[40th Anniversary Seminar Series]
Parents versus Preschools: Lessons from Hong Kong

[40^th Anniversary Seminar Series]

April 2025

Parents versus Preschools: Lessons from Hong Kong

Speaker:

Professor Nirmala Rao

Serena H C Yang Professor in Early Childhood Development and Education
Chair Professor of Child Development and Education

Academic Unit of Human Communication, Learning, and Development

Faculty of Education, HKU

Discussant:

Professor Catherine K. K. Chan

Academic Unit of Social Contexts and Policies of Education

Faculty of Education, HKU

Date: April 10, 2025 (Thursday)

Time: 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Venue: MW408-410, 4/F, Meng Wah Complex, HKU [Map] / Online via Zoom

Language: English

Registration: https://bit.ly/seminar-series-Apr2025-reg

(Please note that the seminar will be held in hybrid mode. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.)

This presentation delves into a pivotal question in early childhood development. What matters more for early development - parents or preschools? Is what parents have and what they do more important than what teachers do and educational policy? Hong Kong, celebrated for its high-performing early education system, offers a unique backdrop to answer these questions. Despite its high-quality early education system, parents do not want children to be left behind at the starting gate of school. Consequently, the response to whether parents or preschools play a more crucial role in early development is complex and multifaceted.

About the Speaker

Nirmala Rao is Serena H C Yang Professor in Early Childhood Development and Education and Chair Professor of Child Development and Education, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong.  Her research on early childhood development and education has been recognised internationally. This work has focused on the development of measures of both early childhood development and the quality of early childhood education; early educational policy in the Asia-Pacific; evaluation of early childhood programmes; and culture, policy and pedagogy in the early years.  Internationally, she regularly provides expertise and consultancy for UNICEF, UNESCO, the World Bank, the OECD, and the World Health Organisation.  Professor Rao serves on the Editorial Board for premier scholarly journals and has received awards for research and teaching.

All are welcome!

Enquiries:eduert@hku.hk

About the 40^th Anniversary Seminar Series

The year 2024 marks the 40^th anniversary of the Faculty of Education at The University of Hong Kong. We are delighted to present the Anniversary Seminar Series to celebrate this milestone and the Faculty’s academic achievements over the past decades.

This seminar series, featuring our Faculty members with diverse expertise, offers a historical narrative and a perspective on education that connects the Past, Present, and Future. Our works here at the Faculty are closely linked to the global community of educational research, while at the same time deeply rooted in Hong Kong local society. As we exhibit our proud journey, we are even more excited to look to our bright future as an internationally leading member in the field of Education.

The seminars cover the major themes of research in the Faculty including Language Education, Early Childhood Education, Speech and Hearing Sciences, Information Technology, International and Comparative Education, and more. Come and join us to explore these topics together!

Stay tuned for more updates on this enlightening journey.