, Ms. Xenia Kang, a PhD student and Ms. Christy Chen, a PhD student of UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) for taking care of organizational issues.
Concluding plenary address at the VPET International Conference 2017: Partnership, Enterprise and Innovation, Hong Kong
Dr Margarita Pavlova gave a concluding plenary address at the VPET International Conference 2017: Partnership, Enterprise and Innovation on 16 June 2017 at the Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong.
Her address was at the end of the first day of the Vocational and Professional Education and Training (VPET) International Conference, which is a high-profile event attracting top leaders, government officials, professionals and policymakers in the field of VPET. The Education Bureau of The HKSAR Government and the Vocational Training Council jointly organized the VPET Connex conference. It aimed to provide a platform for promoting discussion and strengthening collaboration in VPET among high-level policymakers in the Asia Pacific region. Alongside the roundtable discussions and presentations, VTC celebrated its 35th anniversary by organizing the Worldskills Hong Kong Competition and Carnival 2017.
The opening ceremony was officiated by CY Leung, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, as well as other key figures. Three sets of roundtable discussions were focused on global trends in TVET and on partnership, enterprise and innovation. Through the conference, education leaders examined challenges related to leadership and discussed visions and strategic developments for TVET in order to better respond to the market and industrial needs.
In the concluding speech that summarized the first day of the conference, Dr Margarita Pavlova focused on climate change and other critical environmental factors that have been posing challenges to industry, governments and TVET. She looked at many issues discussed during the day through the lens of greening and transitions to green economies. In her speech, Dr Pavlova identified several enabling factors that could support the greening of VPET.
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Dr Margarita Pavlova giving a concluding plenary address at the VPET International Conference 2017 VPET Connex 2017: Call for Registration
As one of the partner organizations, UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) is pleased to announce that the VPET Connex 2017 is now open for registration through the event website at: http://www.vpetconnex2017.hk/.
For interested parties, please download the promotional flyer of the VPET Connex 2017 here.
This conference, jointly organized by the Eudciaton Bureau of the HKSAR Government and the Vocational Training Council, aims at providing a platform for leaders, policy makers and practitioners in the field of VPET to share best practices and strengthen collaboration among VPET partners and institutions.
Time: 16-17 June 2017
Venue: Hall 5E, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
Registration Fee: $700 (Early bird rate of $500 before 15 April, 2017)
For details, please refer to the above link.
 Invitation to the RMUTL Thai Cultural Camp 2017
UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong), on behalf of Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, is inviting EdUHK students to join the RMUTL Thai Cultural Camp. With the goal of enhancing cultural exchange among countries, RMUTL Thai Cultural Camp 2017 will be taking place from 23/7 -6/8, 2017 at Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Other involving university included Kunming University of Science and Technology, Chengdu Electronic Information School, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology and Chongqing University of Technology.
It is a great opportunity for students to experience different cultures and meet overseas students. Various activities have been planned with a full spectrum of authentic experiences of Thai culture and daily life in Thailand.Enclosed please find a schedule and a breakdown of the estimated expenses involved.If you have candidates who would like to join our program, please kindly contact us with the attached application form by 15 June 2017 at twylau@eduhk.hk.
Program fee: $470 US (including fee for local transportation activiities, acoomodation and meals at breakfast and lunch)
Programme Brochure
Application Form UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) supporting SDG Junior Ambassador Programme
UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) is one the Supporting Organisations of the SDG Junior Ambassador Programme, if you are a Primary 4 to 6 student who are interested to know more about environmental issues and global issues happening at the United Nations, seize the opportunity and join us now! The deadline for application is on 24 Feb 2017! Follow our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/sdgja
More about the SDG Junior Ambassador Programme: Adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 2015, the SDGs is a universal call to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The SDG Junior Ambassador Programme will cultivate the mind-set of primary schools students on environment conservation and sustainability. It will also foster a deeper connection between students and global policies, so as to drive a Behavioural Change from Inception to Implementation towards educating the community to create a greener lifestyle.
Keynote address at the Technical and Vocational Education & Training International Conference 2016, Malaysia
On 19 November 2015, Dr. Margarita Pavlova delivered a keynote address at the Technical and Vocational Education & Training International Conference 2016 that took place at the KSL Resort and Hotel in Johor, Malaysia.
Her speech ‘Leadership, green mindsets and technological competencies: heading to a better and greener future’ focused on three essential areas related to talent development and a sustainable future: leadership, green mindsets and specific technological competencies.
Dr. Pavlova also attended a press conference there where she highlighted the links between TVET and talent development strategies, as well as the essential role of greening skills for tackling sustainability issues. She emphasized the huge potential of TVET for supplying adequately skilled labor and praised the ongoing commitment of the Malaysian government and its investment in the TVET system.
‘Malaysia is setting an example for other countries in Asia and the Pacific region by raising awareness about the importance of TVET in driving talent development’, she said. Dr. Pavlova then highlighted the positive greening practices in TVET that are taking place in Malaysia.
She also lamented those Hong Kong students who do not select TVET programs as a study choice as they fail to realize the practicality and promising future they could have following TVET studies.
The UNESCO project Dr. Pavlova led provided both qualitative and quantitative information on the response of TVET institutions towards greening economies and the corresponding teaching/training skills required to meet the demands of greener jobs. This UNESCO study provided specific insights for the government of Malaysia with respect to the process of greening skills in TVET programs that in turn support relevant government policy implementation.
Dr. Margarita Pavlova presenting a keynote address
Organizers amd speakers group photo at the Technical and Vocational Education & Training International Conference 2016
Dr. Margarita Pavlova at the press conference
A new article published in the local newspaper Results of green skills research has been shared at COP22
2016 has been a historic year for international climate action, with the Paris climate agreement taking effect on 4 November. This year COP22 was held in Marrakech, Morocco between 7 and 18 November 2016. Thousands of officials and negotiators from 200 countries met with the purpose of pinpointing specific actions, as well as finalizing elements, that could turn Paris agreement into a detailed blueprint.
COP21, the climate change conference held last year in Paris, formulated the most comprehensive international plan to combat the worst effects of climate change. Topics discussed included finance (in terms of helping developing nations to fund their own green and renewable energy options), adaptation funds, sustainable transits, land and forest protection, investment in renewables and carbon tax finance.
Dr. Margarita Pavlova was invited to the forum ‘Greening technical and vocational education curriculum and training: institutional approaches for climate change action’ to share research results on greening skills that she conducted over several projects in Asia and Hong Kong. The forum was organized by UNESCO at COP22. She took part in the panel discussion on ‘Institutional Practices in greening curriculum and training: methods and impact’ chaired by Borhene Chakroun, the Chief of Section of Youth, Literacy and Skills, UNESCO Education Sector, Paris.
Dr. Pavlova shared her perspective on initiatives for greening the TVET curriculum and training in Asia and the Pacific region as well as specific approaches designed to enhance ideas and practices related to greening. Dr. Pavlova highlighted the importance of greening for students’ lives (as results of surveys she conducted demonstrate) and for their employability.
She also presented in another part of the forum in an interactive space called ‘Greening vocational education and training: a marketplace of ideas worth sharing’. Here Dr. Pavlova discussed some results and challenges that has been identified in two regional projects: a UNESCO-UNEVOC research project on ‘Green skills: How TVET institutions are responding in Asia and the Pacific region’ and another project with UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning on ‘The inclusion of green competencies in the recognition of prior learning’.
The discussion centered on posters prepared for the forum and highlighted the importance of greening skills for climate‐resilient development and the facilitation of transitions toward a green economy.
Her first project focused on how greening by topping up skills were embedded in TVET programs in the construction and agriculture sectors, from the perspectives of both students and teachers. This project provides insights on the status quo and improvements needed for education and training in support of low-carbon and climate-resilient transitions in Asia and the Pacific region by incorporating green skills into TVET programs. She explained the difference in the perceived impact of program interventions from the perspective of teachers and students and identified systematic approaches for greening TVET, as well as greening existing occupations.
Dr. Pavlova’s second poster addressed the topic of skills recognition with the aim of improving environmental and sustainable development. This ‘Recognition of Prior Learning’ project can contribute to the mitigation of climate change by supporting green training for SMEs and the promotion of the promotion of the greening TVET agenda in informal settings.
She discussed elements of the model such as how to include green skills into recognition, validation and accreditation and shared some key findings from Hong Kong with respect to the greening of SMEs and skills.
Dr. Margarita Pavlova (left) with Mr. Shyamal Majumdar , the Head of the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre
Dr. Margarita Pavlova sharing her research results on greening skills at COP22
Dr. Margarita Pavlova at COP22
Dr. Pavlova standing next to the sign of the Blue Zone - the venue where all official activities of the COP 22 took place EdUHK Initiates Process for Hong Kong to Join Global Network of Learning Cities
The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) symposium, co-organised by the UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) and the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning in Hamburg, and supported by the Faculty of Education and Human Development and the Department of International Education and Lifelong Learning at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), was held on 12 November 2016 at EdUHK. A high-profile policy-oriented event, the symposium aimed at initiating a discussion on how to engage Hong Kong with the GNLC.
GNLC is an international policy oriented network established by UNESCO that supports and improves the practice of lifelong learning by promoting policy dialogue and peer learning among member cities, fostering partnerships, providing capacity development and developing instruments to encourage and recognise progress made in building learning cities. More than 160 cities, including Shanghai, Hangzhou and Beijing in China, are the members of the network. GNLC will make an important contribution towards achieving a number of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (‘Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’) and SDG 11 (‘Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable’).
Addressing the symposium were high-ranking delegates including Dr Catherine Chan Ka-ki, Deputy Secretary for Education at the Education Bureau (EDB); Mr Raúl Valdés Cotera, Head of GNLC at the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning; Dr Zhanbol Zhilbayev, President of the Academy of Education from Kazakhstan; Professor Nikolay Lobanov, Director of the Research Institute of Socio-economic and Education issues of Lifelong Learning, Pushkin Leningrad State University; Dr David Fan, Head of the UNEVOC Centre at Shenzhen Polytechnic; and Professor John Lee Chi-kin, Vice President (Academic) of EdUHK. Leaders from such organisations as the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ), the British Council, the Hong Kong College of Technology (HKCT), JCI Hong Kong, Youth Square, Leningrad State University as well as colleagues and students from EdUHK made invaluable contributions to the event through presentations and discussions.
In his welcoming address, Professor John Lee stressed that all forms of learning – formal, non-formal and informal – as well as the provision of inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels from childhood to primary, secondary, tertiary and vocational training, are important for creating a vibrant city in which citizens have the right knowledge and skills to seize opportunities and participate fully in society. As one of the educational providers in Hong Kong, EdUHK is strongly encouraging the government to join this global network. Professor Lee emphasised the strong links between the UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) and UNESCO, and presented a UNESCO-UNEVOC plague to Dr Margarita Pavlova, Director of the UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong), issued by the International UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre in Bonn to recognise our the local centre’s significant contribution to regional development. Our centre is committed to the philosophy that a learning city enhances individual empowerment, social inclusion, economic development, cultural prosperity and sustainable development. It helps mobilise resources to promote inclusive learning from basic to higher education, revitalise learning in families and communities, facilitate learning for and in the workplace, extend the use of modern technologies, enhance quality and excellence in learning and foster a culture of learning throughout life.
Dr Pavlova then took the floor to review the symposium’s objectives and identified key areas of action for building learning cities. Following was a presentation by Mr Valdés Cotera, Head of GNLC, who described lifelong learning as “the bedrock of sustainability” and explained the intention of the network along with the framework for development an action plan.
The second session focused on experiences from Hong Kong that have contributed to learning city practices. Dr Catherine Chan of EDB gave an overview of Hong Kong’s education policy and expressed the government’s commitment to offering broader choices of education and inclusive and equitable quality education. She also expressed the government’s interest in exploring possible engagement in the GNLC programme.
Ms Sophia Chan-Combrink, Head of Education and Society at the British Council, talked about her organisation’s contribution to the provision of quality education in Hong Kong and empowerment programmes for children and youth, especially in relation to the practice of lifelong learning. Dr Pavlova then presented a benchmarking tool that can be used to monitor and evaluate performance against several learning city framework targets. Next, Dr Maureen Tam, Director of the Elder Academy, illustrated the importance of life learning by presenting key findings on elderly education in Hong Kong.
A discussion on how to pursue a Learning City agenda in Hong Kong led by Professor Kerry Kennedy, Advisor (Academic Development) at EdUHK, formulated a number of essential steps, including follow-up on the government side, setting up a coordination committee and conducting research to map existing activities in Hong Kong against the learning city benchmarks.
The afternoon session focused on the role of stakeholders in supporting Hong Kong as a learning city. Ms Dorte Kristoffersen, Executive Director of HKCAAVQ, discussed the pivotal role of quality assurance in upholding the standards of learning programmes in academic, vocational and continuing education, as well as enhancing the competitiveness of the local workforce. Ms Doris Luey, Executive Director of Youth Square, explained how her organisation helps to strengthen the position of learners in society through its active involvement in developing youth potential and fostering a vibrant culture of learning. Dr Fan of the UNEVOC Centre in Shenzhen talked about his Polytechnic’s engagement in facilitating Shenzhen as a learning city and how that process could also be applied in Hong Kong.
The final session focused on the challenges of establishing learning cities and showcased examples from Kazakhstan and Russia, which were discussed by Dr Zhanbol Zhilibayev and Professor Nikolayi Lobanov respectively. The two speakers examined challenges and trends they encountered on the way to devising coherent approaches to learning city development that might provide important insights for Hong Kong. Dr Chan Cheuk-hay, President of HKCT, then described his perspective on challenges such as quality, accountability and diversity that Hong Kong may face as a learning city.
The symposium was well received and served as the initial step in engaging stakeholders in the process of incorporating Hong Kong into GNLC. The next step will require a strong political commitment from the government and contributions from many stakeholders, communities and individuals.
Group photo
Professor John Lee presents a UNESCO-UNEVOC Plague to Dr Margarita Pavlova
A snapshot of the UNESCP GNLC Symposium
Mr Raúl Valdés Cotera presented on the UNESCO framework
Dr K K Chan shares her views on learning cities initiative
Dr Margarita Pavlova shared her views in the symposium Meeting of the Organizing Committee, Hamburg UIL, 7-8 November 2016
Dr. Margarita Pavlova was invited to attend a meeting at the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning in Hamburg to discuss the organization of the 5th World Forum for Lifelong Learning that will take place in 2017.
The overall theme of the forum is ‘contributions to sustainable development objectives through lifelong learning’.
The 5th World Forum is part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and accords with the UNESCO Education 2030 Framework for Action. It is jointly organized by the World Committee for learning throughout life (CMA) and the Leningrad State University, named after Pushkin (LSU), with support from the UNESCO UIL, Hamburg, the International Council for Adult Education (CIEA), as well as the UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong).
Among other responsibilities related to the forum, Dr. Margarita Pavlova is organizing a round table discussion on ‘Partnerships for enhancing skills development, including green skills, in support of Lifelong Learning’ that relates to her current GRF project.
Outcomes of the forum are expected to include the identification of key aspects of learning and education throughout life, support of innovative practices that can facilitate learning and education throughout life, the promotion of partnerships between TVET and related education organizations as well as the formulation of a set of recommendations to put to UNESCO.
The May 2017 forum will be attended by international experts from different parts of the world and is expected to attract 1,000 participants from at least 50 countries.
The organization committee. Dr. Margarita Pavlova in the middle Participate in the General Assembly Meeting of Regional Association for Vocational Teacher Education (RAVTE), Cambodia
Dr. Margarita Pavlova was invited to participate in the RAVTE General Assembly Meeting in Phnom Pen, Cambodia on 24-25 October, 2016. The EdUHK became a member of the Regional Association for Vocational Teacher Education in East and Southeast Asia (RAVTE) in 2014. The Faculty of Education and Human Development is a focal point for collaborative activities within this Association that aims to support integrating processes in the ASEAN region, particularly, in terms of human resource development.
The General Assembly was attended by more than 30 participants from 14 institutions across the region. High-ranking representatives include the President of Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, Thailand, the President of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education, Vietnam, Directors of the National Technical Training Institute and National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia. Deans and academia from several Indonesian and Malaysian universities, Tongji University, China and EdUHK, Hong Kong SAR also participated in the meeting. In addition, two representatives from the Regional Cooperation Platform funded by GIZ attended the meeting. His Excellency Dr. Pich Sorphoan, Secretary of State, Ministry of Labour and Vocational training, welcomed participants and took part in morning discussions.
During the RAVTE General Assembly Meeting, Dr. Margarita Pavlova took part in the discussions of the annual report and development of the action plan for 2017. The interactions between her and the members have unveiled two areas of interest amongst the regional RAVTE community: i) interest in student and staff exchange, ii) interest in inclusion of green skills in TVET teacher training. Through internationalization policy, a study on that topic can be set up by the FEHD. A possible project on how to include green skills in TVET teacher training will be based on collaboration amongst RAVTE members and can be supported by GIZ.
During the stay at Cambodia, Dr. Pavlova also attended presentations organized by the National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia, on skills development issues in the country. In addition, she had a meeting with Mr. Rath Sara, the Director of Vocational Orientation Department at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) and his Deputy-Director, Mr. Nuon Vansoeun to understand the needs and challenges of vocational skills training at the secondary school level.
Dr Margarita Pavlova with the participants of the RAVTE General Assembly Meeting.
To the left from Dr Pavlova – Professor Van Dung Do, the President of the University of Technical Education Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam); to the right - Prof. Numyoot Songtanapitak, the President of Rajamankala University of Technology Lanna (Thailand); His Excellency Dr Pich Sorphoan, the Secretary of State, Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, Cambodia
Margarita Pavlova talking to Secretary of State, Ministry of Labour and Vocational training, His Excellency Dr Pich Sorphoan and to the Director of the National Technical Training Institute of Cambodia, His Excellency Dr Yok Sothy. A visit to Hong Kong College of Technology on 26/10/2016
The UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) was invited to the Hong Kong College of Technology (HKCT), one of the leading Vocational & Professional Education and Training institutions (VPET), to discuss a pilot project on the regional engagement of VPET institutions in Hong Kong. This project aims to assist VPET to evaluate and determine their priorities in terms of regional engagement. Dr. Margarita Pavlova met with Dr. Chan Cheuk Hay, President of HKCT, Ms. Ada Li, Director of Communication and Institutional Advancement of HKCT, as well as Ms. Elbe Lam, Manager, Youth Advancement of HKCT to discuss the project. Dr. Margarita Pavlova gave a presentation on the purpose and outcomes of the project, focused on the ways HKCT can contribute and benefit from it. Dr. Chan highlighted the ways HKCT has playing its part in pushing VPET agenda in Hong Kong. He stated that the advancement of VPET agenda should be supported by both government and community-based initiatives. Ms. Ada Li gave a presentation on the recent updates of HKCT’s community engagement and shared plans about the upcoming HKCT 60th anniversary. At the end of the meeting, a video about HKCT was shown to illustrate HKCT commitment towards the development of human capital as well as holistic student development, and the approved timeframe for finalization of the project.
Souvenir from HKCT to Dr. Pavlova, from the left
Ms. Ada Li, Director of Communication and Institutional Advancement, HKCT
Dr. Margarita Pavlova, Director of UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong)
Dr. Chan Cheuk Hay, President of HKCT
Souvenir to Tracy Lau, from the left
Dr. Chan Cheuk Hay, President of HKCT
Ms. Tracy Lau, Research Assistant of UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong)
Ms. Ada Li, Director of Communication and Institutional Advancement, HKCT
Keynote at the Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa (EEASA) conference
The Annual EEASA Conference was hosted in Gauteng, South Africa from 3 - 6 October and attracted over 300 participants from a variety of African countries. The aim of the conference was to advance environmental education for sustainable development, skills planning, and development. Over the years, the conference has served as a platform for practitioners, officials and academia to exchange ideas on sustainability practices in education and training environments.
Dr. Margarita Pavlova was invited to present a keynote address at the conference. Her speech focused on green skills research, which is an emerging theme in South Africa. The keynote address was very well accepted and facilitated ideas shared at the conference.
During her stay, she also had a series of meetings with Professor Eureta Rosenberg from Murray & Roberts Chair of Environment and Sustainability Education at Rhodes University, as well as Professor Heila Lotz-Sisitka, SARChI Chair: Global Change and Social Learning Systems at Rhodes University. They developed a number of possible follow-up activities such as PhD student exchange, a joint publication and research activities potentially through a National Research Community of Practice (a new research system building instrument from the South African National Research Fund) where international members are welcome.
Dr. Margarita Pavlova also met with Professor Volker Wedekind, Research Chair in Vocational Education and Pedagogy at Wits, to discuss possible collaborations as the Wits’ Center on Researching Education and Labour (REAL) is a partner in The Green Skills Project.The Green Skills Project (2015-2017) is a project run by Environmental Skills Planning Forum from the Department of Environmental Affairs, the government of South Africa. The aim is to develop the capacity of the national system to better integrate and plan for green skills development, with a particular focus on post-school skills development.
From left: Presha Ramsarup, The conference organizer, REAL centre, The Wits
Dr Margarita Pavlova, Director, UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong)
Prof Eureta Rosenberg, Murray and Roberts Chair of Environment and Sustainability Education, Rhodes University
Dr. Pavlova delivering her keynote address at the conference
ADB Session on 8th Meeting of the International Policy Advisory Group
Co-organized by the Earth Institute of Columbia University, an ADB session on 8th Meeting of the International Policy Advisory Group, entitled: “The Future of Asia and the World: Implications for Development Finance”, was held in Manila on 12- 13th September 2016. The captioned meeting brought about 30 people across different background, from the Heads of different organizations in the Asia Pacific region, to academia, and representatives from international organizations such as the World Bank, to address critical issues that will be impacting the development of Asia and the Pacific region in the future. The foremost purpose of the meeting is to advise ADB on the development of their 2030 Strategy.
As a member of the International Policy Advisory Group for the ADB, Dr. Pavlova was invited as one of the panelists at the fifth session, “development skills and talent for a more inclusive future”, to present and exchange views regarding the development of human capital and the right set of skills required in Asian countries for more inclusive growth in the region. During her presentation, Dr. Pavlova stressed the importance of greening infrastructural projects to impact greener economies and communities. She also advised the inclusion of agriculture (particularly greening of agriculture) in ADB operations. Her suggestions made at the session were well accepted by the ADB president Takehiko Nakao. If implemented, she believed these focuses of future ADB’s activities would have a significant impact on greening the region and demand for green skills development.
Overall, it was a very high profile meeting with the President of the ADB, Takehiko Nakao, presenting during most of the sessions and a majority of the Vice-presidents of the ADB chairing sessions and taking part in the discussions. Professor Jeffery Sachs, the Director of the Earth Institute, was invited to give welcoming remarks and contributed to many panel discussions.
Margarita Pavlova at the panel discussion
The group photo, with Takehiko Nakao, the President of the ADB (in centre)
The panel of Session 5" Developing Skills and Talent for a More Inclusive Future", from left:
Roman Mogilevskii, Executive Driector and Research Fellow, Centre For Social and Economic Research 9CASE, Kyrgz Republic)
Yoko Ishikura, Professor Emeritus, Hitotsubashi University
Wencai Zhang (Chair), Vice-President (Operations 1), Asian Development Bank
Margarita Pavlova, Associate Professor, The Education University of Hong Kong
Isher Judge Ahluwalia, Chairperson, Board of Governors, the Indian Council for Research on International Economic RelationsIser
From left: Shang-Jin Wei, Chief Economist and Director General, Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department, ADB
Margarita Pavlova, Director of UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong)
Jeffrey Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute, Columbia University, USA
Pon Kam Wong, Professor at the NUS Business School and Director of the NUS Entrepreneurship Centre, Singapore
“Recognising Green Skills in Non-formal Learning Settings - A comparative study in Asia” Symposium in Hamburg, 30-31 August 2016
UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) Hamburg in Germany hosted an international Symposium Recognizing Green Skills in Non-formal Learning Settings- A comparative study in Asia on 30 and 31 August 2016, jointly organized by UIL and UNESCO-UNEVOC Hong Kong.
Following up on the symposium held in August 2015 on The Inclusion of Green Competencies in the Recognition of Prior Learning in Hong Kong, scholars from UNEVOC Centres in Hong Kong, Nepal and the Philippines, together with experts from Bangladesh, , India, Kazakhstan, and Malaysia gathered again this year in Hamburg to address green skills agenda in non-formal setting and summarized the findings for the book based on evidence collected from micro- small- and medium-enterprises (MSMEs) in four industries (automotive, waste management, plastic manufacturing and catering) in both the formal and informal economic sectors. The two-day programme lied within the context of green skills/greening of economies agenda to conclude the outcome of the research study. Countries representatives of the comparative study discussed how their understanding of existing challenges, issues and practices helped to formulate criteria to shape government’s policies on greening and to ensure that green skills are included in Recognition, Validation and Accreditation (RVA) processes.
The Symposium contributed towards the model development for effective green skills inclusion in RVA where the model will include cognitive, interpersonal, intrapersonal and professional skills as well as values, ethics in competency assessment and certification tools and standards. It is anticipated the model can inform governmental polices on greening the TVET agenda. Promising practices have been shared by participants.
The Symposium delivered several strong messages: i)green practices and green skills training need to be implemented in workplaces themselves, rather than in educational and training institutions only, ii) companies should receive incentives from the government; iii)the role of media and formal education is crucial in promoting general awareness in disseminating green skills in enterprises, iv) much work is needed at the individual level to develop inherent qualities and attitudes. The participants also make strong emphasis on extracurricular activities and work-related training to drive green skills development.
The joint work will be compiled into a book which is soon to be finalized and published. It will address the significance of acquiring relevant technical and vocational skills for greening economy and respective key industries. The publication contributes to the recently adopted United Nation 2030 Agenda of New Global Sustainable Development goals - improve environmental performance and sustainable development of economies - in the TVET context. A key highlight of this publication on recognition of green skill is that it will take into the account lifelong learning principles mentioned in the UNESCO Delor Report (1997).
 The Participants at the Hamburg conference
The start of the Symposium
Participants discussed how to improve the value of the process of RVA of prior learning for SMEs, with a particular focus on the inclusion of greening and environmental friendly practices in accredited competencies
The organizers - Dr. Margarita Pavlova (left) and Dr. Madhu Singh
PATT 2016 - Technology Education for 21st Century skills
Organized by the Delft University of Technology and HU University of Applied Sciences, Dr. Margarita Pavlova was invited for a paper presentation at the PATT 2016 Conference at De Bilt, the Netherlands on 23-26 August, 2016. The conference set a theme on Technology Education for 21st Century skills, calling for papers to address Technology Education as a critical pathway to develop general skills that are much required by workers and citizens living in the 21st Century. Dr. Pavlova presented some findings of her recently finished GRF project titled “21st century skills: How to identify and address them in Technology Education”, which involve a conceptualization of the 21st century skills developed within the International Study of City Youth (ISCY) project that engage students from EdUHK in the survey. The outcome of the presentation will be a publication of a book chapter with wide impact and distribution. The publication is anticipated to be out on December 2016 and will be formatted as a PDF proceedings if it is selected by the conference organizing committee.
Her paper suggested the development of 21st century skills (often referred to as non-cognitive skills such as perseverance, creativity, empathy, confidence and hope for the future) through Technology Education are valuable in providing a successful school-to-work transition to students as well as beneficial for life beyond school.
Presentation by Dr. Pavlova 14th International Conference: “Lifelong Learning: Continuous Education for Sustainable Development”
The first stage of the 14th International conference on “Lifelong Learning: Continuous Education for Sustainable Development”, organised by Leningrad State University (named after A.S.Pushkin) together with UNESCO, the World Committee for Lifelong Learning (Paris, France), UNESCO, Institute of Strategy and Education Theory, UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), National Academy of Education, UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) and other international organisations took place in St. Petersburg, Russia between 3rd and 6th June 2016.
Dr. Margarita Pavlova, director of the UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong), who was also on the organising committee of the international conference, gave a presentation titled “Effective Partnerships between Vocational Education, Government and Industry for Green Skills Development within the Paradigm of Lifelong Learning" at the plenary session. The presentation, closely related to her current Grant Commission Fund project, discussed the importance of transitioning towards a green economy, greening trends in industry and business, as well as the role of government in influencing green skills requirements. She anticipated that a model will be developed from the project that will consolidate current partnerships between TVET providers, government and industry for the purposes of green skills development. Discussions among delegates, leaders and academia centred upon further developments such as the organisation of the 5th World Forum for Lifelong learning, as well as collaborations such as the learning cities project with UIL.
The organising committee and delegates will meet again at the second stage of the conference on 22-24 September 2016 to further address various aspects of continuous education for sustainable development.
Presentation by Dr. Margarita Pavlova at the conference.
Dr. Margarita Pavlova with the Director of The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, The President of the Academy of Education, Kazakhstan, the Director of the Russian National UNESCO Centre, a former Director of the Education Research Institute, Uzbekistan.
The UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre Qatar Seminar Series, 30 May 2016 and an interview for the Gulf Times
On 30 May 2016 the College of the North Atlantic, Doha hosted its second seminar for the UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre Qatar seminar series. The invitation-only series is designed to impact on Qatar’s development and facilitate its transition towards a sustainable development of the country.
Dr. Margarita Pavlova, Director of the UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong), was invited as a presenter to talk about the greening of skills and their potential impact on economies as well as their implications for TVET. She shared some of the key results of several research projects conducted by the UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) in the Asia and Pacific region as well as her view with respect to the conceptualisation of "greening of skills development for employability" and how this can best be addressed via TVET and industry. Her presentation attracted over 20 influential delegates from the Qatar Petrochemical Company, the Ministry of Higher Education, the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (a not-for-profit government organisation established at Qatar Science and Technology Park), the Qatar Environment & Energy Research Institute and the College of the North Atlantic. The seminar was very well received.
Subsequently Dr. Pavlova was interviewed by the Gulf Times, Qatar's top-selling English daily newspaper, on the concept of greening of skills and approaches for training a skilled workforce for the greening of Qatar's economy. At the beginning of the interview, she highlighted four types of skills/competencies that are required and, should be included in training programs, in the context of greening. These are: cognitive competencies, interpersonal skills, intrapersonal competencies and technological skills. Dr. Pavlova also stressed the critical role of green awareness for employees at all levels. She explained that a green agenda requires "transformative" education, a role TVET can provide by encouraging students to challenge the assumptions and beliefs held in our societies that have led to current social, environmental and economic crises. We require a "transformative" education system that is focused on the process of learning to "live within ecological limits without human suffering", she said. Therefore, every aspect of education, including planning, policy development, program implementation, finance, curricula, teaching, learning, assessment and administration will be affected. Dr. Pavlova believes greening the economy involves far more than simply teaching principles related to sustainability.
In terms of the implications specifically for Qatar, Dr. Pavlova noted that one of the pillars of Qatar's National Vision 2030 is environmental development, so the country's government is putting particular emphasis on ways to deal with environmental challenges. And yet, a country as rich as Qatar should take up more global responsibility to tackle global issues related to climate change, for example, by developing green technologies for its oil and gas industries, and other sectors, and helping to transfer these technologies to developing countries. She suggested that financial support for green innovation could be one of the priority areas in a country like Qatar. In terms of developing the skills required for the greening of the economy, she suggested the key is to establish a close link between TVET training and industry demands and to involve different stakeholders such as TVET providers, industry (to formulate a demand by greening its operations) and governments each of which are able to tackle the greening of skills from different starting points.
When asked about which sector in Qatar has the potential to go green or must go green, Dr. Pavlova was explicit: “all industry sectors in Qatar need to green their operations”, however the construction sector should be prioritised given that there are numerous construction sites in Doha, and the sector has a significant impact due to its CO2 emissions. Devising a means of identifying core occupations in green building to address greening in construction, at different stages of each construction project, is vital and she explained that her self-developed, multifaceted approach could be applied to curriculum development for greening education and training for occupations in construction:
The two types of skills specifically required for this are:
• Specialised green skills identified through analysis of:
Environmental issues associated with the construction industry;
Most frequently used technologies;
Environmental processes/options
Green building credentials
• Top up skills
Cognitive; technological; interpersonal and intrapersonal
Finally, Dr. Pavlova stressed the significant leadership role of vocational training providers in integrating green concepts and processes into the curricula. To this end, TVET needs to be proactive in awareness raising and developing "green mindsets". She suggested that TVET institutions in Qatar prioritise the development of on-line training modules for generic green skills and teachers’ professional development. Completion of these modules should be requested by existing TVET staff, and examples specific to different sectors should also be included. In addition, theCollege of the Notrth Atlantic could lead the establishment of consortia (funded by the government) comprised of existing practitioners and researchers to assist with the development and implementation of green skills best practice.
The outcome of this UNESCO-UNEVOC seminar series will be a discussion paper to be published in both English and Arabic. At the end of the Gulf Times interview, Dr. Pavlova endorsed the continuing collaboration between the two UNEVOC centres in Hong Kong and Doha as they work on further issues related to greening skills.
Twenty-two influential players from Doha gathered at Dr. Margarita Pavlova’s presentation.
Dr. Pavlova presenting at the UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre Qatar Seminar Series
Presentation by Dr. Pavlova on greening skills and economy and the implications for TVET
Interview by Gult Time: http://www.gulf-times.com/story/499046/Green-means-clean UNESCO–UNEVOC Centre Qatar Seminar Series 30 May 2016
The UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre Qatar Seminar Series is organized by CNA-Qatar on greening skills development and the transition towards environmentally friendly and low-carbon development. Dr. Margarita Pavlova, Director of UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) will participate in seminar with other UNEVOC centers in the Asia Pacific Region.
http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/up/UNEVOCCentreQatarSeminarSeries.pdf
ENGAGE Mentorship Programme 2016
For the second year, UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) has collaborated with Community Business in organizing Career Preparation day for one of the flagship programmes by Community Business, titled ENGAGE Mentorship Programme 2016. It is a 6-month mentorship programme in English targeted at secondary S4 and S5 students from three Hong Kong districts of Sham Shui Po, Tung Chung and Tin Shui Wai. It aims to engage these students and to provide them with positive role models to facilitate upward social mobility.
On 9th of April 2016, 52 students and 34 mentors who are working at different Hong Kong companies, social workers and Community Business representatives arrived at EdUHK to take part in the exciting program that was co- sponsored by EdUHK and MTR. During the opening speech, Dr. Margarita Pavlova, the Director of the UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong), welcomed all participants to EdUHK and emphasized the importance of preparing students for transitions from school to work. Dr. Pavlova highlighted that international research demonstrates the importance of internships and mentoring programs in supporting students during this transition period.
During the day, students went through a variety of training activities such as CV and cover letter writing, time management skills development, effective communication skills and body language to boost their confidence in future career planning and development. In addition, UNEVOC center, with support from EdUHK students, developed a guided tour through EdUHK campus for the visiting secondary school students. The tour conducted by EdUHK students introduced the main facilities and provided some information on the history of the university, current research and new developments such as an eco-garden.
This partnership with Community Business Career Preparation Day directly relates to one of the themes UNEVOC Centre is perusing: Youth and Skills. This theme includes a community engagement part and research. The GRF project on Preparing Urban Youth for Further Study and Careers: an International Study Involving Hong Kong project (led by Professor John C-K Lee together with Professor Rupert Maclean and Dr. Margarita Pavlova) where career preparation options available in Hong Kong schools and the ways to improve them have been examined, directly related to this community engage activity.
A Welcoming Speech by Dr. Margarita Pavlova
Interactive training at the Career Preparation Day
Louie lee, a EdUHK student, gave an informative campus tour to the secondary students
EdUHK student, Heather Sit, gave a guided tour to the students around the EdUHK campus
The campus tour
A group photo of representatives from Community Business, social workers from 3 schools, mentors from different fields and our EdUHK team
Our EdUHK team with Dr. Margarita Pavlova (middle), Tracy Lau, Louie and Heather APAC I4A Annual Conference “In Dialogue with SDGs”
On 19th March, 2016, Dr. Margarita Pavlova, the director of UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong), attended the “In Dialogue with the SDGs” conference organized by an independent organization, APAC Ideas for Action, at the University of Science and Technology. The conference offered a collaborative space for interactions between delegates, social initiatives and enterprises on themes that centered on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), featuring keynote speakers of senior executives from international and large corporates such as HSBC, IFC, World Bank Group, MTR Corporation and local innovators from Hong Kong Social Enterprise Incubation Center, Solageo and Lensational.
Keynote speeches and discussions that day included topics on strategic innovation for sustainability, global health and youth leadership, financial technology in financing SDGs, involvement of private sector and youth mobilization in realization of SDGs. At that day, the conference gathered around 200 delegates and students to address issues of sustainable development.
A keynote address by Sergio Pimenta, Director and Global Head of Industry manufacturing, Agribusiness and Service at International Finance Corporation, reiterated the increase of climate-related financing by World Bank to 28% in 2020, to help countries tackle the impacts of climate change. He listed out three aspects the World Bank Group contributes to move towards SDGs while ensuring financial transparency: implementation, data and finance. The first aspect pinpointed the eradication of extreme poverty and address climate challenges via adoption of multilateral agreements, alongside pragmatic and on-the-ground implementation models that can reach out to communities and engage civil society. The second aspect included collection of data on poverty from conducting household surveys. Lastly, Mr. Pimenta stressed the need to leverage domestic market and private sector to develop funding and improve the tax collection regime.
Mr. Victor Kwong, Head of Corporate Health, Safety & Environment of the Hong Kong & China Gas Company Limited shared with the delegates and students some innovative sustainable practices the company has been using. One example is recycling of waste water and recovering sludge energy. Other clean and innovative initiatives that produce new energy include the making of natural gasoline from coal, which is free from Sulphur oxide and nitride oxide emission, also the production of Liquefied natural gas from coke gas.
Panel discussion on achieving the SDGs touched upon the business potential for climate change and new energy development in Hong Kong and China. One example coming from the panel illustrated how Hong Kong Ocean Park and Hong Kong Disneyland have shifted to the use of Towngas to curb carbon emission. Systemic thinking and resilience building among communities are keys in achieving the SGDs. In another panel discussion on social entrepreneurship, the panelists addressed the importance of open-mindedness and creativity to bring about social innovation. They see social enterprises having the power to realize shared values in local communities while achieving business success. Ms. Yvonne Li from Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (SIE) Fund Task Force mentioned how SIE fund have been helping the locals and individuals to start up their own social enterprises in Hong Kong in the past years. Mr. Raymond Yim, founder of Hong Kong Social Enterprise Incubation Centre Limited, then questioned the nature of entrepreneurship in Hong Kong and called upon social enterprises to operate in a self-sustainable manner instead of relying on government funding.
This event provided an opportunity to develop new links for the UNEVOC Centre.
APAC I4A Annual Conference “In Dialogue with SDGs at HKUST
Keynote speech by Mr. Victor Kwong on Strategic Innovation for Sustainability
Panel Discussion on social enterpreneurship
From left to right: Mr. Joseph Perniandez from Solageo, Ms. Yvonne Li from SIE Fund Task Force, Mr Allan Wan from Lensational, Mr Raymond Yim from Hong Kong Social Enterprise Incubation Centre and Mr. Henry Keung from Enactus.
Dr. Margarita Pavlova (middle) with Mr. Victor Kwong from Hong Kong & China Gas Company Limited, Ms. Fish Leung from JCI Lion Rock and other delegates APEC project on “Systematic Design of Green Skills Development in TVET”
UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) is a partner for the APEC project on “Systematic Design of Green Skills Development in TVET” lead by UNEVOC Centre (Beijing). This project includes 11 research teams, 79 people, and 17 different organizations in China that are collecting data within the country. International experts from different APEC countries including Australia, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Canada and New Zealand provided input on the project methodology development and shared the results of their research and practices. General contents of green skills, new specialties suggestions, and suggestions on the revision of TVET specialties offering have been a focus of two workshops conducted as a part of the project.
Dr. Margarita Pavlova was as an invited expert in two workshop, focused on discussing the achieved results and conceptualizing available findings to develop guidelines for the project and a sample of competencies description for different sectors. Dr. Pavlova’s presentations were focused on the results of two projects she completed in 2014-2015 and highlighted the importance of making a distinction between green skills and greening of skills, and the multidimensional approach to greening curriculum in education and training programs.
More than 20 participants of the second workshop generated tools to further support Chinese researchers with the identification of generic and specific green skills. The findings of this project will have a direct impact on curriculum change in TVET in China (as research teams are from TVET institutions) and will serve as reference documents for other APEC countries through the ministry representatives involved in this project.
Particpants
Presentation on greening curriculum in construction education and training programs “Entrepreneurial Spirit with Technology and Innovations” Seminar
“Entrepreneurial Spirit with Technology and Innovations” Seminar was held on 28 January. Organised by Centre for Corporate Sustainability and Innovations; and supported by various overseas and local organizations: Crowdx Israel, Youth Square, Censpot Trading Corporation Limited, HK and The Hong Kong Institute of Bankers. The seminar concluded successfully with enthusiastic participation from the Education Bureau, secondary teachers and students, HSMC staff and students, and industries of IT marketing.
“Entrepreneurial Spirit with Technology and Innovations” Seminar invited speakers from related industries including: Ms. Doris Luey, Executive Director of Youth Square; Mr. Wilson Chan, Manager of Incubation Promotion and Admission of Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation; Mr. Kelven Lit, Director of Censpot Trading Corporation Limited, Mr. Ray Woo, Film Director of A-Z Concept Limited and Mr. Andy Chik, Regional Director of FWD Life Insurance Company (Bermuda) Limited. They delivered speeches on the relationship between entrepreneurial spirit and sustainable mindset, as well as the key to a sustainable society.
Key objectives of “Entrepreneurial Spirit with Technology and Innovations” Seminar were to help young people develop awareness in application of innovations and entrepreneurial spirit, and also develop their capabilities in identification of entrepreneurial opportunities in relation to technology with sustainable value and responsibility for the community and society at large.
During the seminar, Ms. Doris Luey remarked that Youth Square had provided a platform for youth to execute their potential for development. Doris also emphasized that “with creativities, the possibilities of achieving goals with creativities are really high”.
Mr. Wilson Chan pointed out that “Entrepreneurship is not far from us, technology is not as difficult as we think, just believe in yourself, and you can succeed.”
Mr. Kelven Lit indicated that entrepreneurial spirit is driven by opportunities and ideas which are driven by core competence and interest. Kelven then shared his perception towards business, the seamless nature of business and how entrepreneurial spirit is present within daily life.
Mr. Ray Woo shared a key concept that creativity starts with asking “why” and involves “high concepts”.
Mr. Andy Chik examined the relationship between confidence and career development.
During the Closing Remarks, Dr. Shirley Yeung, Director of Centre for Corporate Sustainability and Innovations, mentioned that Sustainable Development (SD) starts from the community that we live in. Communities are worlds full of social and economic activities. “Capacity development has to be on an on-going basis via a strong network of partners with shared vision and outcomes”. Dr. Shirley Yeung then shared a video on Denis Nkala, UNOSSC Regional Coordinator (Asia and Pacific) in UNDP and summarized that “We believe the provision of a platform with cross-disciplinary knowledge can help teenagers develop social sensitivity in helping the community with economic, social and environmental impacts as what Denis mentioned in the video.”
The seminar attracted an enthusiastic response from the audience, Dr. Margarita Pavlova (Director of Technical and Vocational Education and Training Centre UNESCO International Centre, Associate Professor of The Education University of Hong Kong) mentioned that the seminar was rich-content and dynamic, with a wide range of information. The youth would have a better understanding of “enterprise” and “entrepreneurship” by the end of the seminar.
Group photo with Dr. Margarita Pavlova (10th from the left),
Dr Shirley Yeung (11th from the left) Director, CCSI, speakers from different industries and participants
Social Caring Pledge Signature Ceremony & Green Economy Forum
Hosted by Social Enterprise Research Institute (SERI), UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) joined the Social Caring Pledge Signature Ceremony as well as the Social Responsibility and Green Economy Forum at Harbourview Hotel, Hong Kong on 18th January 2016. SERI is a non-profit professional body dedicated to promoting social responsibility. Social Caring Pledge Scheme provides an extensive platform for corporates and industrial leaders to engage in social caring and responsibility. Specifically, the scheme encourages business leaders to commit to the following principles derived from the ethos behind United Nations Global Compact: to uphold human rights, strengthen labour rights, protect the environment and fight against corruption.
21 top social caring organizations of Hong Kong were invited for the Ceremony to reiterate their commitment in caring for society and the environment. Dr. Charles Mossop, the Honorary President of SERI, made the welcoming remark and introduced the World Blind Union. He addressed the conflict between economic growth and environmental impacts and called for ambitious targets and concrete measures to address environmental challenges. This was followed by opening speeches by The Hon. Jasper Tsang, the President of Legislative Council of Hong Kong and Dr. Christine Loh, the undersecretary for the environment. They talked about the importance of having strong and powerful environmental legislations, and their strong urge for close partnership among governmental bodies, civil societies and enterprises to foster social innovation. This signatory initiative greatly marked the continual efforts of governmental bodies, alongside enterprises in Hong Kong, in being responsible for creating greater positive impact in the community through ethical behavior using industrial expertise and knowledge.
Alongside the signature ceremony, the Social Responsibility and Green Economy Forum was held to discuss how corporates can work their way out and become carbon neutral. Mr Albert Lai, CEO of Carbon Care Asia, shared his experiences and thoughts after attending COP21 in Paris. He shared strategies including renewable energy buyers principles, carbon auditing and carbon footprint measuring etc., specifically for enterprises to move towards a zero carbon economy. At the end of his presentation, he emphasized the significant role of civil society and enterprises in pushing and monitoring governmental work in social and environmental policies. Other cross-sector speakers from private sector corporates, technology developers, investors and NGOs discussed their perspectives on carbon policies and management strategies.
Opening remark by The Hon. Jasper Tsang, the President of Legislative Council of Hong Kong
Social caring organizations of Hong Kong signed the Social Caring Pledge Keynote address at the International Conference on Engineering Technology, Vocational Education and Social Sciences 2015: Impact of Engineering, TVET and Social Science on the Competitiveness and Sustainability of Asia Pacific Countries, 1-2 December,2015
Dr. Margarita Pavlova was invited by Sultan Idris Education University in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to deliver a keynote address on issues of greening skills in the region to facilitate knowledge transfer from the research projects she led on the topic. In her keynote speech, she focused on global megatrends, green restructuring and TVET and their implications on issues of competitiveness and sustainability. She shared the results of her research with the Malaysian community to facilitate their understanding on how to start greening of teacher education and training curriculum that is based on the requirements and practices of TVET institutions and industry. The presentation was well received with a number of questions on the topic.
Together with another keynote speaker, Steven McKee from the LabTech International company, she had a meeting with the Dean and the Faculty members where they discussed the needs and opportunities for staff development in the area of greening, and on the ways greening can be included in curriculum of teacher education and training programs.
Dr. Margarita Pavlova with the conference organizers
Conference participants
Dr. Pavlova meeting with the faculty members Presentation at the ADB Skills Forum, 30 Nov -1 Dec, 2015
Since a major priority for most countries in the region is Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), this area attracts a lot of interest from the government. Particularly, learning from emerging good practices is viewed as a way to address the huge challenges facing effective delivery of TVET programs. The purpose of the 2015 ADB Skills Forum was to assist ADB members in meeting those challenges and finding innovative and new solutions to current priorities in TVET. More than 100 professionals who are leading experts and policy makers in the area of skills, training and workforce development attended the Forum. International experts, leading practitioners, policy makers, TVET service providers and stakeholders shared their work, experiences, and future plans on the issues of high relevance to the countries in the region.
Dr. Margarita Pavlova was invited by the ADB to facilitate the process of organizing a session on the ICT in TVET, prepare a concept and a background note for the session as well as to identify speakers for their panel and discuss with them the content of presentations to ensure that the objectives of the session would be achieved. Her presentation, entitled ICT in TVET – regional overview, Bringing TVET up to speed ICT-enhanced practices in TVET, focused on achievements and challenges of ICT in TVET in Asia and the Pacific region and conditions to enable successful use of ICT in TVET. She also shared a number of examples of ICT use for illustration.
Participation in the forum was by invitation only, prioritizing policy makers and lead practitioners from developing Asia. Therefore, the intended impact of this event can be scaled up in the region. The practical focus of the Forum that set in the context a new post-2015 global agenda for development was specifically aimed at increasing an impact on TVET development in the region.
Dr. Pavlova presenting in the ADB skill forum
Dr. Pavlova at the panel discussion
More than 100 leading experts and policy makers in the area of skills, training and workforce development at 2015 ADB Skills Forum UNESCO-UNEVOC Experts’ meeting at Bonn, Germany
As the Director of the UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong), Dr. Margarita Pavlova was invited to take part in the expert meeting organized by the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre, Bonn, Germany to contribute her expertise towards development of tools and activities, which in turn will strengthen capacity of the global UNEVOC network through improving the quality of activities and services. Dr Pavlova was also invited to showcase the work of the UNEVOC Centre (HK) and share the ways it uses the Manual of Operating Procedures for planning activities of the Centre.
To ensure that UNESCO-UNEVOC’s tools and services are targeted, feasible to implement, and structured to maximize the benefits for UNESCO Member States, 30 UNEVOC cluster and centre coordinators, from UNEVOC centres in 26 countries discussed the following:
• TVET Leadership Capacity Development Programme;
• UNEVOC Network Performance Management System with Key Performance Indicators; and
• ‘Greening TVET’ practical guide for institutions.
Over the three days of interactions, participants developed a number of suggestions and adjustments to the proposed tools. Dr. Margarita Pavlova led the discussion of the Asia and the Pacific UNEVOC Centers group on a Network Performance Management System and Key Performance Indicators, and then reported the proposed suggestions to the Forum. The third day of the Forum addressed the development of a TVET Leadership Programme that is aimed towards capacity building of institutional leaders who can drive institutional, national and regional change in TVET developments. Dr. Margarita Pavlova took part in the discussion on two modules: Green Skills and ICT. This group had also commented on the framework and an approach towards the development of the Leadership program.
The whole meeting was about making an impact at the international level. Twenty six country representatives discussed the development of tools and activities intended to further improve the UNEVOC Network impact on policy and practice developments in TVET globally. After the meeting, UNEVOC Centre (HK) submitted additional comments on the documents and suggested several following up activities including a pilot of several tools.
UNESCO-UNEVOC experts’ meeting held at Bonn, Germany
Dr. Margarita Pavlova took part in the discussion on green skills and ICT
30 UNEVOC cluster and centre coordinators, from UNEVOC centres in 26 countries were present at the experts’ meeting.
Dr Pavlova is reporting on the Asia and the Pacific group discussion.
13th International Conference on Lifelong Education Learning in Russia, 9-12 September 2015
Dr Margarita Pavlova, Associate Professor in the Dept of International Education & Lifelong Learning and Director of the UNEVOC Centre, gave an expert presentation at the Plenary Session in the 13th International Conference on Lifelong Education Learning: Continuous Education for Sustainable Development in Ulan-Ude, Russia between 8-12 September 2015. The presentation was entitled "Pursuing green innovation: What competencies are required?" The conference was organized jointly by Buryat State University, The Leninggrad State University, UNESCO Institute of Lifelong Learning and UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong).
UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) Participate at the HKAEE Presentation Ceremony
On the 14th of May, the UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) was invited to participate in 2015 Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence (HKAEE) that was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The awards aim to encourage enterprises and organizations to implement environmental management measures in their operational practices. A revered set of awards amongst the community in Hong Kong, the panel rewards those who have contributed to the betterment of the environment. Officiating the ceremony were Chief Executive Mr. C. Y. Leung; Chairman of the Environmental Campaign Committee, Mr. Lam Chiu Ying; the Secretary for the Environment, Mr. Wong Kam Sing; Professor Joseph Sung; and representatives from other joint organizers.
The Chief Executive addressed the gathering and highlighted the efforts of the government in ensuring a cleaner and more sustainable environment. He voiced his support for campaigns that have been implemented and focus on the reduction of waste, greater recycling, the green community initiative, and HK energy reduction blueprint – proof of the government’s dedication towards a stronger environmental agenda. Mr. Leung commended participants on the steps taken towards to ensure a healthier environment as well as uphold their social responsibilities. He expressed his gratitude to the industrial sector for their continuous support and devotion towards green technologies, and the introduction of innovative energy-saving and waste reduction measures. The Chief Executive concluded with the presentation of the evening’s highest award – the Gold Award.
Mr. Lam Chiu Ying, Chairman of Environmental Campaign Committee, was next to address the audience. He emphasized the importance of a pledge taken by governmental organizations and departments to encourage greener practices – through increased use of electric cars, mandating sustainable practices in the construction of skyscrapers, and the adoption of energy efficient technologies. He dubbed the year as one that saw vigorous competition as well as outstanding innovations.
46 winners were presented with awards that prioritize energy conservation and waste management – for this edition. Additionally, two Green Innovations Awards and three certificates of merit were presented at the ceremony. More information can be found on: http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201505/14/P201505140336.htm
The Guest of Honor, Chief Executive of HKSAR – Mr. C. Y. Leung.
Dr. Margarita Pavlova, Director of the UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong), at the presentation ceremony
Chief Executive C. Y. Leung; Chairman of the Environmental Campaign Committee, Mr. Lam Chiu Ying; the Secretary for the Environment, Mr. Wong Kam Sing; Professor Joseph Sung; and representatives of the organizing committee and school students officiating the presentation ceremony.
Some of the many innovative solutions showcased at the ceremony.
UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong) hosting delegation from Griffith University
On 10th March 2015, a delegation from Griffith University (Australia) visited The Education University of Hong Kong to discuss possible avenues for doctoral and research collaboration.
The delegation was led by Ms Sarah Kirkham, International Coordinator of Arts, Education and Law Group. She was accompanied by the new Director of International Education at Griffith University, Associate Professor Christopher Klopper, and Mr. Sherman Xia, Regional Marketing Manager of Griffith International. The delegation was welcomed by Dr. Tsui Kwok Tung, Deputy Dean of Education and Human Development, and Professor Lam Chi Ming, who was representing the Department of International Education and Lifelong Learning. They exchanged ideas to identify the way forward between the two institutions to increase prospective avenues for doctoral students’ collaboration.
The encouraging rounds of discussion were followed by a working lunch hosted by the Graduate School to further explore the educational collaboration and exchanges. Professor Lo Sing Kai, Dean of Graduation School, Professor Winnie So, Associate Dean and Ms Teresa Poon, Assistant Registrar joined the lunch meeting.
This visit between Griffith University and EdUHK has laid a strong foundation for future collaboration specifically in the areas of early childhood, vocational education and Languages Other Than English. After this visit, the key persons at Griffith University will be identified. Both institutions have agreed to continue with discussions to ensure a well-coordinated and effective collaboration between the universities.
(Left) Professor Lam Chi Ming , Dr. Tsui Kwok Tung, Associate Professor Christopher Klopper, Ms Sarah Kirkham and Mr. Sherman Xia
UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong)'s commitment in the enhancement of Vocational Teacher Education
In August 2014, the EdUHK became a member of the Regional Association for Vocational Teacher Education in East and Southeast Asia (RAVTE). The FEHD is a focal point for collaborative activities within this Association. The RAVTE was established to support integrating processes in the ASEAN region (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations) that by 2015 intends to transform into a region advocating 'free movement of goods, services, investment, skilled labour, and freer flow of capital' (http://www.asean.org/communities/asean-economic-community). Human resources development, capacity building and recognition of professional qualifications are among the areas of cooperation for the ASEAN countries.
The Director of the UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre, FEHD, Associate Professor Margarita Pavlova who is leading the process, stated that the Centre will participate in the enhancement of Vocational Teacher Education, research activities on Vocational Education, regionalization processes and cooperation. A team that includes Associate Professor Maureen Tam Siu-ling, Dr. Hui King-fai, and Dr. George Ngai are looking forward to contributing their expertise towards improving the quality of teacher education in the region - potentially resulting in "social integration, harmony and peace throughout the region".
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