Press Release: HKU Faculty of Education launches the China Rural Education Literature Database and hosts rural education symposium
新聞稿：香港大學教育學院舉辦《中國農村教育研究文獻資料庫》發佈會及農村教育論壇

HKU Faculty of Education launches the China Rural Education Literature Database and hosts rural education symposium

The Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong (HKU) hosted an online launch symposium on China Rural Education Literature (CREL) Database, led by Dr Wang Dan, Associate Professor in the Faculty’s Academic Unit of Social Contexts and Policies of Education on December 15, 2022. About 750 audiences attended the Launch Symposium via the ZOOM Webinar and Bilibili live broadcast.

To aid systematic investigation into the question of rural education and seek new ways forward, the Faculty has established the CREL Database, which is sponsored by the Tin Ka Ping Foundation. The Faculty hosted the Launch Symposium to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Foundation.

The Symposium, titled “Land, Labour, and Life: Education for Rural Development”, started with a welcome speech by Professor Yang Rui, Dean of the Faculty, followed by an opening remark by Mr David Day, Chief Executive of the Tin Ka Ping Foundation. After Dr Wang’s introduction to the CREL Database, the Symposium featured keynote speeches by Dr Philip Roberts from the Faculty of Education of the University of Canberra, Ms Yang Guiping from China Zigen Rural Education and Development Association, and Professor Yan Hairong from Tsinghua Institute for Advanced Study in Humanities and Social Sciences of Tsinghua University. The speakers expressed serious concerns about the crisis and dilemma faced by rural communities and called for overall reforms in the educational system to serve sustainable development of both the countryside and the city. The Symposium ended with a fruitful roundtable discussion responding to thought-provoking questions from the enthusiastic audience.

About the CREL Database
The CREL Database, with selected high-quality literature on rural education in Mainland China, has currently garnered over 500 research publications in both English and Chinese languages upon completion of its first phase. It allows a comprehensive survey of extant theories, policies, and empirical evidence in relation to rural education in Mainland China. The collection of literature is categorised in various ways by historical period, subject, issue, research method, and more, to offer easy access for users with specific interests. 

The establishment of this literature database is significant for advancing scholarship and practices in Mainland China’s rural education. For researchers new to the field, the CREL Database can introduce them to the wealth of extant work and help them to get a head start. For seasoned scholars in rural education, it offers convenient access to a rich collection of research on their focused topics. For non-governmental organisations and school practitioners, it gives them a convenient channel to search for cutting-edge scholarly work, which may inspire future actions. 

The CREL Database intends to form and strengthen a rural education research community that collectively reflects on the merits and pitfalls of the existing scholarship, and charts new paths for research and practices in Mainland China’s rural education.

To make use of the free resources, please visit https://crel.lib.hku.hk/. 

For media enquiries, please contact Ms Emily Cheung, Senior Manager (Development and Communications), Faculty of Education, HKU (Tel: 3917 4270 / Email: emchy@hku.hk).

December 20, 2022

香港大學教育學院舉辦《中國農村教育研究文獻資料庫》發佈會及農村教育論壇

香港大學（港大）教育學院於2022年12月15日舉行《中國農村教育研究文獻資料庫》網上發佈會暨論壇，約750位觀眾透過ZOOM網路研討會以及嗶哩嗶哩（Bilibili）現場轉播參與。該資料庫在港大教育學院教育政策與社會學部副教授王丹博士帶領下建立。

為系統地探究農村教育問題，開拓農村教育的出路，在田家炳基金會的支持下，港大教育學院建立《中國農村教育研究文獻資料庫》，並主辦網上發佈會暨論壇，為田家炳基金會成立四十周年誌慶。

該論壇名為「生根．生產．生活：面向農村發展的教育」，由港大教育學院院長楊銳教授致歡迎辭揭開序幕，田家炳基金會總幹事戴大為先生緊接為活動致辭，其後王博士介紹該資料庫，並由澳洲坎培拉大學教育學院Philip Roberts博士、中國滋根鄉村教育與發展促進會楊貴平女士，以及清華大學人文與社會科學高等研究所嚴海蓉教授發表主題報告。講者對農村社區面對的危機與困難深表關注，並呼籲全面改革教育制度，以促進農村和城市的持續發展。該論壇以圓桌討論作結，觀眾積極參與討論，眾講者回應各種值得深究的問題，成果豐碩。

有關《中國農村教育研究文獻資料庫》
《中國農村教育研究文獻資料庫》匯集有關中國內地農村教育的高水準文獻，首階段已完成，迄今已累積逾500份中英文研究论文。該資料庫全面涵蓋有關中國內地農村教育的現存理論、政策及實證，根據歷史時期、科目、議題、研究方法等多種形式分類文獻，以便不同領域的用家各取所需。

該文獻資料庫的成立對提升中國內地學術的理論與實踐尤其重要。對初接觸此領域的研究者而言，資料庫有助他們於浩瀚的研究領域開始探索。對於農村教育經驗豐富的學者而言，資料庫則有助他們於其專注的課題上獲取豐富資訊。此外，非政府機構及學校人士亦可通過該資料庫搜尋尖端的學術著作，從而啟發後作。

該資料庫旨在創建並鞏固農村教育研究的群組，共同考慮現存學術研究的利弊，規劃中國內地農村教育研究與實踐的新方向。

請瀏覽https://crel.lib.hku.hk/以使用資料庫的免費資源。

傳媒查詢，請聯絡香港大學教育學院高級經理張可恩女士（電話：3917 4270 / 電郵︰[javascript protected email address]）。

2022年12月20日