Education for Learning to Live Together

Building peace in the minds of men and women

The Wenhui Award for Educational Innovation was launched in May 2010. The name ‘Wenhui’ personifies the power of education in promoting learning and allowing individuals and cultures to innovate and grow.

The Award is solidly grounded on the 1924 Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child, emphasizing our responsibility to ensure that children can develop materially, spiritually, physically, mentally, morally and aesthetically.

To meet this goal, the Wenhui Award specifically aims to:

• Value and encourage pioneering innovative practices to improve the access to, quality of, and teaching and learning processes in, education.
  
  
• Recognize the contributions of individuals or institutions which have brought about significant educational innovations to enhance the access to education and improve the quality of teaching and learning processes.
  
  
• Foster indigenous wisdom and ingenuity in educational innovation.

The Award is conferred on two individuals or institutions from Asia and the Pacific in recognition of their commitment and outstanding efforts in the development of educational innovations based on the following criteria:

• Uniqueness and originality of the innovation
  
  
• Timeliness and relevance of the innovation
  
  
• Success and impact of the innovation
  
  
• Sustainability of the innovation
  
  
• Potential for replication of the innovation
  
  
• Innovative use of available resources
  
  
• Quality of the supporting evidence

In line with the theme of the 2011 Wenhui Award, Education for Learning to Live Together, the Jury prioritized projects that have successfully demonstrated the impact of their educational innovation on building a culture of learning how to live together.

Fifteen applications were shortlisted. The Jury has high regards for all of them and commends them for their efforts. Each has worthy elements that deserve recognition and support to continue their valuable contribution to education and a caring society.

SHORTLIST

• Public Health Leadership Programme for Sustainable Health Development
  Griffith University’s Centre for Environment and Population Health Leadership, Australia
  
  
• A Road to Equality
  Samota, Bangladesh
  
  
• Education for Learning to Live Together: Mid-day Meal Feeding Programme
  Jigme Losel Primary School, Bhutan
  
  
• Working Towards Gross National Happiness School
  Mongar Higher Secondary School, Bhutan
  
  
• Aflatoun, Child Social and Financial Education
  Shanghai Better Education Development Centre, China
  
  
• Teaching to C.A.R.E. (Collaborate, Accommodate, Reach Everyone)
  College of Micronesia/University of Guam, Micronesia/Guam
  
  
• Sanjeevani: A School-based Medicinal Plant Education and Conservation Initiative
  Centre for Environment Education, India
  
  
• Community Participation in Enhancing School Performance
  Sekolah Kebangsaan Ulu Lubai, Malaysia
  
  
• ICT Integration in Education
  College of Education, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Philippines
  
  
• Peace Village
  Department of Education, Lanao Del Norte, Philippines
  
  
• Planning, Editing, Publishing, Disseminating and Using APNIEVE’s Sourcebooks
  Lourdes R. Quisumbing, APNIEVE, Philippines
  
  
• Mechai Pattana School
  Mechai Pattana School, Thailand
  
  
• Mekong Youth Net
  Development and Education Programme for Daughters and Communities Centre, Thailand
  
  
• Mobilization of Wisdom for Development of Community Learning Centres
  Thai Education Development Foundation, Thailand
  
  
• Respecting Diversity and Promoting Opportunities for LGBT Students
  Srithana Commercial Technology College, Thailand

From this list, the Jury selected two winners for the 2011 Wenhui Award, one recipient for Honourable Commendation and one individual for a Special Recognition for Lifetime Achievement Certificate. The winners will receive their prizes at the China Hangzhou International Conference on Educational Innovations in November 2011 in Hangzhou, China.

RESULTs of the 2011 Wenhui Award

Winners

• Education for Learning to Live Together: Mid-day Meal Feeding Programme
  Jigme Losel Primary School, Bhutan
  
  
• Community Participation in Enhancing School Performance
  Sekolah Kebangsaan Ulu Lubai, Malaysia

Honourable Commendation

• Mekong Youth Net
  Development and Education Programme for Daughters and Communities Centre, Thailand

Special Recognition for Lifetime Achievement

• Lourdes R. Quisumbing
  Founding President and Lifelong Honorary President of APNIEVE (Asia-Pacific Network for International Education and Value Education)

Winner of the 2011 Wenhui Award

Education for Learning to Live Together: Mid-day Meal Feeding Programme
Jigme Losel Primary School, Bhutan
The Jigme Losel Primary School’s efforts underline its strong belief in the Educating for Gross National Happiness initiative. Through a practical and effective approach, the Mid-day Meal Feeding Programme manages to achieve its two-fold goals of (i) providing wholesome lunch to poor students and (ii) infusing desirable values in their students, teachers, parents and community members. The concept and design of the programme is easy to understand and replicate, and the implementation is facilitated by the buddy system and volunteerism. Since the amount of resources needed is minimal, the programme can be sustained with the support of parents and community members.

The school is a day school where students bring their lunches. However, some poor children either do not eat or have insufficient and/or non-nutritious food. These children are physically famished and academically withdrawn, with low self esteem, shying away from active participation in the school activities. They are at high risk of dropping out of school. Through the feeding programme, some of these students are selected to receive regular mid-day meals through contributions from other students, teachers, parents and volunteers. The programme provides a platform where the community members learn to share and care for others less fortunate than themselves and build friendships. The feeding programme has evolved into a feeding club that engages in raising awareness about the nutritional values of food, preparation of healthy meals, water and sanitation.

Feeding projects in schools are found in many countries, but they are mainly the initiatives of governments or non-governmental organizations. In contrast, Jigme Losel Primary School’s programme is a grassroots effort solidly grounded in the innovative Gross National Happiness concept. The school’s Feeding Programme exemplifies the principle of learning to live together by pooling resources from the community to feed and care for the poorer students in the school.

Students learn best by example, and the highly visible programme has proven to be a powerful model for infusing values and cementing a cohesive community.

Winner of the 2011 Wenhui Award

Community Participation in Enhancing School Performance
Sekolah Kebangsaan Ulu Lubai, Malaysia
Sekolah Kebangsaan Ulu Lubai is a remote rural school in Sarawak, Malaysia. Most of the community members are Ibans who still maintain their traditional lifestyles. They are highly dependent on the natural resources around them for their livelihoods. Residing in longhouses, the Ibans have a very strong sense of belonging to a community.

Harnessing the community spirit through the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is the key to the achievements of the school. With the support of the parents, the school has implemented several programmes that reflected the Iban culture of living together, such as the “Ai Kitai” (Togetherness) programme; the knowledge huts cum learning centres which are used by students, parents and community; “Prokat” or class adoption programme in which longhouse parents are assigned to take care of the classrooms, creating a welcoming and homely environment for the students; “ELIS” or English Language programme through which the children learn to master the English language.

The resources for all these programmes are minimal and are sourced locally. The impact of these efforts is evident from the class attendance records (more than 98%) and the examination results. By encouraging the students to stay in school and engaging them actively in the learning processes, the school reported 100 percent passes in the Primary School Assessment Test for several years. In recognition of these achievements, the school became the first rural school in Malaysia to attain the High Performance School status.

Sekolah Kebangsaan Ulu Lubai has attributed the improved school performance to the involvement of community members in all aspects of their lives before, during and after school hours. Thus, the school and community have successfully demonstrated the power of working and living together despite its remote location and the lack of modern amenities.

Recipient of honorable commendation of the 2011 Wenhui Award

Mekong Youth Net
Development and Education Programme for Daughters and Community Centre, Thailand
This project addresses the serious problem of human trafficking for child labour and sexual exploitation across borders in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS). The Mekong Youth Net was established in 2004 to train youth from the GMS to become leaders who are expected to implement community-based programmes to combat human trafficking and train a new generation of young people through their country projects. This initiative enhances the networks of local trafficking-prevention initiatives across the region under the umbrella of the Development and Education Programme for Daughters and Community Centre (DEPDC)’s Mekong Youth Union (MYU).

The project is designed to reach individuals most at-risk in remote areas, e.g., stateless, hill-tribe and ethnic minority communities. The Mekong Youth Net’s innovative approach of bringing minority youth from different areas of the GMS together and educating them on issues prevalent in their communities underscores the concept of learning to live together.

The MYN training programme makes use of local knowledge as much as possible. The cascading training model, which relies on the trained youth leaders to pass on their knowledge to their peers in their communities, facilitates the sustainability of the project. The national programmes are also sustained through community and organizational partnerships.

Recipient of special recognition for lifetime achievement of the 2011 Wenhui Award

Lourdes R. Quisumbing
Founding President and Lifelong Honorary President of APNIEVE (Asia-Pacific Network for International Education and Value Education), Philippines
The Jury unanimously agrees to present Dr. Lourdes R. Quisumbing with a special recognition for lifetime achievement award for her dedication to education and for her role as the founding president of APNIEVE and contribution to the publications of sourcebooks on the Four Pillars of Education for Teaching and Learning:

• Learning to Live Together in Peace and Harmony, in collaboration with UNESCO in 1998
  
  
• Learning to be Fully Human: A Holistic and Integrated Approach to Values Education Core Values and the Valuing Process, in collaboration with UNESCO in 2002
  
  
• Learning to Do: Values for Working Together, with support from UNESCO-UNEVOC in 2005
  
  
• Learning to Know, with support from UNESCO-APCEIU in 2010

The founding of APNIEVE in 1995 epitomizes Dr. Quisumbing’s belief in the importance of education in building a culture of peace and international understanding through cooperation among UNESCO Member States in Asia and the Pacific.

SUMMARIES OF SHORTLISTED APPLICATIONS

Public Health Leadership Programme for Sustainable Health Development
Griffith University’s Centre for Environment and Population Health Leadership, Australia
Faced with serious public health threats, key public health bodies in the region have underlined an urgent need to nurture the capacity of public health leaders and decision-makers to devise problem-solving response strategies, coordinate interdisciplinary teams, build international links and partnerships, communicate, and effectively manage health risks and emergencies. Griffith University’s Centre for Environment and Population Health Leadership has developed a programme to address this need, targeting mid-career public health professionals nominated as potential leaders by their organizations. Evidence has shown that many of the alumni have applied their knowledge and skills to become better public health practitioners, furthered their careers, engaged in international collaboration, and contributed significantly to mitigate the public health threats. The Centre with its leadership alumni and current researchers have formed a consortium “Risk communication, Emergency Management and Adaptation for Climate Change and Health” (REACCH) to address current gaps in climate change adaptation research in health.

A Road to Equality
Samota, Bangladesh
Huge numbers of children in Bangladesh remain illiterate because of poverty. Many have to work during the day and therefore are unable to attend school. To complement the government’s efforts to increase literacy rates in the country, the Samota project was established to provide evening classes for poor children. Keeping costs low, existing infrastructures are used. The classes are conducted in the premises of the School of Development Alternative (SODA) and College of Development Alternative (CODA). Teachers are also from SODA, CODA and the University of Development Alternative. The curriculum is approved by the Education Board of the Government of Bangladesh. Social benefactors sponsor the costs for one or more children and maintain continuous touch with their beneficiaries to provide moral support. Results from the project are very encouraging, showing 100 percent passes in both Secondary School Certificate and Higher Secondary Certificate examinations since its inception.

Education for Learning to Live Together: Mid-day Meal Feeding Programme
Jigme Losel Primary School, Bhutan
At the Jigme Losel Primary School in Bhutan, it is a common practice for students to bring their lunches to school. However, some poor children either do not eat or have insufficient and/or non-nutritious food. Physically famished and academically withdrawn, these students are at high risk of dropping out of school. The school launched a mid-day meal feeding programme to provide wholesome lunch to poor students, and in the process students, teachers, parents and community members learn to care for the less fortunate. The success of the programme is facilitated by the buddy system and volunteerism. The beneficiaries of the programme are not only the students who receive free meals, but also all the volunteers who enjoy a high level of happiness and satisfaction in giving. The feeding programme has evolved into a feeding club that engages in raising awareness about the nutritional values of food, preparation of healthy meals, water and sanitation.

Working Towards Gross National Happiness School
Mongar Higher Secondary School, Bhutan
Espousing the Gross National Happiness principle, Mongar Higher Secondary School in Bhutan has implemented several programmes to enhance the quality of education and produce outstanding citizens to serve the country. It has successfully created a child-friendly learning environment; enhanced the appreciation of diverse cultural heritage and religious faiths; raised awareness and preparedness for disaster management; encouraged preservation of the environment; supported community services; provided vocational education and training; improved teachers’ competencies; advanced self reliance and self sufficiency; and promoted value education. The variety of activities emphasized the importance of a holistic approach to education in developing responsible citizenship.

Aflatoun, Child Social and Financial Education
Shanghai Better Education Development Centre, China
Aflatoun believes that by empowering children and young people with financial literacy and social skills, they can become agents of change. Through better management of their finances and making sound economic decisions, vulnerable groups will be able to improve their lives, and in turn contribute to society productively. Aflatoun’s programmes promote child-centred and participatory learning, emphasizing the need to value the uniqueness of each person. Special attention is paid to the training of teachers facilitated through an online platform and the establishment of Aflatoun Teachers Club. Aflatoun has been implemented in 67 schools from 17 cities in China. Data show that 1,013 teachers, 92 parents, and 260 university student volunteers have been trained. The number of students benefiting from Aflatoun lessons was approximately 16,000, out of which 67 percent are migrant or rural children.

Teaching to C.A.R.E. (Collaborate, Accommodate, Reach Everyone)
College of Micronesia/University of Guam, Micronesia/Guam
The Teaching to CARE programme has a three-fold objective: to Collaborate, to Accommodate, and to Reach out to Everyone. It is a pedagogical model introduced in 2007 in the Federated States of Micronesia to help teachers in promoting respect for diversity and harmonious relationships at home, school and community. Four courses have been developed for this programme to enhance an understanding of the concept of living together amidst diversity. ED 486: Building Effective Strategies for Teaching (BEST) is a research course where factors that put students at risk are explored through a collaborative action research methodology. ED482: Working with Second Language Learners requires teacher candidates and practicing teachers to develop reading materials in the form of stories with moral lessons for second language learners. ED334: Solving Discipline Problems focuses on developing pro-social skills to address the challenges posed by at-risk students in the classroom. ED351: Fine Arts Methods in which factors that put students at risk and the solutions to their problems are woven into two play productions presented at the end of each summer. The play production also creates a transformative and healing experience for the audience who can identify with the story being portrayed. Feedback revealed positive effects on the children taught by teachers who took the courses.

Sanjeevani: A School-based Medicinal Plant Education and Conservation Initiative
Centre for Environment Education, India
Targeted primarily at residential secondary education institutes to provide rural poor people with experiential education, the Sanjeevani project aims to integrate the knowledge of biodiversity and medicinal plants into school programmes, and creating awareness of and respect for traditional wisdom among teachers and students. Through the establishment of a network of academics, scientists, traditional healers, farmers and schools, sustainable livelihood projects are initiated to improve the quality of life in rural areas. Above all, Sanjeevani represents a way of thinking, encompassing the core of education for sustainable development, the values of living together, tolerance, reverence for nature, respect for natural and cultural diversity and social equity. Since it started operation, Sanjeevani has worked with teachers, students, farmers, traditional healers and other community members to implement demonstrative micro-projects, taking learning beyond the classrooms.

Community Participation in Enhancing School Performance
Sekolah Kebangsaan Ulu Lubai, Malaysia
Sekolah Kebangsaan Ulu Lubai is a remote rural school in Sarawak, Malaysia. Most of the community members are Ibans who reside in longhouses. With the support of the Parent Teacher Association, the school has implemented several programmes that reflected the Iban culture of living together, such as the “Ai Kitai” (Togetherness) programme; the knowledge huts cum learning centres which are used by students, parents and community; “Prokat” or class adoption programme in which longhouse parents are assigned to take care of the classrooms, creating a welcoming and homely environment for the students; “ELIS” or English Language programme through which the children learn to master the English language. The school performance has improved tremendously through these efforts, leading to the school being named a High Performance School, the first rural school in Malaysia to earn this distinction.

ICT Integration in Education
College of Education, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Philippines
Taken in the context of countries like the Philippines, information and communications technology (ICT) possesses the potential of being an equalizer, giving poorer developing nations access to the latest information and most recent advances. As such, it allows for the development of a more responsive and more relevant education system. Capitalizing on this potential of ICT, the College of Education (CED) of the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology is a lead school in ICT integration among teacher training institutions through its track record, linkages and partnerships. Unlike other extension programmes which adopt communities and provide livelihood programmes to uplift the economic condition of the constituents, the CED Extension Programme provides ICT skills as a means of earning a living, getting promotions, and receiving a certain award or recognition.

Peace Village
Department of Education, Lanao Del Norte, Philippines
Spear headed by Dr. Maria Luisa Mutia, the Peace Village marked its beginning in January 2004 during the Cultural Youth Exchange for Peace and Prosperity in the the province of Lanao del Norte in Mindanao. Providing a venue for Christian and Muslim youth to share and exchange knowledge about each other’s culture and beliefs, the event forged enduring friendships anchored on mutual understanding. The Peace Village meetings became an annual event for school children in Lanao del Norte to learn ways of peace and unlearning ways of violence in a fun-filled environment. With the establishment of a permanent Peace Village site, the activities can be sustained to promote a culture of peace, respect for diversity and learning to live together.

Planning, Editing, Publishing, Disseminating and Using APNIEVE’s Sourcebooks
Lourdes R. Quisumbing, APNIEVE, Philippines
Dr. Lourdes R. Quisumbing has dedicated her life to education, and is highly regarded for her role as the founding president of APNIEVE and her contribution to the publications of sourcebooks on the Four Pillars of Education for Teaching and Learning and other publications. The founding of APNIEVE in 1995 epitomizes Dr. Quisumbing’s belief in the importance of education in building a culture of peace and international understanding through cooperation among UNESCO Member States in Asia and the Pacific.

Mechai Pattana School
Mechai Pattana School, Thailand
The Mechai Pattana School provides free education to rural children in Buriram province in Thailand. It aims to eradicate poverty through education by focusing on six areas of learning: intellectual quotient, physical quotient, emotional quotient, spiritual quotient, moral quotient and adversity quotient. Promoting the core values of environmental stewardship, philanthropy, integrity, democracy and gender equality, it endeavours to teach students how to be honest, caring, and environmentally conscious citizens, regardless of their economic or social background. It also seeks to become a lifelong learning centre where the entire community can improve agricultural, business, and general vocational skills; a base for economic and social advancement, where micro-credit funding is available for members of the community served by the school; and a teacher training facility, where teachers from rural areas learn innovative, project-based teaching skills. The school serves secondary students in communities in its vicinity. Parents are required to participate in parental camps, curriculum development, and community development programmes to alleviate poverty.

Mekong Youth Net
Development and Education Programme for Daughters and Communities Centre, Thailand
The Mekong Youth Net was established in 2004 to train youth from the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) to become leaders who are expected to implement community-based programmes to combat human trafficking and train a new generation of young people through their country projects. This initiative enhances the networks of local trafficking-prevention initiatives across the region under the umbrella of the Development and Education Programme for Daughters and Community Centre (DEPDC)’s Mekong Youth Union (MYU). The project is designed to reach individuals most at-risk in remote areas, e.g., stateless, hill-tribe and ethnic minority communities. The Mekong Youth Net’s innovative approach of bringing minority youth from different areas of the GMS together and educating them on issues prevalent in their communities underscores the concept of learning to live together.

Mobilization of Wisdom for Development of Community Learning Centres
Thai Education Development Foundation, Thailand
Community learning centres (CLCs) provide a promising alternative for acquiring knowledge and skills outside the formal education system. The Mobilization of Wisdom for Development of CLC in Thailand project, coordinated by the Thai Education Development Foundation, was established to meet the needs of the community and provide support to the leaders. A total of 291 villages in 19 provinces were involved in this project. However, the success of the CLCs is dependent on the active participation of community members. Thus, a model developed for Thai CLC comprises four elements: (i) active participation; (ii) partnerships and networks; (iii) academic support; and (iv) positive reinforcement. Through these four elements, community members became aware of their capacity and control over their learning without having to wait for central authorities to act. While the change in mindset and growth among the community members cannot be directly measured, observation and feedback have indicated that people involved in CLC activities have taken small but definite steps on a journey of lifelong learning individually and collectively.

Respecting Diversity and Promoting Opportunities for LGBT Students
Srithana Commercial Technology College, Thailand
Srithana Commercial Technology College is a vocational school in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The college fosters a supportive learning environment, promoting understanding and respect among all students, regardless of their differences or backgrounds. One group of students whose needs are often overlooked in education are gay, lesbian, and transgender (LGBT) students, who report being frequently bullied or harassed because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. The college is one of the few institutions in Thailand that actively works to serve their unique needs. To bring greater acceptance of LGBT students, the college established the Rainbow Club where LGBT students can gather to share their personal experiences, partake in social events, and participate in workshops on HIV prevention. Through their activities, other students at Srithana have learned to accept and treat their schoolmates equally. The student-led work of the Rainbow Club has enabled the college to revise policies on school uniforms and build bathrooms specifically for transgender students. Due to these changes, the academic performance of LGBT students has improved. This is a testament to Srithana’s efforts to combat discrimination in the college.

JURY MEMBERS

Tao Xiping
Mr. Tao Xiping holds many positions and in many capacities, including the Adviser to the National Chief Inspector, Honorary President of Beijing Association of Societal Circles, President of Chinese Association for Non-government Education, Vice President of the Chinese Society of Education, Honorary President of Asian Pacific Federation of UNESCO Clubs and Association, Vice President of the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centers and Associations.

He was also the Director and Chief Secretary of the Party of Beijing Education Bureau, Assistant Mayor of Beijing Municipal Government, Vice Director of the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Beijing Municipality, and a member of the ESCH Committee of the National People’s Congress.

Colin Power
Professor Colin Power was the Assistant Director-General for Education of UNESCO from 1989 to 1998 and Deputy Director-General of UNESCO from 1999 to 2000, the most senior posts in UNESCO held by an Australian during this period since its establishment in 1946. Professor Power is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland and Professor emeritus of Flinders University of South Australia. He has authored and co-authored many books and publications on education, science, culture and development. As the Chair of the Commonwealth Consortium for Education, foundation Editor-in-Chief of the Educational Research for Policy and Practice, President of World Education Fellowship (Australia) and foundation Chair and Director of the EIDOS Institute – a research and policy consortium of nine Australian universities, Professor Power continues to contribute to efforts to improve the quality of education, promote education for all and ensure that research informs social policy and practice.

Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid
Professor Datuk Dr. Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid is the Deputy President/Deputy Vice Chancellor of INTI-UC Laureate International Universities and Professor of Management, Education and the Social Sciences. Dr. Ibrahim was the first Director of UNESCO-Regional Center for Educational Planning at Al Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. For more than two and a half decades, he has been a key figure in the field of educational management and leadership in Malaysia. He is a prolific writer as well as an editor and editorial advisor for several educational journals, locally and internationally. Dr. Ibrahim exercises many leadership roles and has provided services as a consultant in policy-making governmental committees, private sector and non-government organizations. He is the National Advisor/Consultant for Asia-Europe Initiative on Lifelong Learning in Malaysia and is currently engaged in several research project, apart from supervising Masters and Doctoral scholars. He has been involved in the National Accreditation Board and Malaysian Qualifications Agency processes both as practitioner and as a member of the wider policy making community.

Ved Prakash
Professor Ved Prakash is the Chairman of the University Grants Commission in India after serving as the Vice Chancellor of the National University of Educational Planning and Administration, Director of the National Institute of Educational and Administration, Chairperson of the National Council for Teacher Education, Secretary of the University Grants Commission, Adviser Education of the Planning Commission, Government of India, Professor and Head of the Department of Educational Measurement and Evaluation. He is author and co-author of numerous publications devoted to higher education, school education, educational planning, evaluation and appraisal of students’ achievements. Professor Prakash was conferred the Vidyalankara Award in 2008 and the Educationist Par Excellence Award in 2010 in India.

Zheng Xinrong
Professor Zheng Xinrong is the Dean of College of Educational Basic Theory and the Director of the Multicultural Education Research Center in Beijing Normal University. She was a consultant for several projects sponsored by international organizations such as UNICEF, UNDP, Department for International Development-UK (DFID), including the Needs Analysis of Teacher in Using Distance Education and ICT to improve teacher quality in poor areas of Western China Project, Functional Literacy Training for WFP Qinling Mountain Area Poverty Alleviation Project in Shaanxi/Hubei Provinces, UNESCO Education for All 2000 Assessment Project, and the UNESCO/OECD World Education Indicator Project. Through Professor Zheng’s research work, several of which were funded by local and international foundations such as the Ford Foundation and World Bank, she has authored and co-authored many publications.

Meng Hongwei (Alternative Member)
Dr. Meng Hongwei is the Vice-President of Cultural an Educational Commission of the Central Committee of China Democracy League. He was also a member of the Governing Board of UNESCO Institute for Statistics representing the Asia and Pacific region. As an expert in Educational Evaluation as well as Education and Psychology, he has undertaken several national and international consulting assignments in projects such as the European Union’s China Gansu Basic Education, and the ADB-China project on Improving Basic Education in Underdeveloped Areas through ICT. He was a team leader of many projects including the Drafting Committee of China’s National EFA Action Plan, and the Assessment and Evaluation Project for the European Union-China Higher Education Cooperation Programme.

About the Organizers
The Asia-Pacific Region counts for almost two thirds of the world population. In serving the 46 Member States and 2 Associate Members in the region, UNESCO has to take into account the diversity of the countries in terms of their size, culture, socio-economy status and environment. Supported by a network of a Regional Bureau for Education in Bangkok, a Regional Bureau for Science in Jakarta, five Cluster Offices (Almaty, Apia, Beijing, New Delhi and Tehran), and seven National Offices (Dhaka, Hanoi, Islamabad, Kabul, Kathmandu, Phnom Penh and Tashkent), UNESCO works to promote peace and human development through education, sciences, culture and communication, by facilitating international co-operation, setting common standards and fostering the dissemination of information.

The Asia-Pacific Programme of Educational Innovation for Development (APEID) is a regional inter-country cooperative programme based in the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in Bangkok, Thailand. APEID’s mission is to contribute to sustainable human development through the design and implementation of educational programmes and projects, mainly at the post-primary level of education and focusing on educational innovation for development.

The National Commission of the People's Republic of China for UNESCO was established in February 1979. It acts as an agency of consultation, liaison and information, in addition to mobilizing and coordinating partnerships with civil society to contribute to the realization of UNESCO’s objectives and implementation of its programmes.

The China Hangzhou International Conference on Educational Innovations was launched in 2003 in Xiacheng District, Hangzhou, to commemorate the achievements Xiacheng has made in educational innovations. Held every year since then, the Conference has become a formal event of the West Lake Expo, attracting participants from all over the world.