From 24 to 26 November, the 13th Bienniel Conference of the Comparative Education Society of Asia (CESA 2023) was held in Hiroshima, Japan. The conference had the theme of “Resilience and Rebuilding of Education: Aftermath of Social Crisis,” which brought together scholars from all around the world to discuss relevant issues of higher education development in Asia and globally.
Three scholars from IE, Dr. Euan Auld and Dr. Weiyan Xiong, who are assistant professors, and Mr. Moyo Osiah Mwaihola, a PhD student, attended the CESA 2023 conference. They presented their research on international organizations, higher education for sustainability, and public policy implementation in Hong Kong.
Dr. Auld, along with his co-presenter, Dr. Maren Elfert from King’s College London presented their research titled “The Exhausted Legitimacy of International Organizations and Their Promissory Visions.” They conducted a critical inquiry into the legitimacy of promissory visions pursued by international organizations, specifically UNESCO, the OECD, and the World Bank. Their research was divided into three sections, which covered three historical periods.
In his presentation titled “Transforming Higher Education Teaching and Learning for Sustainability Competencies: Exploring a Holistic Framework for Hong Kong Public Universities,” Dr. Xiong examined the relevant aspects of sustainability-related courses and extracurricular activities for students, as well as professional development programs for faculty members at eight UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong. His aim was to explore ways to transform higher education teaching and learning for sustainability.
Mr. Mwaihola’s presentation, “Money Alone Isn’t Enough: Hong Kong’s No-loser Principle and the Potential of Complexity Theory in Public Policy Implementation,” discussed the factors influencing the educational experiences and underachievement of Ethnic Minority children in Hong Kong. He used the Complexity Theoretical Framework to provide a better understanding of the situation. To support his presentation, he analyzed government policy documents and reviewed literature related to the educational experiences of Ethnic Minority children in Hong Kong under the no-loser principle of the 2000 educational reform.
During the conference, three IE scholars not only presented their research but also reconnected with old friends and made new professional connections for potential research collaborations. For example, Dr. Xiong received an invitation to participate in a symposium that is scheduled to take place in early 2024 at Tohoku University in Japan. The symposium will focus on the topic of higher education for sustainability in Asia.
