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CERC Announces Spanish Translation of Its Book: Comparative Education: The Construction of a Field

CERC is proud to announce the release of the Spanish translation of “Comparative Education: The Construction of a Field,” the latest addition to its esteemed Comparative Studies book series. This highly acclaimed book, now available in Spanish, is set to continue to have a wider impact on the field of Comparative Education.

With its in-depth analysis and comprehensive exploration of crucial topics, this book has been hailed as a remarkable contribution to the discipline. It delves into fundamental questions surrounding Comparative Education, such as its disciplinary nature and the intellectual foundations that underpin its institutionalization globally. Scholars in the field have lauded the book’s meticulous research and compelling arguments (see book reviews). It provides readers with a deep understanding of the significance of Comparative Education and its impact on educational systems worldwide. By addressing key questions and offering thought-provoking perspectives, the book challenges conventional wisdom and encourages further exploration in the field.

As the 29th installment in the Comparative Studies book series, the Spanish translation of this book marks an important milestone in CERC’s commitment to promoting global dialogue and academic exchange. It is a testament to the organization’s dedication to disseminating knowledge and fostering collaboration among scholars and educators.

The book is now available:

in Spanish: https://www.grupomagro.com/product-page/educaci%C3%B3n-comparada-la-construcci%C3%B3n-de-un-campo

in English: https://cerc.edu.hku.hk/books/comparative-education-the-construction-of-a-field/

To watch the book Launch (in Spanish):

 

 

CERC MCM on September 27th

CERC Management Committee recently convened to address various important matters. Director Nutsa Kobakhidze shared updates on recent events, including CERC’s successful participation as a co-sponsor in the CESHK conference. The committee unanimously approved the minutes of the previous meeting. Discussions centered around the response to CERC’s five-year review and negotiation for cooperation with a new publisher. The committee approved an extension of the contract for the secretary. The meeting concluded with no further business discussed.

The New Leadership Team of the CESHK

CERC is delighted to announce the appointment of a new leadership team at the Comparative Education Society of Hong Kong (CESHK). Liz Jackson, a former director of CERC, has been elected as President of CESHK, while Nutsa Kobakhidze, the current director of CERC, has been elected as Vice-president. The executive team also includes David Sorrell as Treasurer and Gordon Tsui as Secretary.

The CESHK was founded in 1989 and provides a forum for the exchange of views, development of partnerships, and shaping of new initiatives. Among the activities of CESHK is the annual conference. Through this, and other activities such as seminars, workshops, and the society’s journal, CESHK brings together scholars from various institutions. CERC has been closely collaborating with CESHK over the years, and the two institutions will continue partnership under the current leadership.

 

 

CERC’s New Elected Member

On February 15, 2023, CERC announced the addition of a new member to its leadership team. Dr. Jisun Jung has been elected as the new elected member, replacing Dr. Peter Cobb, who has moved to the Faculty of Arts. The management committee members expressed their appreciation towards Dr. Cobb for his support and dedication to CERC over the past few years. They also conveyed their good wishes to Dr. Jisun Jung for her tenure as the new elected member. Her expertise and commitment are expected to benefit the CERC community in the years to come.

The current full list of the Management Committee Members can be seen here.

CERC Management Committee Meeting

On October 28, 2022, the CERC Management Committee met to discuss the plan for the year 2022-2023.

Attendants:

Nutsa Kobakhidze (Elected Honorary Director),

Peter Cobb (Elected Member),

Lili Yang (Elected Member),

Nancy Law (Ex-officio member, Associate Dean – Research),

Mark Bray (Co-opted Member),

Anatoly Oleksiyenko (Co-opted Member),

Stefan Auer (Co-opted Member).

Renxiang Tian (Acting Secretary).

The meeting discussed the new secretary of CERC, CERC membership management, the new SIG proposal, and CERC 5-year review which will be scheduled in April 2023.

CERC’s New Honorary Director

On 28 June, 2022, at the management committee meeting CERCs elected members announced a change in leadership  Dr. Nutsa Kobakhidze has become CERCs new Honorary Director, replacing Dr. Anatoly Oleksiyenko. The management committee members expressed appreciation towards Dr. Anatoly Oleksiyenko for his leadership that took place under crisis circumstances due to the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The management committee members wished Dr. Kobakhidze success in her tenure as a new CERC Director.  

CERC’s new collaboration with the Faculty of Education, Charles University, Prague

CERC is pleased to announce that a new research project “Parental demand for shadow education: Contexts, processes, determinants and outcomes” secured funding from the Czech Science Foundation in which Dr Nutsa Kobakhidze will collaborate with the Principal Investigator of the project Dr Vít Šťastný.

This marks the continuous collaboration between CERC and the Institute for Research and Development of Education, Faculty of Education, Charles University, Prague. One of the recent outcomes of this collaboration is Orbis Scholae’s special issue “Throwing Light on Shadow Education” in 2020 which was edited by Dr Vít Šťastný and Dr Nutsa Kobakhidze. Full text of the special issue can be found here https://bia.is.cuni.cz/data/casopis/1201/Orbis%20Scholae%202020_Shadow%20education%20final.pdf.

Reaching Audiences through Different Media

Following the launch of the CERC book Shadow Education in Africa: Private Supplementary Tutoring and its Policy Implications, efforts have been made to reach diverse audiences. Two channels for doing so are:

The book is also the focus of a FreshEd podcast during which Professor Bray was interviewed by Will Brehm. 

The FreshEd interview was wide-ranging, and touched on Brehm’s own studies of private tutoring in Cambodia. His book Cambodia for Sale: Everyday Privatization in Education and Beyond has just been published by Routledge. It is based on his PhD thesis completed at the University of Hong Kong. The remarks during the podcast showed some similarities between parts of Africa and of Southeast Asia. 

2021 annual conference of the Comparative Education Society of Hong Kong

As a co-sponsor of the 2021 annual conference of the Comparative Education Society of Hong Kong, CERC welcomes comparative education researchers from around the world. The greeting message from Dr. Anatoly V. Oleksiyenko, CERC Director can be watched below.

This year’s theme is “Geopolitics of Knowledge and Education Policy”. The schedule and registration details are available at https://sites.google.com/view/ceshk-conference-2021/home (Zoom links embedded). You can still sign up!

“Profile of a Comparative and International Education Leader: Mark Bray” by W. James Jacob and Journal of the WCCES

Journal of the WCCES has recently published a bibliographical article about Professor Mark Bray and his distinguished career:

Mark Bray’s profile is a biographical sketch of his contributions to the field of comparative and international education (CIE). This profile also documents his distinguished career in which he rose to senior leadership positions in higher education and international development organizations including UNESCO. Mark served as President of the World Council of Comparative Education Societies (2004-2007), Director of UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning (2006-2010), and as President of the Comparative Education Society of Hong Kong (CESHK) and the US-based Comparative and International Education Society (CIES). The article is based on multiple data gathering techniques and oral interviews. Highlights include a review of some of Mark’s key career milestones, leadership positions and accomplishments, as well as several publications that have helped shape and impact CIE worldwide.

We are attaching the full article for your convenient reading: Profile of a Comparative and International Education Leader: Mark Bray by W. James Jacob.