Yidan Prize Summit 2024: Shaping Future Education Through Resilience

The Yidan Prize Summit 2024: Paving the Way for Resilient Education

The Yidan Prize Foundation, renowned for establishing the world's premier educational accolade, hosted the Yidan Prize Summit 2024 on December 9 in Hong Kong. This year's event was themed "Education Through the Test of Time: The Essential Role of Resilience," bringing together researchers, policymakers, philanthropists, and educational leaders from around the globe to share innovative strategies for fostering resilience in a rapidly changing world.

In his opening address, the founder of the Yidan Prize, Dr. Charles Chen Yidan, elaborated on the significance of resilience. He expressed, "In today's world, where civilization and technology evolve side by side, and conflict merges with cooperation, resilience is rooted in hope. Hope drives us towards a better life, allows us to realize our potential, and inspires perseverance. Resilience is crucial for the future of education. Resilient individuals contribute to resilient economies and successful societies."

Alicia Herbert, Director of Education, Gender and Equality at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, delivered a keynote speech emphasizing the systematic nurturing of resilience within education systems to prepare for future uncertainties. "With an increasing amount of high-quality research and evidence on improving student learning outcomes in low-income contexts, the focus must now be on integrating these interventions into governmental frameworks for sustainable results," stated Herbert. She stressed that while effective investments are critical, collaboration is paramount for enhancing the resilience of individuals, educators, and overall systems to achieve sustainable transformational change.

The summit featured three insightful panels that delved into the various dimensions of resilience in education from the perspectives of learners, educators, and systems. The discussions highlighted several important takeaways:

1. Equipping Learners for Success: Resilience involves providing students with the necessary skills to thrive within systems designed with their involvement. Encouraging dialogue with students, harnessing new digital platforms for education, and creating learning environments beyond traditional classrooms are critical for effective engagement and fostering resilient mindsets among learners. A panel of higher education students who experienced schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic shared key insights on navigating an ever-evolving future.

2. Empowering Educators: Resilience is fostered through trust, autonomy, and accountability among educators. Former New South Wales Minister for Education Adrian Piccoli facilitated discussions on how to involve teachers in education reform. The emphasis was placed on creating a supportive environment that nurtures the emotional and social skills of teachers, ultimately fostering their resilience and expanding their roles within education.

3. Diversifying Perspectives: Resilience also incorporates integrating diverse perspectives to fortify educational systems for all learners. It is crucial to bridge the gap between research, policy, and practice to create robust educational frameworks. Becky Telford of UNHCR and her colleagues stressed the importance of engaging marginalized groups, such as refugees, in developing effective solutions, while also addressing the significance of governance and international partnerships.

In a fireside chat, this year's Yidan Prize laureates, including Professor Wolfgang Lutz and members of the War Child Alliance, discussed the profound influence of education in building climate resilience. Professor Lutz noted that addressing climate change transcends material infrastructure and necessitates investing in human capital to enhance adaptability. The War Child team highlighted how their initiative “Can’t Wait to Learn” not only improves access to quality education for learners disrupted by conflict and climate shocks but also nurtures their well-being and resilience, providing them with hope and a sense of normalcy amidst chaos.

Lucy Lake, the Director of Global Engagement at the Yidan Prize Foundation, concluded the summit by summarizing the integral connection between education and resilience. "Education is vital for developing resilience at both the individual and societal levels, but we must also ensure that education itself is resilient. We all have a part to play in this regard," Lake asserted. She called for collective responsibility towards education and emphasized that public funding is essential to ensure its resilience and positive outcomes.

The Yidan Prize 2024 awards ceremony, which took place on December 8, celebrated the achievements of this year's winners for their dedication to ensuring equitable and quality education in various contexts. They join the global community of educational stakeholders within the Yidan Prize Foundation.

As we look towards the future, the Yidan Prize is accepting nominations for the 2025 awards until March 31. For more details or to nominate a changemaker in education, visit Yidan Prize website.

About Yidan Prize Foundation

The Yidan Prize Foundation is a global philanthropic organization dedicated to creating a better world through education. Through its awards and network of innovators, the Foundation supports educational ideas and practices that have the potential to transform lives and society positively. The Yidan Prize serves as a platform for inclusive education, awarding individuals or teams who have significantly contributed to educational advancement, either theoretically or practically. The prizes consist of the Yidan Prize for Education Research and the Yidan Prize for Education Development, designed for impactful change, and each laureate receives a project fund of HK$15 million over three years.

For further information, please visit yidanprize.org or contact [email protected].

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For images from the summit and more insights into the discussions, please check attached links.