In an effort to implement the provincial government's policies for enhancing basic education and promoting its high-quality development in the eastern, western, and northern regions of Guangdong Province, a collaborative programme was initiated. This programme, a partnership between the Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College (UIC) and the Meijiang District of Meizhou City, was designed to support basic education from 2021 to 2025. In the summer of 2024, a key event of this programme, the "2024 Professional Development Summer Programme for Meizhou English Teachers" was successfully launched. The programme was co-organized by the UIC, the Meijiang District Education Bureau, the Teacher Development Center of Meijiang District, Meizhou City, the UIC School of General Education, and the Experimental Primary School Meizhou. This professional development programme was financially supported by the UIC Education Foundation. The event began on July 13 at the Meizhou Experimental Primary School. It saw the participation of 66 primary and secondary school English teachers from various schools in the Meijiang District. The teachers engaged in a five-day intensive training programme, running from July 13 to July 17, aimed at enhancing their English teaching capabilities.

The UIC School of General Education English Language Center introduced a unique "internationalization + localization" approach to teacher training in this region. The aim was to blend international standards with local teaching needs in terms of teaching philosophy, research, and outcomes. This approach was designed to bolster the teaching competence and professional development among local primary and secondary school English teachers. The programme was designed with a strong emphasis on 'praxis' – the application of theoretical knowledge to real-world teaching scenarios. This balance between theory and practice was seen as critical to the success of the programme. The ultimate goal of the programme is to incrementally develop a team of high-quality English teachers. These teachers will possess an international perspective, a commitment to local teaching, and a willingness to enhance and improve English teaching methods. The aspiration was to align basic English education with international standards, thereby raising the overall quality of English language instruction in the region.

The "2024 Professional Development Summer Programme for Meizhou English Teachers" was a rewarding undertaking. UIC was privileged to have the opportunity to contribute to the enhancement of English teaching skills in the Meijiang District of Meizhou City. The lecturers involved in the programme expressed their appreciation for the warm hospitality and rich traditional culture of the Hakka people they experienced during their time there.

The Closing Ceremony, held on the July 17th, was attended by guests from the organizing and supporting parties. These included Mr. Zhu Kaiyi, Personnel Director of the Meijiang District Education Bureau; Mr. Li Ruilian, Deputy Director of the Meijiang District Teacher Development Center; Mr. Jonathan Corbett, Acting Director of the English Language Learning Centre at the UIC School of General Education; and Ms. Jiang Haiyan, Vice-Principal of Meizhou Experimental Primary School. Mr. Zhu Kaiyi expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all the teachers for their participation, on behalf of the Meijiang District Education Bureau. He delivered messages of encouragement to the student-teachers and urged them to implement the latest educational ideas when working with their students. Mr. Jonathan Corbett, the Acting Director of the English Language Centre at the UIC School of General Education, provided an overview of UIC's sustained growth and the distinct features of its liberal education. He expressed optimism that the partnership between the two entities would contribute significantly to the advancement of English education in the Meijiang District. On behalf of the UIC School of General Education, Mr. Corbett expressed his gratitude to the organizers and the staff members of the supporting parties. He thanked them for providing the English Language Centre an opportunity to engage with these exceptional primary and secondary school teachers. He looked forward to further development of the programme in the coming year!

Content & Photos: SGE-ELC