Nanjing Normal University (NNU) has recently unveiled the UNESCO Chair on Technology and Engineering Education for Children and Youth, marking the first UNESCO Chair program dedicated to K-12 education in the fields.

A UNESCO Chair is a team led by a higher education or research institution that partners with UNESCO on a project to advance knowledge and practice in an area of common priority. Since its inception in 1992, there are currently more than 950 UNESCO Chairs across 114 countries and regions.

NNU President Hua Guihong emphasized the university’s commitment to the development of technology and engineering education. He said that NNU will fully support the UNESCO Chair and contribute to the sector’s progress for the benefit of children and youth.

China's STEM education in primary and secondary schools focus much more on mathematics and science literacy, but technology and engineering are overlooked. The establishment of this UNESCO Chair aims to rectify this imbalance.

Professor Shahbaz Khan, director of the UNESCO Office in Beijing, acknowledged NNU’s leading role in K-12 technology and engineering education, the promotion of international cooperation, and academic achievement. He anticipates that the UNESCO Chair program can enhance global collaboration, raise educational standards and foster innovation in education.

NNU Professor Gu Jianjun, the chairholder of the program, noted the program will help to strengthen ties among partner institutions, and establish a comprehensive system encompassing research, teaching, training, exchange and community participation.