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Event Announcement: Upcoming Comparative Education Conferences 2025-2026

The Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) Annual Conference 2026: Re-examining Education and Peace in a Divided World will take place from March 28 – April 1, 2026, at San Francisco, CA.

The Call for Submissions is open and the deadline for all submission types is August 26, 2025, at 11:59pm ET. Please refer to the conference website for detailed information of submission and registration.


Oceania Comparative and International Education Society (OCIES) 53rd annual conference 2025 will be held from 23-26 November 2025, in Otautahi/Christchurch in Aotearoa New Zealand.  The theme will be “Education, Knowledge and Power in the Asia-Pacific”.

The deadline for abstract submission is 1 September 2025, please refer to the conference website for detailed information of submission and registration.


Comparative Education Society in Europe (CESE) conference 2026 will be from June 29 – July 2, 2026, at Roskilde University, Denmark. The theme will be “Worlds of learning: comparative perspectives on the future(s) of education”.

The deadline for proposal submission is February 15, 2026, please refer to the Call for Papers for detailed information of submission and registration.

 

 

Teachers Convene to Discuss Intangible Cultural Heritage

The UN 2030 Agenda for sustainable development highlights the transformative power of education in fostering cultural diversity and global citizenship. Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) – including oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, and traditional craftsmanship – plays a vital role.

From 4-8 August, CERC welcomed primary and secondary teachers from eight countries to showcase and discuss their own practices. The teachers were from Bhutan, China, India, Oman, Palau, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan. The co-hosts were the UNESCO Chair at HKU and the International Centre for UNESCO ASPnet (ICUA) in Sanya, China.

The opening dovetailed with a World Youth Pulse forum at the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre. This event brought together youth from multiple Chinese locations with counterparts from a wide range of countries in the region and beyond.

Then, on the second and third days, teachers from the eight countries mentioned above moved to the HKU campus for workshops to discuss curriculum and pedagogy for ICH education. Opening keynotes by Florian Knothe, Director of the HKU Museum and Art Gallery, and by Wang Dan in the HKU Faculty of Education set the scene.

Participants then presented on themes including:

  • peepal trees (India),
  • kungqu opera and guqin (China),
  • triangles in arts and crafts (Bhutan),
  • papercutting (China),
  • weaving (Palau),
  • hanji traditional paper (South Korea),
  • dumbara rata traditional mats (Sri Lanka),
  • traditional clothing (Uzbekistan),
  • yoga (India),
  • moxibustion (China), and
  • traditional chanting (Palau).

The teachers highlighted challenges as well as the achievements, discussing approaches for different age groups and ways to handle the examination foci of many education systems.

Next, moving beyond the HKU campus, the group visited Hong Kong’s Sam Tung Uk museum. This restored heritage building provides an authentic insight into the lifestyle of villagers long before the region became urbanised. The museum includes an ICH Centre with focus on themes including dragon boats, bamboo scaffolding, and lion dances. Next was the Hong Kong Palace Museum, which shows over 900 priceless treasures in collaboration with its Beijing counterpart.

Some of the dynamics are captured in this video. Participants agreed that the programme was an unforgettable experience in international sharing and exchange. Focusing on pedagogy as well as curriculum content, it brought to the fore multiple themes on how the E of UNESCO (i.e. Educational) can be linked meaningfully and productively with the C of UNESCO (i.e. Cultural). ICUA is now following up with a compendium of good practices to ensure lasting impact from the event.

 

 

 

CERC Holds 2025 Annual General Meeting

On May 13, 2025, the Comparative Education Research Centre (CERC) successfully held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) from 3:00 to 4:00 pm, both in person and via Zoom. The meeting brought together members of the Centre to review the past year’s developments, reflect on key achievements, and discuss strategies for future growth. Director Jeremy Rappleye presented the annual report, highlighting CERC’s ongoing contributions to comparative education research, publications, seminars, and international collaboration.

Following the AGM, CERC was honoured to host its 2025 Annual Lecture delivered by Professor Michele Schweisfurth from the University of Glasgow. Her talk, titled “Comparative and International Education: Polarisation Inside and Out,” examined the increasing divides—both within the field and in the broader global context—and offered thought-provoking insights on how scholars might respond. The lecture was open to the public and attracted participants from across Hong Kong and beyond, stimulating rich discussion and engagement.

This year’s AGM and lecture underscore CERC’s commitment to fostering critical dialogue, advancing scholarship, and building a vibrant research community locally and globally.

Celebrating the Faculty’s 40th Anniversary and CERC’s 30th Birthday

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Comparative Education Society of Hong Kong (CESHK) hosted its 35th Annual Conference at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) from November 22–24, 2024. This year’s conference was particularly significant, marking the 40th anniversary of HKU’s Faculty of Education and the 30th birthday of the Comparative Education Research Centre (CERC).

A major highlight of the conference took place on November 22, with a celebratory session honoring these milestones. The session featured keynote addresses by Prof. Yang Rui, Dean of the Faculty of Education, and Prof. Mark Bray, UNESCO Chair in Comparative Education and a founding member of CERC.

Dean Yang Rui opened the session by showcasing the Faculty’s remarkable development and achievements over the past four decades while outlining its future directions, particularly in the field of comparative education. Following this, Prof. Mark Bray reflected on CERC’s journey from its establishment in 1984 to its current role as a prestigious center in comparative education. He highlighted major milestones, including the publication of seminal works, international collaborations, and contributions to educational policy and practice globally.

An exceptional moment in the session was the reunion of seven past and current CERC directors, including the current director, Prof. Jeremy Rappleye. Each director shared their personal experiences and contributions during their tenure, offering insights into CERC’s growth and influence in the field. The session was skillfully facilitated by Emily Wong and Tian Renxiang, CERC’s past and present secretaries, and attended by scholars and educators from across the globe.

The session was followed by other conference highlights and sessions, such as the film screening of National Exam on November 23, inspired by former CERC Director Prof. Nutsa Kobakhidze’s research on shadow education. Over three days, the conference brought together more than 250 participants from over 15 countries, presenting cutting-edge research across various aspects of comparative education.

As a special gesture, attendees of the CERC 30th Anniversary Celebration received commemorative souvenirs, including a CERC magnet, notebook, and a publication chronicling its history.

The CESHK 2024 conference not only celebrated past achievements but also set the stage for future collaborations and advancements in the field of comparative education. It was a memorable gathering, underscoring the impact of CERC and the Faculty of Education in fostering global educational research and dialogue.

CERC’s Management Committee Meeting on September 26th

 

CERC held its first Management Committee Meeting on September 26th. The newly elected CERC Director, Jeremy Rappleye, welcomed the new Management Committee (MC) members and shared his vision for the center’s growth over the next two years. The MC approved the minutes from the previous meeting and introduced themselves, discussing their research backgrounds and potential contributions.

Key updates included progress in CERC’s book series and the upcoming release of the CERC-sponsored film Shadow Education in Georgia. Plans for the CESHK-CERC joint conference in November were also discussed, with CERC set to play a significant role.

CERC First Management Committee Meeting for 2024-2025

 

On September 26th, CERC held its first Management Committee Meeting, welcoming its new members to the team. The meeting focused on reviewing CERC’s current agenda and outlining its vision for the upcoming years, 2024 to 2026. This session set the stage for the committee’s strategic direction, aiming to strengthen CERC’s impact in the field of comparative education and research. We are looking forward to more achievements under the leadership of the new management committee.

CERC’s Management Committee Meeting on August 26th

 

 

 

 

 

 

CERC held its Management Committee Meeting on August 26th to discuss its recent activities and plans for the new academic year. The meeting covered the center’s summer initiatives and highlighted the upcoming joint conference with the Comparative Education Society of Hong Kong (CESHK) in November.

In addition to the conference, CERC also announced that the elections for its committee member positions will take place in the coming weeks. The organization encourages its members and the community to stay updated on CERC’s activities and participate in its future activities.

Extension of Deadline for CESHK-CERC Conference Submissions

Dear CERC Members and friends,

We would like to inform you that the deadline for the conference abstract submission has been extended to June 15th. We look forward to receiving your submissions to celebrate CERC’s 30th birthday together, alongside CESHK’s 35th birthday. Please refer to the attached poster for more details.

Submissions can be for an individual presentation (with one or more authors) or a panel. Presentations can be in English, Cantonese, or Mandarin/Putonghua.

To submit your paper, please visit the submission link: CESHK 2024 Annual Conference Submission

Important Dates:

15.06        Submission deadline

31.07        Announcement of results

01.10        Draft program released

15.10        Deadline for presenter membership and conference registration fee payments

01.11        Final program released

For more information, please go to CESHK website (www.ceshk.net). You can also join our Facebook page which provides regular updates on CESHK events and related happenings.

We look forward to seeing you at the Conference!

Tian Renxiang

Secretary

Comparative Education Research Centre (CERC)
401D Runme Shaw Building
Faculty of Education
The University of Hong Kong
Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 3917-8541   Fax: (852) 2517-4737
E-mail: cerc@hku.hk
Website: https://cerc.edu.hku.hk
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CERC.HKU

 

CERC and Routledge Form New Publishing Partnership

The Comparative Education Research Centre (CERC) of the Faculty of Education at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and Routledge have announced a new partnership for two established book series. Routledge, the leading education publisher, will now co-publish both the CERC Studies in Comparative Education and CERC Monograph series, supporting the global reach and impact of research in comparative education.

Established in 1997, CERC Studies in Comparative Education is today internationally recognised for its quality and breadth of topics, publishing titles by leading scholars from Asia and beyond. CERC Monographs is a series of concise books exploring educational trends and debates, helping to inform educational policy and practice.

Routledge will support further development of both series by working with the CERC Series Editors to attract the most innovative and impactful content in comparative education, as well as highlighting them as publishing venues for authors in the publisher’s world-class education list. CERC and Routledge have announced that the first book to be published under the new partnership will be by Professor Michael Crossley, Emeritus Professor of Comparative and International Education at the University of Bristol, UK.

Mark Bray, UNESCO Chair Professor in Comparative Education at HKU, said, “As the founder of the CERC Studies in Comparative Education, I am delighted that this new chapter for the series commences with Routledge as the co-publisher. Routledge has an excellent reputation, and the CERC team looks forward to the collaboration.”

Katie Peace, Senior Publisher for Routledge Asia Pacific, added, “We are excited to establish this new co-publishing partnership with CERC. The two series are already well established and a great fit with Routledge’s world class education research list. We look forward to future publications making a significant contribution to the field of comparative education.”

Nutsa Kobakhidze, Director of CERC, said, “At CERC, we are delighted to begin a partnership with Routledge as it marks a significant step towards advancing the field of Comparative Education. As we look forward to the publications that will emerge from this partnership, the series will contribute significantly to the academic discourse, offering new ideas that push existing intellectual boundaries.”

Yang Rui, Dean of Education at HKU, said, “The partnership between CERC and Routledge highlights a shared commitment to promoting academic excellence and facilitating the dissemination of impactful research internationally. The CERC-Routledge book series promise to be a valuable resource, providing a platform for cutting-edge research that can benefit students, scholars, school leaders and policymakers. Publications from these series will be a catalyst for thought leadership in Asia and globally.”

 

About Taylor & Francis

Taylor & Francis supports diverse communities of experts, researchers and knowledge makers around the world to accelerate and maximise the impact of their work. As a leader in the academic publishing field, Taylor & Francis publishes across all disciplines, and has one of the largest Humanities and Social Sciences portfolios. With an academic publishing heritage of over 200 years, its expertise advances trusted knowledge that fosters human progress.

Routledge, part of Taylor & Francis, is the world’s leading academic publisher in the Humanities and Social Sciences, partnering with many of the most influential societies and academic bodies to publish their journals and book series.

 

Contact

For more information about the CERC series or details about how to submit a proposal, please contact Nutsa Kobakhidze, Director of CERC, Faculty of Education, HKU (Email: nutsak@hku.hk), or Katie Peace, Senior Publisher, Routledge Asia Pacific (Email: katie.peace@taylorandfrancis.com).

 

Event announcement: The Chinese Society of Education (CSE) Annual Conference 2024 

The Chinese Society of Education (CSE) Annual Conference 2024 will take place on July 28-29, 2024, at Western University in London, Canada. This conference, with the theme “Reciprocal Learning, Collaboration, and Coprosperity: Chinese Education in Global Perspectives (互学、合作与共荣:全球视野下的中华教育),” features distinguished scholars, educators, and experts from around the world and promises to be a stimulating forum for exchanging insights and ideas on the future of Chinese education in a global context. If you’d like to participate in this event, you can read more information here.

Co-Hosts (in alphabetic order)

The Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University

The Center on Chinese Education, Teachers College, Columbia University

The Institute of Education, Tsinghua University

Keynote Speakers (in alphabetic order)

Prof. Ruth Hayhoe on “The Role of Translation in China’s Cross-Cultural Collaboration”

Prof. Zhongying Shi on “‘Teaching Without Words’: Some Thoughts on Daoism Philosophy of Education”

Prof. Xudong Zhu on “Population Change and Reconstruction of Teacher Education System in China: Cognitive Model and Factors Analysis”

Program Structure (subject to change by Jul 1, 2024)

July 27 (Sat.): Pre-Conference Events (Optional); Registration
July 28 (Sun.): Opening Ceremony, Presidential Address, Keynote Speech 1, and Plenary/Concurrent Sessions; Registration
July 29 (Mon.): Keynote Speeches 2-3, Plenary/Concurrent Sessions, Registration
July 30 (Tue.): Optional Conference Events