On October 18, the forum “Huzhou Wisdom in STEM Education Practice” under the Ministry of Education’s China-Africa STEM Education Teacher Training Cooperation Program was held at Huzhou University(HU). Attendees included Vice President Lou Jianlin of HU; Song Jia, head of the China-Africa STEM Education Teacher Training Cooperation Program at the UNESCO Teacher Education Center; Shi Xiaohong, Deputy Director of the Huzhou Municipal Education Bureau; and Zhu Chenxu, Director of the Wuxing District Education Bureau. Also present were heads of HU’s Teaching Affairs Office, International Exchange and Cooperation Office, School of Foreign Languages, and School of Science; STEM teaching and research staff and teacher–student representatives from the three counties and two districts of Huzhou; and nearly 60 education administrators, university scholars, and primary/secondary school teacher representatives from 11 African countries, who gathered to discuss China - Africa STEM education.

　　In his remarks, Lou Jianlin extended a warm welcome to all guests and introduced Huzhou’s history and culture as well as the basic profile of the University - particularly its work and achievements in educational cooperation with African countries and STEM education. He expressed the hope that this event would provide a platform for exchange, mutual learning, and win–win cooperation among experts and scholars, inject new momentum and offer new ideas for China-Africa STEM education, and contribute wisdom to future talent cultivation and social progress.

　　Song Jia noted that Huzhou University and basic education institutions across the Huzhou area have distinctive strengths in STEM education and demonstrate a strong sense of responsibility and commitment in serving the international community and promoting global educational development. She stated that this event would contribute to the high-quality development of China-Africa STEM education, empower the young generation in Africa, and help advance the Sustainable Development Goals.

　　Speaking on behalf of the African participants, Abram Seliki Tlhabane, Director of the Mathematics, Science and Technology Branch of South Africa’s Department of Basic Education, expressed sincere appreciation for Huzhou’s economy, culture, education, and infrastructure, and conveyed strong expectations for learning from local experience. He thanked the Huzhou’s education community for generously sharing their substantial achievements and insights in STEM education.

　　At the forum, Hugejile, Executive Vice Dean of the Northern Zhejiang STEM Education Research Institute and Professor from HU’s School of Science, and Tang Bo, STEM education researcher from Huzhou Educational Science Research Center, delivered keynote reports titled “Strategies for Advancing STEM Education in Local Normal Universities and Regional Practice” and “Effectiveness Analysis of STEM Education” respectively. Shen Dongliang, science teacher from the Xishanyang Campus of the Affiliated Primary School of Huzhou University Education Group, gave a live STEM classroom demonstration. The venue also featured an exhibition of 17 outstanding STEM education projects from various school levels across Huzhou’s three counties and two districts. As representative supervising teachers, Zhu Minyi from the Xishanyang Campus of the Affiliated Primary School of Huzhou University Education Group and Chen Hao from Zhihe Middle School of the Huzhou No. 5 High School Education Group presented highlighted works. The rich and diverse sharing and displays drew active participation and frequent praise from members of the African delegation.

　　On the morning of the same day, members of the China- Africa STEM Education Teacher Training Cooperation Program visited the Xishanyang Campus of the Affiliated Primary School of Huzhou University Education Group, a “Navigator School” under the China STEM Education 2029 Innovation Action Plan, for on-site observation and an in-depth experience of the school’s innovative practices in STEM education reform.

　　After the event, education ministry officials from Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Zambia - accompanied by the head of our Office of International Exchange and Cooperation - met with representatives of students from their respective countries who are studying at Huzhou University.

　　Co-hosted by the UNESCO Teacher Education Center and Huzhou University, The event was organized by the School of Foreign Languages and the School of Science of HU. As one of the first local normal universities in China to launch STEM education, HU has, through nearly two decades of exploration and practice, built a comprehensive STEM education system covering professional faculty, curricular resources, showcase platforms, and evaluation mechanisms, providing strong support for the high-quality development of regional STEM education. The event also formed an important part of the School of Foreign Languages’ initiative to “Tell China’s Stories Well in Foreign Languages,” through which the School has, in recent years, actively contributed to disseminating achievements in education, culture, economy, and ecological civilization in Huzhou and to enhancing the city’s international influence.