Beijing Normal University-Monash University International Symposium on “Sustainable Development of Students and Teachers: Multidisciplinary Studies of Educational Practices” was held online on November 18th, 2022. The symposium was co-hosted by the Faculty of Education (FOE) of Beijing Normal University (BNU), the School of Education, Culture, and Society of Monash University, and the Globalization, Education, and Work FRG of Monash University, and funded by the International Joint Research Project of FOE at BNU. From 9:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. (Beijing time) and 12.15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. (Melbourne time), 16 papers were delivered in four sessions. There were 389 people registered for this event. Zoom recorded 396 unique attendees. This event was completed flawlessly.

Professor Xudong Zhu, Dean of FOE at BNU, Professor Neil Selwyn, Deputy Dean Research of FOE at Monash University, and Professor Bolormaa Batsuuri, Head of The Department of English and German Languages at Mongolian National University of Education, greeted attendees at the opening ceremony. Dr Philip Wing Keung Chan of Monash University, as the sympodium organizer, extended his warm greetings and welcome to everyone as well.

The first session was chaired by Dr Gary Bonar from Monash University. Professor Yonghong Cai and Mr Runjia Tang from BNU presented a study about school support and teacher innovation, exploring the mediating role of basic psychological needs. Dr Ilana Finefter-Rosenblum of Monash University discussed how educators can 'connect the dots' between teaching assessment, student voice, and enhancing teaching and learning. The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK)'s Dr Junjun Chen presented her research on resilience. The seminar concluded with a presentation by Professor Huan Song on introductory teacher education through boundary crossing.

The second session focused on teachers’ professional development, chaired by Dr Li Kan from Macquarie University. With Dr Bertalan Magyar of Monash University discussing teachers' well-being, Dr Kwok Kuen Tsang of The Education University of Hong Kong (EDUHK) and Mr. Guanyu Li of BNU discussing Banzhuren’s (Homeroom Teacher) burnout, and Professor Yonghong Cai and her students Miss Yun Qu and Miss Lu Zhou of BNU presenting two projects on the roles of interpersonal trust and supervisor support in teacher development.

Emphasis of third session was on early childhood education and this session was chaired by Dr Yufeng Zhang from Beijing Normal University. There were 3 important studies respectively presented by Dr Li Kan of Macquarie University, Dr Shen Xiaoyue of Zhejiang Normal University, and Associate Professor Yan Bi of Tiangong University. Dr Percy Kowk’s (EdUHK) presentation on the plan to establish a collaborative learning community for research students in the Asia-Pacific area was the highlight of the afternoon’s third session.

The fourth session, which followed the third, focused on the research of young researchers. Dr Kwok Kuen Tsang took the chair of this session. Gloria Zhang, together with Dr Philip Chan and Dr Gary Bonar from Monash University, presented her study on educational governance in Hong Kong. Soyol-Erdene Sanjaa of Mongolian National university of Education and Dr Xiaojing Yan of Capital University of Economics and Business discussed disparities in the competency of teachers in Mongolia and China, while Dr Meng Zhang of EdUHK shared her study on teacher leadership.

There have been inspiring discussions around sustainable development in education and great collaborations among multidisciplinary academics, teachers and students from 12 various universities. Professor Yonghong Cai, the leader of the BNU-Monash international joint research team, delivered a speech at the closing ceremony, saying that an offline international conference would be held next year, and showed her expectations of seeing all participants again at BNU next November. The symposium completely successfully. Thank you very much for all presenters and participants.