In May 2026, during my study leave, I had the fortunate opportunity to visit several universities across China. The invitation came from a group of professors whom I had taught in 2024 when they spent three months at the UBC Faculty of Education as visiting scholars. Their visit to UBC was a truly mutual learning experience, as they were exceptionally knowledgeable, thoughtful, and inspiring educators from Faculties of Education at several Chinese Normal Universities.
Since their time at UBC, we have remained in close contact. Despite the geographical distance, our professional conversations and exchanges continued long after their visit ended. Over the years, they repeatedly invited me to visit China, and this spring, thanks to my study leave, I was finally able to accept their invitation. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to visit their institutions, deliver presentations, and learn more about Chinese education and culture.
During my trip, I visited the following institutions: Hubei Normal University (Huangshi), Central China Normal University (Wuhan), South China Normal University (Guangzhou), East China Normal University (Shanghai), Capital Normal University (Beijing), and Beijing Normal University (Beijing). At these universities, I delivered presentations, met with faculty members and students, and visited local schools. My talks focused on STEM education, artificial intelligence in education, STEM outreach initiatives such as the UBC Physics Olympics, and teacher professional development.
Most importantly, however, I learned a great deal. While there were many impressive aspects of the educational system that I observed, two visits stood out in particular: a secondary STEM-focused school in Beijing and a preschool in Beijing. During these visits, I had the opportunity to interact directly with students, teachers, and administrators and to observe their educational practices firsthand.
Compared to my previous visit to China approximately nine years ago, I was struck by the significant shift toward creativity, inquiry, exploration, and student-centered learning. I also observed the remarkable investment being made in teacher education and ongoing professional development. What made this especially noteworthy was that these innovations are taking place within a system where students continue to face highly competitive, high-stakes examinations at the conclusion of their K–12 education.
I am sincerely grateful for this experience. It broadened my understanding of contemporary educational practices and provided valuable opportunities for professional reflection. I hope that the insights I gained will contribute to my own work and, ultimately, help strengthen teacher education at UBC.
The talks I have given:
Milner-Bolotin, M. (2026a, May 18). AI isn’t coming, it is here: Time to rethink teacher education Invited: South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
Milner-Bolotin, M. (2026b, May 12). AI isn’t coming, it is here: Time to rethink teacher education Invited: Hubei Normal University Foreign Experts Forum, Huangshi, Hubei, China.
Milner-Bolotin, M. (2026c, May 14). AI isn’t coming, it is here: Time to rethink teacher education Invited: Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Milner-Bolotin, M. (2026e). AI isn’t coming, it is here: Time to rethink teacher education Invited: East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
Milner-Bolotin, M. (2026f). AI isn’t coming, it is here: Time to rethink teacher education Invited: Capital Normal University, Beijing, China.
Milner-Bolotin, M. (2026h). From collaborative competition to community: Five decades of the UBC Physics Olympics Invited: East China Normal University Forum, China, 2026.
Milner-Bolotin, M. (2026i, May 20). STEM teacher education in Canada: Developing & implementing innovative research-based curricula Invited: South China Normal University, Beijing, China.
Milner-Bolotin, M. (2026j, May 16). TEM teacher education in Canada: Developing & implementing innovative research-based curricula Invited: Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Milner-Bolotin, M. (2026l, May 11). When research meets reality: Lessons from STEM education for addressing Canadian K-12 teacher education challenges Invited: Hubei Normal University Foreign Experts Forum, Huangshi, Hubei, China.