From August 11th to 20th, 2025, ten postgraduate students from the School of Educational Science at Nanjing Normal University attended the ten-day “Asia Education Leaders Course 2025 Summer Program” (AELC) at Korea University in Seoul, South Korea. Hosted by Korea University, the program brought together faculty and student representatives from five universities: Nanjing Normal University, Tohoku University, Korea University, National Taiwan Normal University (Taiwan, China), and National Chengchi University (Taiwan, China). Participants engaged in systematic academic exchange and collaborative research centered on core themes of comparative education, the application of international large-scale assessment data, and global educational transformation.

At the opening ceremony on August 11th, Professor Mimi Bong, Dean of the College of Education at Korea University, along with Associate Dean Professor Pey-Yan Liou and Professor Sang Min Lee, delivered welcoming addresses. They extended a warm welcome to the faculty and students from the five participating universities and emphasized the importance of cross-cultural educational dialogue in today’s globalized era. Following the ceremony, participants quickly immersed themselves in the diverse academic atmosphere through ice-breaking activities and group discussions, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent coursework.

This Summer Program continued the AELC project’s consistent interdisciplinary and cross-cultural characteristics, featuring three carefully designed core modules:

[A-P]: Comparative Education: Issues from International Large-scale Assessments

[S-P]: Utilization of International Large-scale Assessment Data for Education Research

[K-P]: Transforming Education in Global Contexts

The program employed various formats, including expert lectures, group seminars, field visits, and project design, emphasizing the integration of theory and practice, data-driven decision-making, and the cultivation of educational innovation capabilities within a global perspective.

At the closing ceremony, Korea University held a farewell dinner for the participants. Many students expressed that the course not only broadened their academic horizons and equipped them with cutting-edge research methods but also enhanced their communication and collaboration skills in a cross-cultural environment, which will have a profound impact on their future careers in educational research or practice.

Since its initiation by the Nanjing Normal University School of Educational Science in 2014, the Asia Education Leaders Course project has continuously promoted in-depth cooperation with renowned Asian universities in the field of education. As one of the high-level platforms for educational international exchange, the project effectively promotes the participation of our postgraduates in international academic dialogue, enhances their global competence, and contributes “NNU Wisdom” to the construction of an Asian education community. In the future, the School will continue to support faculty and student participation in international exchanges, promoting the internationalization of the educational discipline in talent cultivation, scientific research, and practical innovation.

Writers: Li Yingning