On December 29, the First Central China Education Forum was held at HENU with the theme “Cultural Heritage and Educational Development”. The forum brought together numerous leaders and distinguished guests, including Professor Wang Dinghua, Secretary of the Party Committee of Beijing Foreign Studies University, Researcher Guo Ge, Vice Chairman of People’s Education Press, Professor Chen Tingzhu, Dean of the School of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, as well as experts and scholars from renowned institutions such as China National Academy of Educational Sciences and Beijing Institute of Technology. Additionally, leaders and over a hundred faculty members and students from colleges and universities in Henan Province also attended the event. Liu Linya, Deputy Director of the Department of Education of Henan Province, Yang Mengya, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of HENU, and Liu Zhijun, Dean of HENU’s Faculty of Education, were present at the forum.

In his opening remarks, Yang Mengya provided an overview of HENU and elaborated on the relationship between cultural heritage and educational development. Liu Zhijun highlighted the history and achievements of HENU’s education discipline, expressing hope that the forum would evolve into a platform for interdisciplinary expert exchanges. Liu Linya emphasized Henan’s rich history and cultural brilliance as treasures of the Chinese nation and vital resources for educational development. He called on the attending experts to jointly explore future directions and pathways for educational reform in Henan.

In the first session of keynote speeches, Liu Linya, Professor Wang Dinghua, and Researcher Guo Ge delivered reports titled Working Together to Strengthen the Educational Foundation of Henan and Write a New Chapter in Building a Leading Educational Province, Strategies for Building High-Quality Schools in the New Era, and The Spirit of Henan and Its Education, respectively.

In the second session of keynote speeches, Professor Chen Tingzhu, Professor Wang Hong, and Professor Gao Desheng presented reports titled Can Henan Forge a New Path Integrating Science and Education, Research on the Demand and Supply of Basic Education Faculty for High-Quality Development, and The Crisis of Individuality in Modern Era and Educational Challenges: On Educational Transformation for the Cultivation of Individuality, respectively.

In the afternoon, Liu Zhijun chaired a roundtable forum featuring Liu Lide, Editor-in-Chief of People’s Education Press, Dr. Cao Peijie from China National Academy of Educational Sciences, and Professor Pang Haishao from Beijing Institute of Technology. The panel engaged in lively discussions on topics such as the positioning and organization of the Central China Education Forum, the construction of a strong educational nation and province, and the spirit and sentiment of Henan, generating productive insights.

In his concluding remarks, Liu Zhijun stated that the First Central China Education Forum has established a platform for expert and scholar exchanges. Furthermore, he expressed hope that the forum would address practical issues in Henan’s education through research activities at various levels and types, thereby contributing significantly to the development of a strong educational nation and province.