The 14th Harvard China Education Symposium Opening Ceremony: Best Moments and Highlights from Experts on China Education
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (Apr. 21, 2023) – This weekend, the 14th annual Harvard China Education Symposium (CES), the leading conference on Chinese education in the United States, took place on Friday at Harvard University for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
WuKong Education’s CEO Vicky Wang speaks about the power of educational technology | Jennifer Gan
With digital technology emerging into classrooms, this year’s symposium aimed to explore the latest opportunities in the education field surrounding the theme of “Traverse Dimensions, Diversify Education.” The Opening Ceremony featured three keynote speakers, including Vicky Wang, the founder and CEO of the leading ed-tech firm WuKong Education, Mark Elliott, Vice Provost for International Affairs at Harvard University, and Yasheng Huang, Professor of International Management at MIT Sloan School of Management.
Boston City Mayor Michelle Wu gives opening remarks | Bruce Li
Boston City Mayor Michelle Wu kicked off the Opening Ceremony with her personal anecdote on video, where she addressed hardships and challenges when she was younger and how her lived experiences and Harvard Law School shaped her personal growth. Wu sent a heartfelt message to CES participants, encouraging them to recognize the power of their voices.
Following Mayor Wu’s opening remarks was the symposium’s first keynote speaker Yasheng Huang, who gave a thorough analysis of the rising geopolitical tensions and the future prospect for the US-China educational relationship.
Huang called for collaborations between educators from the US and China. And WuKong Education is certainly on the frontline.
Vicky Wang, Founder and CEO of WuKong Education, addressed the power of technology and the importance of inquiry-based learning, which is a learning method adopted by her company over the years.
Started with the Chinese-as-a-second-language program in 2016, WuKong Education has become one of the largest online Chinese education platforms in the US. In 2021, math courses were added to their curriculum and rendered great success.
Vicky also had a positive AI vision for the future of education. In her speech, she shared AI scenarios that have helped her company build a more efficient design team and created more personalized learning assessments.
“We anticipate an increasingly symbiotic relationship between education and AI,” Vicky said during a pre-conference interview. “It will pave the way for groundbreaking educational products that will not only make learning enjoyable but also optimize student performances.”
By being in conversations with education enthusiasts in this year’s symposium, Vicky aimed to gain new insights for her brand and provide children access to premium education worldwide.
The final keynote speaker Mark Elliott shared his perspective on transnational education, an experience he claimed has “expanded his personal horizon.” His bilingual speech was inspired by a quote from Confucius: “When I walk with two others, one must be good enough to be my teacher.”
The CES team and keynote speakers at the Opening Ceremony at Harvard University | Zeyuan Hu
The symposium included six panels virtually: Innovative Education, STEAM Education, Intangible Cultural Heritage Education, Inclusive Education, Children’s Education, and Mental Health Education. It also featured a special event called Education for Sustainable Development in the face of climate change. These panels were live-streamed globally over the weekend of April 22nd and 23rd.
By: Jennifer Gan
