https://www.scmp.com/rss/330930/feed The latest opinion pieces, commentary and analysis articles on kindergartens, local and international schools, universities and higher education institutions in Hong Kong and around the world. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Morning Studio editors,Dominic Ngai Morning Studio editors,Dominic Ngai The teachings of philosopher and psychologist John Dewey, who was a major 20th-century education reformer, still resonate with teachers around the world today. He believed that learning is a social, communal process – requiring students to build their own understanding based on personal experience – and involves a continuous, lifelong journey, rather than merely a means to an end for gaining knowledge for one’s future career. He wrote: “The aim of education is growth: the aim of growth is more... https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-cais-2026/article/3345350/how-education-develops-pathway-students-lifelong-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-cais-2026/article/3345350/how-education-develops-pathway-students-lifelong-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Morning Studio editors,Dominic Ngai Morning Studio editors,Dominic Ngai As globalisation and technological advancements continue to reshape the way we live and work, educational institutions must also evolve to help equip students with the right mindset and skills to tackle the challenges in our rapidly changing world. Academic innovation has been the guiding principle at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), in the city of Suzhou, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province, which is an international, research-focused joint venture between Xi’an Jiaotong University... https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-xjtlu-2025-26/article/3339710/academic-innovation-can-help-budding-entrepreneurs-overcome-future-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-xjtlu-2025-26/article/3339710/academic-innovation-can-help-budding-entrepreneurs-overcome-future-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 05:00:08 +0000 Morning Studio editors,Dominic Ngai Morning Studio editors,Dominic Ngai The growing use of data and technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) – computer systems that can copy intelligent human behaviour – has enabled companies to offer their customers more individualised products and services, which have transformed many different parts of people’s everyday lives. Personalised learning – a student-focused educational approach that tailors the instruction based on an individual’s strengths, interests and goals – is also becoming increasingly popular with... https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-xjtlu-2025/article/3331441/how-one-university-uses-ai-prepare-students-their-future-careers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-xjtlu-2025/article/3331441/how-one-university-uses-ai-prepare-students-their-future-careers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 07:00:10 +0000 Morning Studio editors Morning Studio editors Creating an inspiring learning environment which prepares students for the future in our rapidly changing world is the goal of many schools and educators around the world. One such institution is Stamford American School Hong Kong, which first opened in 2017 in the city’s residential district of Ho Man Tin, Kowloon, and offers children aged five to 18 a personalised through-train education from pre-primary to Grade 12. The private school’s American-standards-based curriculum takes an... https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-stamford-american-school-2025/article/3316573/how-innovation-focused-curriculum-helps-prepare-students-evolving-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-stamford-american-school-2025/article/3316573/how-innovation-focused-curriculum-helps-prepare-students-evolving-world?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Morning Studio editors Morning Studio editors Entrepreneurship is now an increasingly important part of curriculums as schools try to prepare students for the fast-changing demands of higher education and the start of their working lives. Teachers worldwide believe that nurturing an entrepreneurial spirit can better prepare students for the future and help them to develop skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving, and personal attributes like leadership abilities and resilience. Education at Hong Kong’s Saint Too Bloom Academy,... https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-saint-too-bloom-academy/article/3309730/why-it-critical-students-and-entrepreneurs-develop-positive-resilient-mindset?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-saint-too-bloom-academy/article/3309730/why-it-critical-students-and-entrepreneurs-develop-positive-resilient-mindset?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 May 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Globalisation and digitalisation – two of the 21st century’s most-widely used buzzwords – are playing an increasing role in our everyday lives as different economies, cultures and technologies worldwide grow more similar and integrated through the influence of multinational corporations and improved communication. This access to greater connectivity and information has led to new opportunities for intercultural experiences that are helping shape the lives of students as they prepare themselves... https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-chinese-international-school/article/3306541/bilingual-superpowers-and-intercultural-experiences-prepare-students-better-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-chinese-international-school/article/3306541/bilingual-superpowers-and-intercultural-experiences-prepare-students-better-future?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Apr 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Morning Studio editors Morning Studio editors Schools worldwide are increasingly adopting a holistic approach to education, which puts the focus on the “whole child”, rather than simply textbooks, examinations and academic achievements. This involves developing each individual student’s needs, not only intellectually and vocationally, but also emotionally, physically and spiritually. “A good description of whole child education is ‘head, heart and hands’,” Richard Vanderpyl, head of school at Hong Kong’s Christian Alliance International... https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-cais/article/3302721/whole-child-education-develops-head-heart-and-hands-future-community-minded-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-cais/article/3302721/whole-child-education-develops-head-heart-and-hands-future-community-minded-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Mar 2025 04:00:08 +0000 Morning Studio editors Morning Studio editors Schools are having to quickly evolve in our increasingly complex and interconnected world to help prepare future graduates for the rapidly changing demands of higher education and the global job market. They must ensure students not only achieve academic success and go on to university, but also thrive in their future careers, Rob Fox, headmaster of Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong (WASHK), says. It is important that schools equip children with core skills, such as communication, creativity and... https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-wycombe-abbey-school-hong-kong/article/3302713/schools-must-nurture-innovative-entrepreneurial-mindset-help-students-future-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-wycombe-abbey-school-hong-kong/article/3302713/schools-must-nurture-innovative-entrepreneurial-mindset-help-students-future-success?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Mar 2025 04:00:08 +0000 More than 80 per cent of the world’s school-going adolescent population is not active enough, research by the World Health Organization (WHO) has shown. Global adolescents have been failing to do even one hour of physical activity per day – including 85 per cent of girls and 78 per cent of boys. Although there are now signs that the number of children doing regular exercise has returned to pre-Covid-19-pandemic levels, the international health agency says more needs to be done to change these... https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-hong-kong-international-school/article/3259626/physically-active-children-better-their-studies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-hong-kong-international-school/article/3259626/physically-active-children-better-their-studies?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Apr 2024 04:00:28 +0000 Teachers always do their best within the confines of a classroom, but actual, authentic learning happens outside those four walls during school excursions and field trips, says Sherielyn Choi, a native English teacher at the all-girls secondary school, Canossa College, in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong. “Excursions offer valuable hands-on learning opportunities and help students consolidate what they learn at a theoretical level in class,” Choi says during the latest edition of EdTalk, South China... https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-mgto/article/3255772/field-trips-excursions-important?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-mgto/article/3255772/field-trips-excursions-important?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Mar 2024 04:00:12 +0000 Talented teachers can help students to learn anywhere, but holding lessons in an engaging environment will significantly enhance their learning experience, Richard Vanderpyl, head of school at Hong Kong’s Christian Alliance International School (CAIS), says. “Spaces are incredibly important,” Vanderpyl says on his return to EdTalk, South China Morning Post’s recurring video series of interviews, in which teaching experts discuss pertinent issues surrounding education. “They can spur creativity,... https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-cais/article/3248749/dynamic-learning-environments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-cais/article/3248749/dynamic-learning-environments?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jan 2024 04:00:39 +0000 [Sponsored article] Complex problem-solving, creativity, critical thinking – an ability to analyse whether information is true or false – and emotional intelligence, an understanding of our feelings and those of others, are the top four soft skills employers want the global workforce to master by 2025, Swiss non-profit foundation, World Economic Forum, predicted in its “The Future of Jobs Report 2020”. These four personal qualities, which help people work and interact with others, are growing in... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-nord-anglia/article/3229630/why-balance-critical-thinking-and-other-soft-skills-alongside-academic-studies-will-prepare-students?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-nord-anglia/article/3229630/why-balance-critical-thinking-and-other-soft-skills-alongside-academic-studies-will-prepare-students?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Aug 2023 08:00:15 +0000 [Sponsored article] Educator Julia Woo is happy to have gone back to school – after years as a senior official at Singapore’s Ministry of Education, which included her overseeing the running of more than 10 schools – to become the new principal and head of school at Invictus School Hong Kong. Woo, a Singaporean, previously did two stints as a school principal in the city state, and recalls those periods as the best of her career. “The work has a lot of purpose, a lot of meaning, for me because I... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-invictus-school/article/3223923/why-all-students-can-use-their-talents-achieve-success-right-kind-support-teachers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-invictus-school/article/3223923/why-all-students-can-use-their-talents-achieve-success-right-kind-support-teachers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jun 2023 04:01:14 +0000 [Sponsored article] The continuing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, which triggered widespread lockdowns, social-distancing restrictions and halted passenger flights worldwide, have sparked greater interest and acceptance of new technological innovations, including remote working practices and online learning. It has led to a major shift in the way many businesses, schools and universities operate, including the growing demand to adopt innovative new ways of providing postgraduate... https://www.scmp.com/native/better-life/career-education/topics/taylors-university/article/3210450/why-online-postgraduate-programmes-prove-good-option-busy-professionals-post-covid-19-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/better-life/career-education/topics/taylors-university/article/3210450/why-online-postgraduate-programmes-prove-good-option-busy-professionals-post-covid-19-world?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Feb 2023 08:00:09 +0000 [Sponsored Article] It is not news that Hong Kong students can feel stressed out. According to a 2017 study on academic stress in the city, contributing factors include perfectionism, a socially oriented motivation for achievement, and heavy emphasis on rote learning and traditionally taught academics in the school setting. The Harbour School (THS) – a private primary and secondary school in Hong Kong taking a progressive approach within an American curriculum – is championing a different... https://www.scmp.com/presented/better-life/career-education/topics/edtalk-harbour-school/article/3199785/rethinking-5-educational-myths-through-experiential-learning-approach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/better-life/career-education/topics/edtalk-harbour-school/article/3199785/rethinking-5-educational-myths-through-experiential-learning-approach?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Nov 2022 08:00:11 +0000 [Sponsored article] The idyllic tropical resort island of Phuket, in southern Thailand, is a popular tourist destination known for its luscious-green mountains, pristine white-sand beaches and dramatic coastal scenery. Yet families who have chosen to stay as residents have been pleasantly surprised to learn that it is also home to the English-medium, co-educational British International School, Phuket (BISP). BISP offers a world-class education, high-performance sports facilities and... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/british-international-school-phuket/article/3182921/education-in-paradise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/british-international-school-phuket/article/3182921/education-in-paradise?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jun 2022 04:00:23 +0000 [Sponsored article] Schoolchildren have been one of the groups most affected as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The closure of classrooms and strict social-distancing measures have forced children to stay home while their teachers provide lessons online. Fluctuating travel rules, including border closures, the halt to international flights and strict quarantine requirements in some countries, have led to many children switching schools between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom – even in the... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-invictus-school/article/3166974/british-curriculum-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-invictus-school/article/3166974/british-curriculum-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Feb 2022 02:00:17 +0000 Science is not the only class where children learn about different animal species and other things involving the physical and natural world at Hong Kong’s Christian Alliance P.C. Lau Memorial International School (CAPCL). Grade 1 teachers Angela Ko and Chelsea Jacobs often combine a variety of subjects during their classes – such as asking pupils to find out about different animal groups, such as reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, birds and mammals, as part of an English language arts... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-capcl/article/3136288/how-play-based-education?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-capcl/article/3136288/how-play-based-education?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jun 2021 01:30:00 +0000 [Sponsored article] Against the backdrop of China’s growing global economic influence, many students are noticing the benefits of a university education in the populous East Asian country. Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) – a leading joint-venture university founded in 2006, in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, to the west of Shanghai – offers its students a flexible international academic experience, which features the essence of both of its parent universities. All of its degree programmes... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-xjtlu/article/3134215/4-reasons-sino-british?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-xjtlu/article/3134215/4-reasons-sino-british?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 May 2021 05:02:36 +0000 [Sponsored article] Learning compassion and empathy – values that help us to show care when others are suffering and also understand and share their feelings – forms an important part of a child’s emotional development. Youngsters start to gain the ability to sympathise and empathise with other people between the ages of about three to six – around the time they start to interact with their peers at kindergarten, according to the Hong Kong government’s Family Health Service, which promotes... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-hkis/article/3133761/why-its-important-nurture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-hkis/article/3133761/why-its-important-nurture?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 May 2021 07:16:45 +0000 [Sponsored article] Although multinational companies today recognise the value of a workplace that combines people from diverse backgrounds, polarisation – characterised by a rise in trade wars and growing hostility between the East and West – is occurring on the geopolitical front. These new realities mean that tomorrow’s graduates require “a new sense of awareness that was not required before”, says Eddy Fang, deputy dean and senior associate professor at International Business School Suzhou... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-xjtlu/article/3132649/how-east-meets-west-approach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-xjtlu/article/3132649/how-east-meets-west-approach?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 May 2021 02:00:07 +0000 [Sponsored article] A survey of 402 Hong Kong teachers, carried out by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, showed that emotional issues are an increasingly common concern among students. The 2017 study also revealed that an overwhelming majority of teachers felt they lacked the necessary knowledge and skills to handle these kinds of problems. Focusing on social-emotional development in education is crucial for children during their formative years if they want to deal with life’s numerous... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-stamford-american-school/article/3123059/social-emotional-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-stamford-american-school/article/3123059/social-emotional-development?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Feb 2021 01:00:16 +0000 [Sponsored article] Asia-Pacific is facing a rapidly ageing population, and Hong Kong is no exception. By 2039, an estimated 2.52 million of Hong Kong’s population will be aged more than 65, a Census and Statistics Department report shows. Yet that number could increase to 2.58 million – or 38.4 per cent of the population – by 2069. One initiative now exploring ways to support the city’s ageing population is the LU Jockey Club Gerontechnology and Smart Ageing Project, which is being led by the... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-lingnan-university/article/3110360/gerontechnology?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-lingnan-university/article/3110360/gerontechnology?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:50:05 +0000 [Sponsored article] Degrees in science, technology or engineering are traditionally seen as the more “prestigious” choices, rather than the study of liberal arts, such as literature and history, or social sciences – especially in Asia. Graduates in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) also face better employment prospects and start off with a higher salary, compared with those from an arts background. Yet what is not immediately clear is that liberal arts... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-lingnan-university/article/3108614/why-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-lingnan-university/article/3108614/why-study?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Nov 2020 02:00:21 +0000 [Sponsored article] Around the world, parents and children have been anxious about going back to school during the continuing Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the risks, many recognise that the school environment is irreplaceable in providing an immersive and well-rounded education. However, returning to school, including boarding schools, does not have to spark concerns – especially if its policies ensure that students’ safety and health remain the top priority, says Dr Cinde Lock, principal and head... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-branksome-hall-asia/article/3107179/safe-boarding-school?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-branksome-hall-asia/article/3107179/safe-boarding-school?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Oct 2020 07:23:13 +0000 [Sponsored article] The Covid-19 pandemic has proved that learning does not need to be confined to classrooms and limited to textbooks. However, even before the outbreak of the coronavirus disease, Covid-19, schools – particularly the Korean International School (KIS), in Sai Wan Ho, on Hong Kong Island, which offers a through-train British curriculum, English medium education from reception (aged four to five) to sixth form (Years 12 and 13) – have already been adopting unorthodox but highly... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-kis/article/3099538/kis-learning-beyond-classroom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-kis/article/3099538/kis-learning-beyond-classroom?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2020 01:00:18 +0000 [Sponsored article] The global race to find a vaccine for the coronavirus disease, Covid-19, has scientists and medical experts in 30 countries working around the clock. Even with a vaccine, life as we know it may never be the same again. Experts say the future is reliant on the strategies of governments, and how people adapt their daily lives. The battle against the Covid-19 pandemic requires the effort of individuals from all professional fields, including social sciences and humanities, says... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-cityu-class/article/3095469/social-sciences-humanities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-cityu-class/article/3095469/social-sciences-humanities?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Aug 2020 02:34:26 +0000 [Sponsored article] With studies in 2018 and 2019 revealing that almost one in 10 people in Hong Kong are likely to have depression, and a third of young people in the city are suffering from stress, anxiety or depression, mental health is no longer an issue to be taken lightly. “We’ve got a huge mental health issue globally – and here in Hong Kong – that has been tucked under the carpet for too long,” says Mark Steed, principal of Hong Kong’s Kellett School, who is the latest teaching expert to... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-kellett/article/3077080/why-its-time-schools?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-kellett/article/3077080/why-its-time-schools?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jul 2020 01:00:18 +0000 [Sponsored article] Parents and teachers in Hong Kong were faced with new challenges as they home-schooled and made it easier for children to deal with online learning assignments during the Covid-19 pandemic when schools were suspended for a prolonged time. Pupils at Shrewsbury International School Hong Kong – which caters to preschool and primary schoolchildren aged from three to 11 at its Tseung Kwan O campus – and their families had to cope with the “new normal” as well, but its principal,... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-shrewsbury/article/3091166/how-choose-right-school?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-shrewsbury/article/3091166/how-choose-right-school?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jul 2020 08:49:11 +0000 For decades the Education Bureau (EDB) has been turning a blind eye to the way that private schools – including international ones – routinely charge multiple “other” fees. The long list of additional payments forced on parents can include debentures, capital levy fees, entry fees, application fees, deposits, learning support fees and more. In January this year Hong Kong’s ombudsman finally sat up and took notice of this irregularity and published a report that slammed the bureau for allowing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3091190/what-hong-kongs-education-bureau-doing-about-various-other?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3091190/what-hong-kongs-education-bureau-doing-about-various-other?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jun 2020 07:47:39 +0000 Today’s hectic, high-pressure environment makes growing up more of a challenge than ever but establishing sensible ground rules can make the challenges of adolescence less daunting. The advent of new technologies, different approaches in parenting and more competitive education environments are all contributing to new challenges for children as they grow up. It’s a complex mix for youngsters who find themselves with more power but potentially fewer coping skills, and less time to devote to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3081721/good-parenting-how-set-ground-rules-your-children-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3081721/good-parenting-how-set-ground-rules-your-children-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2020 07:56:34 +0000 The process of applying to international schools in Hong Kong can push even the calmest of parents over the edge. It’s a notoriously competitive scene that repeats itself year after year. At Top Schools, we have been working with families for more than eight years to provide support and guidance each step of the way and place children in schools where they’re able to thrive. Typically, we advise parents to get in touch at least one full year before they need a school place. Assessments and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3077890/fees-fears-and-uncertainty-will-parents-frustrations-about?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3077890/fees-fears-and-uncertainty-will-parents-frustrations-about?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2020 04:29:32 +0000 [Sponsored article] With degrees in commerce and marketing from the University of Alberta in Canada, Garry Deng never imagined that a career in the booming industry of technology was an option for him. Yet, the 27-year-old Canadian is now a successful IT consultant with the global consultancy firm, FDM Group – all thanks to Hong Kong Baptist University’s master of science in business management (MScBM) programme. “My current job is not one that I would’ve considered at all a few years ago as... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-hkbu/article/3076407/5-ways-masters-degree-has?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-hkbu/article/3076407/5-ways-masters-degree-has?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2020 02:39:17 +0000 [Sponsored article] Whenever Professor Huang Xu of Hong Kong Baptist University talks to company executives about the recruitment challenges they face, he often hears the same comment: university graduates fail to meet their employee requirements. As programme director of the university’s master of science in business management (MScBM) programme, Huang has been hearing the same complaint from companies in Hong Kong and mainland China for the past 15 years. The primary school and secondary... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-hkbu/article/3064547/why-students-right-stuff-good?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-hkbu/article/3064547/why-students-right-stuff-good?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2020 03:26:35 +0000 More and more, climate change is grabbing headlines around the world. Many of them feature 17-year-old Swedish student Greta Thunberg, front and centre. But while Thunberg does her thing – sailing across the Atlantic, addressing the United Nations – what is really happening at schools around the world for the average student? In truth, climate change has been an issue for young people for a long time. I have been a school principal in three continents for more than 20 years and this has always... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3052648/while-greta-thunberg-channels-enduring-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3052648/while-greta-thunberg-channels-enduring-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Feb 2020 06:47:31 +0000 If I was invited to make a list of the things I did not miss from my years in an international school here in Hong Kong, predicted grades would be at the very top of it. Why? Predicted grades are those that teachers estimate a student is likely to achieve in an external examination – such as IB or A-levels – the actual results of which arrive in the mail nearly a year later. These grades are used by many universities to determine the eligibility or competitiveness of the applicant for their... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3046490/time-take-guesswork-out-grade-estimates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3046490/time-take-guesswork-out-grade-estimates?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Jan 2020 03:37:46 +0000 [Sponsored article] Many schools in Hong Kong prize academic success most of all, followed by sporting excellence, says Richard Vanderpyl, head of school at the Christian Alliance International School (CAIS) – the latest teaching expert to discuss pertinent issues surrounding education in the South China Morning Post’s recurring EdTalk video series of interviews. However, while these fields are important at CAIS – which caters to children aged from five to 17 at its preparatory, lower and upper... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-cais/article/3045206/why-students-caring-community?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-cais/article/3045206/why-students-caring-community?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jan 2020 03:56:17 +0000 [Sponsored Article] In the first of South China Morning Post’s new EdTalk video series, in which education specialists discuss pertinent issues surrounding education, we chat to American David Lovelin, high school principal at Hong Kong International School (HKIS). The international Christian private school in Hong Kong has lower and upper primary schools, for children aged four to 10, at its Repulse Bay campus and middle and high schools, for children aged 11 to 18, at its Tai Tam... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-hkis/article/3038234/why-boarding-school-may-not?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/edtalk-hkis/article/3038234/why-boarding-school-may-not?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Nov 2019 09:58:53 +0000 Many parents who attended university recall an application process that, in retrospect, seemed to take care of itself. Surely this will be the same for their children? Alas, it was a simpler world then, with fewer choices and competing applicants per place. While I do warn parents about agencies that seek to ramp up their anxiety to sell their test prep or guaranteed place Ivy League place, I urge them and their children to be aware of the common mistakes that could jeopardise their... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3018163/making-big-leap-school-university-what-could-possibly-go?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3018163/making-big-leap-school-university-what-could-possibly-go?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Jul 2019 06:59:14 +0000 This month, LinkedIn analysed thousands of job listings and surveyed senior leaders to determine what vital skills are in demand for today’s workplace. The emphasis has shifted to the things that people can do but technology cannot. While interpersonal skills such as collaboration and persuasion continue to be highly rated, the top spot was taken by creativity. Art education has an uplifting effect on academic success and student wellness. Research in the United States has shown the impressive... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2187851/art-learnings-sake-teaches-children-flourish?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2187851/art-learnings-sake-teaches-children-flourish?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Mar 2019 02:30:27 +0000 It is natural for teens to become more interested in the world outside the sphere that comfortably contained them as children. They prioritise friendships over family, and test boundaries. As they try to spread their wings, they may engage in behaviour such as lying, sneaking around and hiding things. Such behaviour is — to a certain extent — normal during the teenage period of growth and discovery. It can be a challenging time for everyone, parents included, who may find that new strategies are... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2187282/spreading-their-wings-or-breaking-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2187282/spreading-their-wings-or-breaking-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Feb 2019 07:57:38 +0000 If Mandarin is a foreign language for your child, but you wish them build a solid foundation in order to be prepared for the future, this article may offer some tips to help them establish a firm basis. What are the problems parents are facing now? If you ask young children nowadays what their least favourite subject is, the chances are, especially if they are in an international school, that Mandarin will be the answer. Their parents, in turn, will share their grief and anxiety as they simply... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2184678/stepping-stones-firm-foundations-mandarin-foreign-language?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2184678/stepping-stones-firm-foundations-mandarin-foreign-language?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Feb 2019 09:00:30 +0000 News of mass shootings in the United States or rising knife crime in the United Kingdom can be alarming but the perceptions that they create and the fear that they engender can be disproportionate to the actual risks involved. I have always found it difficult to talk to students about this topic and dispense some common-sense advice without creating a rather dark picture. How do you tell a young person (or their parent) without frightening and alarming them? One challenge here is the fact that... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2183912/will-my-child-be-safe-university?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2183912/will-my-child-be-safe-university?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jan 2019 02:02:58 +0000 What is 21st century learning, and what are the 21st century skills people will need? It is impossible to attend any education conference or exhibition without being bombarded by companies trying to sell their app, software or gizmo which will enhance 21st century learning. In the same way, conference speakers and workshop leaders can regale you with their lists of the skills that you simply must have. The implication being you don’t have them already and you should be worried. Equally, there... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2183331/adaptability-vital-key-survival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2183331/adaptability-vital-key-survival?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jan 2019 02:03:14 +0000 As we place more importance on academics and hard skills, play gets pushed further down the list of important activities. Schools are cutting recess time, kids are over-scheduled, and boredom is non-existent with electronic devices becoming common babysitters. What this means is that free play – unstructured and unplanned, requiring imagination, participation, and compromise – is less a part of our children’s day-to-day lives. Education is important for children’s development in many ways. But... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2178503/serious-role-play?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2178503/serious-role-play?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Dec 2018 06:56:25 +0000 Are you as confused as I am by all the Brexit news: Hard Brexit, Soft Brexit, No Deal, Back Stop, No Back Stop? Nearly two and a half years on from the referendum, it seems that clarity regarding Britain’s departure from the EU is as elusive as ever. The 21-month transition period up to the end of December 2020 recently agreed on by negotiators only seems to prolong the agony. Higher education has not escaped from that uncertainty and the worries that go with it. What UK universities have always... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2173860/uk-universities-and-brexit-effect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2173860/uk-universities-and-brexit-effect?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Nov 2018 02:00:30 +0000 I believe that building a child’s confidence is the key to success. But what has the biggest impact on building that confidence? In school, the main factor is the relationship between the pupil and the teacher. If a rapport or understanding can be developed, then great progress can be made. Every teacher and every subject can contribute to that. Each person is a unique individual who will respond differently. That is why different teaching styles are equally valid because they will elicit... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2172911/creativity-and-play-are-vital-steps-building-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2172911/creativity-and-play-are-vital-steps-building-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Nov 2018 04:45:45 +0000 Does getting enough sleep make you smarter? Not exactly. But over the years, research has consistently linked getting a good night’s sleep to greater success at school. That is because a well-rested brain is far more capable of retaining information and consolidating memories. A lot of factors determine academic success, but being able to remember what you learned is surely one of the most important. Both the quality and quantity of sleep are key to imparting the benefits of sleep to a growing,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2165443/do-better-sleep-habits-mean-better-grades-school?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2165443/do-better-sleep-habits-mean-better-grades-school?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Sep 2018 02:03:12 +0000 Remember the most successful and popular students you knew in school? They seemed to be comfortable with everyone, intelligent, kind and fun. Anyone would be happy to work with them on a group assignment. These people are probably well-liked and respected as adults too, and would be valued in any workplace. What do they have that others don’t? The answer is soft skills. These are what experts call the key skills to getting along and working with others. Those many parents are concerned with are... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2163046/how-soft-skills-smooth-way-career-and-life-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2163046/how-soft-skills-smooth-way-career-and-life-success?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Sep 2018 02:00:58 +0000 Most parents want the best for their children and do all they can to make their children’s lives as easy and comfortable as possible. While all this comes from a place of love, it can sometimes mean a child misses out on the important lessons that experiencing natural consequences can teach them. Natural consequences refer to the positive or negative effects that follow on from a child’s decision. They are not imposed by the parent; rather, the parent allows society, nature or other people to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2143975/let-children-learn-through-experiencing-natural?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2143975/let-children-learn-through-experiencing-natural?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 May 2018 02:00:15 +0000