Ruth came to Hong Kong as a new graduate of the University of Toronto in 1967 and engaged with secondary students here as a teacher in the 1970s, then returned in 1997 to lead the Hong Kong Institute of Education in the first five years after HK’s return to China.

In this talk she will reflect on the values she has observed and experienced in schools in Hong Kong and greater China, also research that identifies key characteristics of the Chinese learner & teacher. As a scholar of comparative education she sees how elements of the Confucian heritage which are common to 8 societies in East Asia have shaped a learning culture quite distinctive from European patterns influenced by Platonic philosophy and subsequent progressive educational thought. She will suggest that deeper mutual understanding between these traditions and a blend of strengths from each may be ideal for educational development in our ever more connected global community.