HKMU School of Education and Languages hosts global-minded language teachers' symposium

11 April 2025

Group photo with keynote speakers: (from left) Prof. Andy Chin, Dean of E&L; Prof. Gail Forey from University of Bath; Prof. Icy Lee from Nanyang Technological University; Prof. Christian Matthiessen from University of International Business and Economics; Prof. Paul Lam, HKMU President; Dr. Benjamin Moorhouse from City University of Hong Kong; Prof. Sheena Gardner from Coventry University; Dr Barry Bai from The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Dr Danny Leung, Associate Professor of E&L; Dr Winfred Xuan, Assistant Professor of E&L and Prof. Peppina Lee, Associate Dean of E&L.

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The Research Institute for Bilingual Learning and Teaching (RIBiLT) under the School of Education and Languages of Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) held a landmark symposium, titled "Celebrating Multilingualism and Multiculturalism: Preparing Language Teachers for Global Classrooms", on 21 February. The prestigious event attracted over 200 participants online and onsite, marking a significant milestone in the field of language education.

The symposium opened with an inspiring address by Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing, HKMU President, who highlighted the vital role of multilingualism and multiculturalism in today's interconnected world. Six distinguished teacher educators from Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK and Spain delivered plenary talks on a diverse array of topics, including artificial intelligence in language education, L2 writing teacher education, grammar teaching, self-regulation learning strategies, and the broader context of language education. The event also provided a platform for attendees to exchange cutting-edge research insights that will significantly inform the development of HKMU's School of Education and Languages.

The symposium attendees included a diverse group of faculty members, full- and part-time students from HKMU and beyond, international and local schoolteachers, and representatives from other local and worldwide educational institutions. The event underscored HKMU's commitment to becoming a leading teacher training hub in Hong Kong and globally, fostering robust connections with various international teacher-training programmes.