Among the triple TKU educational objectives, “future-oriented objective” is most distinguished among academia, of which Founder Clement Chang is recognized as one of the key figures in propelling futurist studies in Taiwan. Graduate Institute of Future Studies (GIFS) invited scholars from nine countries and held an international conference on “Futures of Education: Futures in Education” at Chueh-sheng International Conference Hall, on May 29 and 30. To encourage young talents’ involvement in the future studies, TKU has subsidized her students to attend the yearly convention of future studies. The winners of the grant are invited to attend this conference. Founder Clement Chang met the participants on May 30 to exchange perspectives on future studies.
TKU President C. I. Chang, and Vice President of China University of Petroleum - Beijing, Dr. Daen Chen were invited to make opening addresses. The conference activities include speeches, workshops, and paper presentations. Foreign scholars from Australia, Switzerland, USA, England, Japan, Hongkong, Korea, Mainland China were invited to attend this conference. Dr. Francis P. Hutchinson, distinguished scholar on future studies and peace education, in his keynote speech, “Community- building, education and the future,” discussed on related issues on establishing global communities through sharing multiple cultures and cooperation. The 9 conference papers are classified under three categories: Education for Sustainable Futures, Multicultural Education and Transcending the Digital Divide, and Language and Higher Education in the Age of Innovation and Globalization.
In addition, three workshops were hosted by three invited foreign scholars, including Teaching Futures –the view from a teacher (Dr. Marcus Bussey, Professor, Regional Sustainability Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland Australia), ?Alternative Futures of Education (Dr. Wendy Schultz, Professor, Infinite Futures: Foresight Research and Training, Oxford, England, United Kingdom), and ?Learning journeys, learning sites: learning for peaceful and sustainable futures? (Dr. Francis P. Hutchinson, Professor, Centre of Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Sydney, Australia). The workshops provide more chances to exchange and share experiences and opinions.
The six subsidized students were invited to join in the workshops. Chen Jo Chun (Sophomore, Dept. of Industrial Economics) indicates that the alternative teaching, which introduces the topics of lesson through game, is very interesting. Lin Yun-chieh (second year graduate, Institute of Future Studies) was impressed by the group discussion, in which many teachers introduced diverse teaching methods and enticed question-responses. Dr. Chen Chien-fu, Chair of GIFS, indicates that the conference themes and topics of workshops are diversified and thought-provoking.( ~Chen Chi-szu )
