Curriculum reforms in Australia and China were a key topic of discussion when visitors from one of China’s foremost universities in teacher education and research were on-campus earlier this year.
Beijing Normal University (BNU) academics, Professors Wei Liang and Litao Lu, were welcomed by School of Education and Professional Studies Dean and Head Professor Donna Pendergast, Deputy Head of School (Research) Professor Catherine Beavis, Deputy Head of School (Learning & Teaching) Dr David Geelan, and a delegation of academics from the School.
Professor Liang has followed the introduction of the Australian Curriculum with interest, and visited Australia several times to study this process.
Griffith academics Dr Glenda McGregor and Dr Jason Zagami are involved in the development of the Australian Curriculum in their professional fields, and Professors Liang and Lu were very interested in their perspectives and experiences.
BNU alumnus Xinxin Fan, who is now a doctoral student at the University of Queensland and co-supervised by Dr David Geelan, acted as facilitator and translator for the meeting.
Griffith’s School of Education and Professional Studies has long-standing ties with Beijing Normal University, including the development of the co-provided Bachelor of Arts in Education degree program.
Opportunities for student exchange and internationalisation links were also discussed.
The School aims to continue to broaden the links between the School of Education and Professional Studies and Beijing Normal University.