Hong Kong universities join national science teacher program

Hong Kong: Experts believe that the inclusion of two Hong Kong universities in a national program focused on cultivating science teachers will enhance the special administrative region’s capacity to nurture innovative technological talent and also ease the path for its students who are aspiring to become teachers on the Chinese mainland.
The Ministry of Education announced on Tuesday that the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong had been selected as pilot universities for a new national program to train science research graduates from the country’s top tertiary education institutions to teach in secondary and primary schools.
It’s the first time that Hong Kong universities have been included in the program, which started last year.
In addition to the two Hong Kong institutions, 11 leading universities on the mainland, including Shandong University, the Harbin Institute of Technology and Capital Normal University, were also selected as pilot universities for the program’s second phase, which is due to begin next month.
The second phase aims to develop a distinctive curriculum system, including courses concerning artificial intelligence, interdisciplinary studies and science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item