Yidan Prize Convenes Educating for the Future Conference
Dr Charles Chen Yidan, founder of the world’s biggest education prize – the Yidan Prize – addressed leading global academics and educators on key issues facing the sector at the Yidan Prize Cambridge Conference held at ͷԭ on 29 and 30 January 2018.
Also speaking alongside Dr Chen was one of two inaugural laureates of , Vicky Colbert, founder and director of in Colombia.
Supported by both the Intellectual Forum at ͷԭ and the , the Educating for the Future conference examined the global economic and social challenges driving the need for transformational education reform, and the changes needed for education systems – for teachers and education practitioners in particular – to adapt to the rapid pace of change in our world today.
Dr Charles Chen Yidan said: “Educating for the future is a very broad topic covering issues ranging from changes in educational models to making sure students get the necessary skills to thrive in an automated world. It is also a topic that is so critical that more informed discussions are needed around the world in order for the transformation to happen at a global scale.
“I am honored to have had the opportunity to join our inaugural laureate, Vicky Colbert, together with many other outstanding educators, at the Yidan Prize Cambridge Conference to deep dive into exploring the actions that need to be taken as we move forward.”
Following the huge success of the Yidan Prize Summit in Hong Kong in December 2017, which brought together over 350 world leaders on education for an interactive dialogue on Education Redefined: The Future is Now, the Yidan Prize Foundation took this much-needed debate to one of the world’s leading universities for another round of thought-provoking discussions.
In addition to celebrating the achievements of the recent Yidan Prize recipients, Ms Vicky Colbert and Professor Carol S. Dweck, Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University, the Cambridge conference brought together leading figures from the worlds of education research, education practice, psychology and international development to debate what high-quality education looks like and how it can become reality for all children globally.
Dr Julian Huppert, Director of the Intellectual Forum, said: "It has been fantastic to have so many leading education experts from Cambridge, the UK and the world here at ͷԭ to discuss how we can change education for all. It has also been an honour to have Dr Charles Chen Yidan attend throughout, as well as Vicky Colbert."
About the Yidan Prize
The Yidan Prize is founded by Dr Charles Chen Yidan, the core founder of Tencent Holdings Limited. The Prize aims to recognize and support change makers for their most forward looking innovation that can create sustainable impacts on education systems for a better future. The Prize comprises two categories - the Yidan Prize for Education Research and the Yidan Prize for Education Development.
The Prize is financed and governed by a HK$2.5 billion (about US$320 million) independent trust. Each prize carries an award of HK$30 million (about US$3.87 million), with a cash award of HK$15 million (about US$1.9 million), a further HK$15 million (about US$1.9 million) project fund, and a gold medal. Through a series of initiatives, the prize serves to provide a platform that allows the global community to engage in conversation around education and to play a role in education philanthropy.
