On December 10–11, 2022, Higher Education Forum XMU 2022 “The International Conference on Popularization of Higher Education: Prospects, Challenges and Strategies” was held in Xiamen. The event was organized by the Center for Higher Education Research and the Institute of Education of Xiamen University.
The forum brought together representatives from over 60 domestic and international institutions, including the University of Durham, University of Manchester, Hiroshima University, Victoria University of Wellington, University of Barcelona, York University, Peking University, Tsinghua University, and the National Institute of Education Sciences, along with leaders from Xiamen University and faculty members of Institute of Education.
The international symposium adopted a hybrid online-offline format, aiming to provide a platform for exchanging experiences in the popularization of higher education and sharing research outcomes on building a high-quality higher education system. The event featured 19 invited keynote presentations, with an additional 45 representatives delivering presentations across 4 parallel forums.
During the opening ceremony on December 10, Professor Zhang Zongyi, President of Xiamen University, delivered a welcome address. He emphasized the significant practical importance of this international academic symposium and expressed his hope that participants would engage in mutual exchange and intellectual dialogue to continuously explore and develop Chinese theoretical frameworks for the popularization of higher education, ultimately generating innovative achievements for the discipline.
Professor Liu Zhentian, Director of the Center for Higher Education Research of Xiamen University, stated in his welcoming address that the forum aims address current issues in higher education popularization, including public satisfaction, national strategic development, and enhancing China's international discourse, while charting new visions for future development.
The keynote presentations addressed key topics in the context of higher education popularization, including talent cultivation, transnational learning, open knowledge, quality development, challenges and so on.
The four parallel sessions focused on themes such as international experiences in higher education popularization, cultivation of top innovative talent, innovation and entrepreneurship education, institutional governance, faculty development, as well as opportunities and challenges in this phase of higher education.
At the closing ceremony, Professor Bie Dunrong, Dean of the Institute of Education at Xiamen University, delivered the conference summary report. He affirmed the conference's significance and provided a comprehensive overview of all presentations. Professor Bie emphasized that as China's higher education popularization advances toward more profound stages, there is a responsibility to further develop research in this field.
Participants unanimously agreed that the development of higher education represents not merely a national or regional responsibility, but a shared global commitment for all humanity. Advancing the popularization of higher education worldwide requires broadening international perspectives while addressing local needs to build a high-quality system with Chinese characteristics. By focusing on the entire educational process and engaging all stakeholders, higher education can bridge local and global perspectives, connect present and future needs, and contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Translated by: Lin Hanying
