PECERA Sets Up New Subsidiary in Hong Kong

Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association (PECERA), an organisation dedicated to disseminating and supporting research in early childhood education in the Pacific area, has set up its new subsidiary in Hong Kong on February 25, 2006. The Launching Ceremony, held at the Hong Kong Productivity Council, was a great success. Over 200 guests, who mainly came from the education, healthcare, food services, legal and architecture professions, were there to give their support.

Mrs. Fanny Law, Permanent Secretary for Education and Manpower, Professor Bernard Spodek, Founder of PECERA, and Dr. Betty Chan, Chairperson of PECERA (Hong Kong), officiated at the opening ceremony. Professor Kai-ming Cheng, Senior Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, was the keynote speaker. Professor Chu-ying Chien and Dr. Wei Li-Chen, both Programme Directors of PECERA (Hong Kong) also addressed the conference.

Representatives from Korea took the opportunity to give the participants a preview of 2006 PECERA Annual Conference in Seoul. Since its inaugural conference in Kobe, Japan in July 2000, PECERA has held conferences of different themes in Christchurch, Shanghai, Melbourne and Taipei year-on-year. Previous conferences have attracted numerous scholars, researchers and professionals from the Pacific region. In 2007, the event is scheduled to be held in Hong Kong. Hosting such an activity in the Special Administrative Region does not only signify its importance as a research centre for early childhood education, it also reflects the growing importance of Hong Kong in the worldwide educational arena.