Educational reform in China topic of public lecture

DATE: 4 p.m. May 22, 2012

EVENT: Gong Ke, head of the delegation and president of Nankai University, will present a public lecture, China’s Higher Education: A New Phase of Reform and Development. Gong will offer an update on efforts to reform Chinese higher education during one presentation of the Michigan-China University Leadership Forum, now in its fifth year.

The two-week forum is part of a collaboration between the university and Chinese education leaders that is intended to share best practices and foster current and future partnerships. The Chinese delegation also will visit with Michigan’s governor and spend time in Chicago.

The Ministry of Education in China began a reform of the country’s higher education system in 1995, and the work continues today. Since the reform was launched, China has received acclaim for dramatic improvement in the number of students earning college degrees, and there has been substantial improvement in Chinese elite universities. Leaders now are focused on learning and adopting many of the principles and practices that are similar to American higher education.

The forum is designed to allow University of Michigan leaders to share programs and topics that reflect the nation’s ideal of academic freedom and highlight higher education’s best practices. The Chinese leaders will hear about how American universities contribute to their regions and communities; collaborate with industry and other partners, including donors; and how they hire and evaluate faculty and foster student learning. To that end, the visitors will hear from U-M and other education leaders about topics ranging from creating a culture of learning to encouraging student critical thinking to promoting student mental health. U-M leaders will learn about Chinese higher education as well and discuss research collaborations and study abroad opportunities for Michigan students.

The Chinese delegation of 27 leaders includes university presidents and council chairs and Ministry of Education officials, including some from the National Academy of Education Administration.

PLACE: Michigan Union Anderson Room, 530 S. State St., Ann Arbor

INFORMATION: www.umich.edu/~crlteach

SPONSORS: Center for Research, Learning and Teaching, Office of the President, Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Chinese Ministry of Education