From March 28 to April 1, 2026, the 70th Annual Conference of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) was held in San Francisco, the United States. Centered on the theme “Re-examining Education and Peace in a Divided World,” the conference brought together scholars and education experts from around the world to discuss key issues such as peace education, educational equity, and digital transformation of education, with the aim of promoting global educational development through cross-cultural exchange and collaboration. Professor Wei WU and postgraduate student Ruoqian ZHANG from our institute attended the conference.
During the parallel session titled “Digital Tools Supporting Global Learning and Mobility,” the first author, Ruoqian ZHANG, gave a presentation entitled “Research of Teacher Evaluation in French Higher Education in the Context of Digital Transformation.” The study reviewed recent policy developments in French higher education and the reform process of teacher evaluation systems, and then examined the impact of digital transformation on teacher evaluation practices. The findings indicate that while the French government has long been committed to advancing digital transformation in education, there remained a gap at the practical level. For instance, teachers’ digital competencies still require improvement, and the application of digital tools remains insufficient.
Building on this analysis, the study finds that digital transformation has mainly influenced the procedures and criteria of teacher evaluation. On the one hand, evaluation processes have gradually become platform-based and conducted online, thereby enhancing efficiency and transparency. On the other hand, teachers’ digital competencies are increasingly becoming an important factor affecting their professional development. However, digital transformation has not fundamentally altered the research-oriented structure of teacher evaluation.
Professor Régis Malet from the the Laboratory of Culture, Education, and Society (LACES) of the University of Bordeaux, provided commentary on the presentation. He noted that the study addresses the reform of teacher evaluation systems in French higher education and carries strong practical relevance. He further suggested that future research could expand the international comparative perspective, situating the French case within a broader global context of higher education reform and exploring more diverse cases.
