Press Releases

(Hong Kong, 18 May 2017) The ‘OMEP Asia Pacific Regional Conference 2017’, co-organised by OMEP-Hong Kong and the Education Bureau of HKSAR Government, kicked off today (18 May 2017) in Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) and will run until 19 May 2017.

Themed ‘Enhancing the Quality of Early Childhood Education: Policies, Pedagogies and Parent Engagement’, the Conference brings together some 1,100 scholars and early childhood practitioners from Asia, Europe, Oceania and North America to share their experience, insights and researches through various keynote addresses, parallel sessions, featured forums, paper and poster presentations, workshops, symposiums as well as school visits.

In addition, a parents’ seminar is scheduled to be conducted on 20 May 2017 at the Education Bureau Kowloon Tong Education Services Centre to explore parent engagement in nurturing children.

Officiating guests of the Conference Opening Ceremony included Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, GBS, JP, Chief Secretary for Administration, HKSAR Government, Mr. Eddie Ng Hak-kim, SBS, JP, Secretary for Education, HKSAR Government, Prof. Roland T. Chin, BBS, JP, President and Vice-Chancellor, HKBU, and Dr. Amelia N. Y. Lee, President, OMEP-Hong Kong.

In his remarks, Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said, “The Conference provides a most useful platform for exchanges among educators from overseas, the Mainland and local kindergarten sector on the latest development of early childhood education. My sincere thanks to all educators for their unflagging dedication to early childhood education and the well-being of our children. I am sure that you will all come away from this Conference with good food for thought.”

Dr. Amelia N. Y. Lee said that this is the first time OMEP-Hong Kong has hosted the OMEP Asia Pacific Regional Conference. “The conference theme ‘Enhancing the Quality of Early Childhood Education: Policies, Pedagogies and Parent Engagement’ gives timely insights into the implementation of the Free Quality Kindergarten Education Scheme which will roll out in the 2017/2018 academic year. Involving as many as 1,100 participants, the open and constructive dialogues about early childhood education will subsequently help to bridge gaps between policies, pedagogies, and parent engagement,” Dr. Lee said.

The Conference comprises the following keynote addresses delivered by distinguished scholars:

The Parental Role in Supporting Young Children’s Language and Literacy Learning at Home
Professor Andrea Nolan, Professor of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Arts and Education, Deakin University, Australia

Enhancing Teachers’ Capacity for Children in a Sustainable World
Professor Eunhye Park, Professor, Department of Early Childhood Education, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea

A Systematic Analysis of Hong Kong’s Journey to Quality Kindergarten Education
Professor Nirmala Rao, Serena H.C. Yang Professorship in Early Childhood Development and Education, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong

What is Programme ‘Quality’ and how does it Impact on Child Outcomes?
Professor Iram Siraj, Professor of Education, Department of Learning & Leadership, Institute of Education, University College London, United Kingdom

Preschool Curriculum Development Based on Children’s Key Experience
Professor Yu Yong-ping, Director, Institute of Preschool Education, Nanjing Normal University, China

Speakers of the featured sessions include Dr. Sidney Chu of Kid Power Therapy and Training Co. Ltd., Dr. Anna Hui of City University of Hong Kong, Dr. Patrick Ip of The University of Hong Kong, Dr. Hazel Lam of OMEP-Hong Kong, Professor Catherine McBride of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Dr. Sandra Tsang of The University of Hong Kong.

For further information about the Conference, please visit http://omephkcon2017.org.

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Photos are available for download athttp://scepr.hkbu.edu.hk/OMEP2017/.

Photo captions:
Pic_1.jpg: The Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government, Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, gives an address to the Conference participants. 
Pic_2.jpg: OMEP-Hong Kong President, Dr. Amelia N. Y. Lee, welcomes some 1,100 participants from more than 10 countries and regions.
Pic_3.jpg: Officiating guests Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, Chief Secretary for Administration, HKSAR Government (7th from left), Mr. Eddie Ng Hak-kim, Secretary for Education, HKSAR Government (6th from right), Prof. Roland T. Chin, President and Vice-Chancellor, HKBU (3rd from right), Dr. Amelia N. Y. Lee, President, OMEP-Hong Kong (4th from right) pictured with other guests after the Opening Ceremony. 
Pic_4.jpg: The Conference is well attended by early childhood education scholars and field practitioners.

About OMEP
Founded in 1948, the World Organisation for Early Childhood Education (OMEP) is an international, non-profit and non-governmental organisation with consultative status at the United Nations and UNESCO. It is currently established in over 70 countries with more than 26,000 members, and is the oldest and largest international organisation which defends and promotes the rights of children aged between 0 and 8 to education and care worldwide.