From 3rd to 4th December 2022, the “China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week” seminar on “Reflection and Development of International Education in the Post-pandemic Period” was successfully held at Krirk University (Thailand). The “China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week”, organized by the Guizhou Provincial Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, is an event held since 2008 to promote friendship, education cooperation and cultural exchanges between China and ASEAN. This thematic conference, which is part of the 2022 China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week event, was jointly organized by Krirk University, China International School (Thailand) and Beijing Language and Culture University under the guidance of China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) and China-ASEAN International Education Association (Thailand), with the main venue set at the International Academic Conference Center of Krirk University. It was broadcast on more than ten mainstream media live streaming platforms including China.com (state media), NetEase, Sina and TikTok in Thai, Chinese and English for the whole world. More than 3,000 experts and scholars from China, Thailand, the UK, Russia, Singapore, Cambodia and Myanmar, as well as more than 100 Chinese and Thai institutions as co-organizers of the conference including NJIT, participated online. Nearly three million people watched the live streaming during the conference.

Exactly at 10:00, Beijing time, the International Academic Conference Center of Krirk University in Thailand was full with attendees. About 500 students and teachers attended the opening ceremony of the seminar. Mr. Liu Limin, President of CEAIE; Mr. Zou Lianke, Deputy Secretary of the Education Working Committee of the Guizhou Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the Leading Party Group and Director General of Guizhou Education Department, and Secretary General of the Organizing Committee of China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week; Dr. Patcharinruja Juntaronanont, Advisor of Minister of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation of Thailand; Prof. Zhang Baojun, Vice President of Beijing Language and Culture University; Prof. Yang Aimin, President of Lingnan Normal University; Lord Charlie Mey, Honorary Vice President of CEAIE (Cambodia); Prof. Wilson Ang Seng Yi, Dean of Teaching and Learning of Nanyang Institute of Management, Singapore; Mr. Ji Yingchun, Vice President of the Education Group of the Experimental School of Capital Normal University; and Dr. Zhao Nan, Vice President of China International School (Thailand), attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches online or in person. Messages of congratulation were sent by Ambassador Atthayut Srisamut of the Royal Thai Embassy in China, Ambassador Héctor Conde Almeida of the Embassy of Cuba in Thailand and Deputy Ambassador Thunch Dalin of the Embassy of Cambodia in Thailand, wishing the seminar great success.

As the organizer of the conference, Krirk University made the necessary preparations. The opening ceremony started with a wonderful performance by Thai musical instruments so that universal participants could enjoy the unique humane and cultural atmosphere of Thailand.

In addition to the guest speeches, this themed conference featured four keynote presentation sessions on the topics of “China-Thailand-Singapore Higher Education Cooperation and Exchange”, “Opportunities and Challenges Facing High Schools in the Context of Regular Pandemic Prevention and Control”, “Integration of Education, Technology and Culture in the Post-Epidemic Period” and “Creative Transformation and Overseas Exchange of Excellent Traditional Chinese Culture Education in the Post-Epidemic Period”.

Over the two days, dozens of experts and scholars from Thailand, China, the United Kingdom, Russia and other countries conducted in-depth analysis and research on four major themes. There were presentations on the impact of the epidemic on the internationalization of education and corresponding cures, on the trends and countermeasures of diversification strategies for studying abroad in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative, on the influence of technological advances on education and their role as a boost, as well as on the exploration of new ideas for spreading traditional Chinese culture overseas. The authors of the keynote reports generally agreed that efforts should be made to further enhance the understanding of the importance of international exchange and cooperation in education against the backdrop of regular pandemic prevention and control, adhere to the concept of empathy and the win-win approach, innovate the mode of international cooperation in education, carry out all-round and multi-dimensional exchanges and cooperation, and promote the deepened development of international education cooperation.

The seminar on “Reflection and Development of International Education in the Post-pandemic Period” is a master-studded gathering, creating an atmosphere of intellectual earnestness. As a combination of professionalism, theory and practice, it is highly fruitful. Meanwhile, it is expected to provide new ideas on education exchange and cooperation for China-ASEAN and the Belt and Road construction in the post-pandemic era; to build an international exchange platform for higher education and elementary education cooperation, which will exert positive influence on enhancing friendship between China and ASEAN countries, and on strengthening cultural and educational exchanges across regions.