On 18 October 2024, the inaugural Future-Focused School Leadership Summit on “Navigating The Future: Empowering STEAM School Leaders,” took place at the Kindervarsity Hub in Panyu, Guangzhou. The event was attended by over 150 visionary leaders from industry and academia, and STEAM coordinators and teachers from primary and secondary schools across Hong Kong and other parts of the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The Summit was hosted by the School Leadership Academy (SLA) and supported by the CTF Education Group (CTFEG).
“As leaders, visionaries, and pathfinders, you have the ability to reimagine STEAM education, to integrate emerging technologies, and to design hands-on, real-world experiences that will inspire your schools and your students for the future,” said Mrs. Jennifer Yu Cheng, Group President and Deputy Vice Chairwoman of CTFEG, in Opening Remarks. “As STEAM educators, you are the architects of a curriculum that doesn’t just teach but transforms. You will guide students to become the adaptable, technology-fluent innovators of tomorrow. We want you to leave here with a renewed sense of purpose and a bold vision to inspire creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration among your students.”
Sparking Inspiration at the Kindervarsity Hub in Panyu
The Summit kicked off with a full day of events dedicated to igniting inspiration to chart the course for STEAM leadership. Participants engaged with pioneering thought leaders from around GBA in presentations, workshops, and exhibitions. In her speech, Professor Lujia Wang, Assistant Professor of Practice in Engineering Education, Base of Red Bird Mphil, College of Future Technology of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), shared how the “Academy of Future Education” can serve as a model for educators to envision and design future-focused learning experiences. She encouraged educators to adopt a growth mindset and embrace a culture of continuous innovation and experimentation to stay ahead of the rapidly evolving demands of the GBA region.
Mr. Daniel Seah, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Digital Domain Holdings Limited, delivered a special online talk to inspire STEAM educators to envision and champion an innovative, interdisciplinary STEAM education that leverages emerging technologies and a global, collaborative mindset to prepare future-ready students.
Mr. Tommie Lo, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Preface, the Summit’s Digital Partner, hosted a panel discussion on “Rapid Development Across GBA – Industry Perspective” with leaders of technology companies across GBA.
The afternoon panel session featured three experienced educators who discussed innovations in learning approaches.
The School Leadership Academy was honoured to have Cyberport as a Strategic Partner of the Summit. Dr. Data Ng, Co-President of Cyberport Startup Alumni Association, said in his speech: “We support the Summit because we strongly believe in the positive impact of technology on education.” He added: “The third event of this Summit will be held on 30 November in Hong Kong, where Cyberport will lead 15 educational technology start-ups to participate in the exhibition to allow participants to experience these innovative solutions first-hand. Cyberport hopes to connect these start-ups with educational leaders to create exchange and collaboration opportunities, to bring educational technology to campus, and demonstrate its impact in education.”
Stay Tuned! Industry Insights in Shenzhen and Implementation in Hong Kong
Two more highly anticipated Summit events, focused on industry insights and implementation, will be held soon: 2 November 2024 in Shenzhen and 30 November 2024 in Hong Kong.
The event on 2 November 2024 will bring participants to leading high-tech companies in Shenzhen. The exciting day offers school leaders real-world insights from the forefront of technology and education, providing practical knowledge they can bring back to their schools to enhance their teams’ pedagogical approach to teaching.
The final event on 30 November 2024 will be all about action! Participants will explore up to 15 game-changing EdTech start-ups incubated at Cyberport, driving the future of education, bridging the gap between inspiration and implementation. They will also have the opportunity to learn about “whole school” approaches to implementing STEAM from overseas and GBA STEAM leaders.
“In a world where technologies are evolving at an incredible speed, we strongly encourage STEAM educators to take every opportunity to gain exposure to the latest developments in hi-tech industries,” said Dr. Arnett Edwards, Founding Director of the SLA. “The industry insights and implementation events of our Summit would be valuable platforms for them to gain practical insights from the world’s most innovative tech industries, engage with industry experts, and exchange ideas with STEAM professionals.”
To register for the Summit’s final event on 30 November 2024, please visit: https://bit.ly/4e7pWmF or reach out to the SLA at leadershipacademy@ctfeducation.com.
