On 19 and 20 December 2011, CUHK School Heads Alumni Association, the Faculty of Education and Hong Kong Institute of Educational Research (HKIER) of CUHK hosted the ‘Cross-Strait Regional Forum on Life Education 2011: Life Education in the Age of Postmodernism and Globalization’. Ten speakers from Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China and Macau shared their views as well as implementation experiences on life education with  an audience of over 400.

Speakers first examined teaching and learning of life education from various perspectives, such as exploring core values of life education from children’s perspectives, searching for good life via self-understanding of personal well-being, spiritual education and how to inspire students vividly to reflect on life challenges by drawing parallels with ‘sourness, sweetness, bitterness, spiciness’ elements in movies. On 20 December, speakers shared their precious frontline experiences in implementing life education, reflecting on how schools, societies and governments could pay concerted effort in its implementation and overcoming difficulties. They also depicted prospects of life education in the future. Audiences participated actively in discussions, anticipating the next forum, as it provides a desirable cross-regional platform which facilitates interaction and incites collective wisdom among educators.

CUHK is keen on promoting life education. In 2010–11, commissioned by the Education Bureau, the Faculty of Education and HKIER launched the ‘Planning Life Education in Secondary Schools Project’ with 20 secondary schools and organized a series of related seminars. In 2012, thanks to $1 million sponsorship from the Fortune Pharmacal Lai Yung Kwoon Charity Fund, HKIER is implementing ‘A Step Further to Achieve Higher: Mobile Schooling Project’ from 2012 to 2015. Student and teacher volunteers from CUHK were enlisted. It is envisioned that the project will benefit secondary students who are in financial need by broadening their outdoor learning experiences. Please click here for details.