Recap of 2021 Annual Faculty Meeting
Develop. Grow. Succeed.
On December 9th, GEC Academy held an annual faculty meeting for its faculties, professors, and instructors. This meeting concluded this year’s performance and provided a vision for 2022.
1. Overall Review of 2021
In 2021 GEC Academy has served over 11,000 students, increased by 30% from 2020. More than 550 programs were offered across all disciplines, increased by 35% from 2020. Among all programs, 17% were medicine, life science, and physical science; 26% were engineering and computer science; 37% were business and economics, and 20% were humanities and social sciences. In addition, GEC welcomed 136 new faculties to join the network, including 81 professors and 52 mentors, and three 1v1 instructors. GEC Academy also added new frontier, interdisciplinary, career-focusing subjects, such as industrial design, game design, and architecture. Professor research seminars and open sessions were provided for our students and universities that provided supplementary knowledge and methodology skills.
2. New Initiatives for 2022
After such a successful 2021, GEC Academy expects another year of substantial growth in 2022. GEC expects to open 730 programs, serve 13,000 students, and add 150 new faculties. GEC is also discussing designing and offering courses in key disciplinary fields with its faculties. New courses will include but are not limited to Artificial Intelligence, Software Development, Cybersecurity and High-Performance Computing in computer science, Math, Biotechnology and Chemistry in sciences, HVAC and ITS in engineering, Developmental Psychology, Gender Studies, Interpretation and Translation in humanity and sociology, Business Law, Economics, Marketing, Management and Finance in economics, also Design courses in the field of arts. GEC Academy thanks our faculty’s support and contributing great ideas in these new fields that will benefit our students. GEC will continue improving student evaluation, and design more courses to elevate students’ academic writing.
3. University-Level Cooperation
In 2021, GEC Academy provided over 50 professor talks, and over 100 current programs as universities extended learning programs. With the support from our professors, GEC also provided co-designed courses that were embedded in the major curriculum for university students. To support international studies and training during that pandemic and support young instructors in Chinese universities, GEC Academy also provided teacher training on project-based learning pedagogy and academic writing. These kinds of training amended the lack of international communication and scholar exchange during this special time. GEC also established university-level research institutes in conjunction with well-known institutes in China. This November, the SJTU-GEC Academy Center of Innovative Design for Interdisciplinary Studies was established at Shanghai Jiaotong University in Shanghai. This center will focus on course design, interdisciplinary studies, teacher training, and science education. GEC is also conducting a joint research project with PKU Shenzhen on the localization of global higher education. This project aims to find out the needs of higher education institutions in internationalization at home, and the difficulties they have encountered.
From a broader perspective, GEC will focus on Course development in carbon neutrality and global competence. These courses will Involve different stakeholders be it corporations, government organizations, educational institutions both domestic and international, and will develop courses for undergraduates, graduates, and even for Ph.D. students. These are two themes that GEC determines as the most essential in the coming years since the Chinese government has publicly committed to Carbon neutrality multiple times and the vision for a community with a shared future. Students will build the skillsets necessary to fulfill these tasks and face a more internationalized world.
GEC Academy will continue to conduct joint research projects with our faculty and Chinese scholars, linking the world more closely despite potential political differences. GEC will also continue to support young instructors, professors, professionals, and students with adequate and proper training for technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
We again thank our faculties for all your great support and as it is the holiday season, we wish you all a happy holiday and a happy new year. We all look forward to our continued cooperation in 2022 and sparking more interesting ideas together.
