October 24, 2007

Beijing principals and administrators pictured with Surrey principals Ross Brennan and Carolyn Oram,

SFU personnel Dr. Marvin Wideen, Dr. Sandra Bruneau and Dr. Lorna Bennett and Mike McKay and

Peter Drescher from the Surrey School District.

SFU’s Faculty of Education, which has a proud history of collaboration, both domestic and international, with the Surrey School District welcomed the first of, what is hoped to be, many visits between educators from China and Canada.  Events took place at SFU’s Surrey and Burnaby campuses as well as secondary schools in the Surrey School District.

Director of International Programs and External Initiatives, Dr. Ian Andrews is “most excited that the Faculty of Education and the Surrey School District are working together with our international partners and activities in Beijing in a mutually beneficial way”. The exchange program is designed for principals and educational leaders in China specifically, assisting them by providing leadership and direction in pedagogy, curriculum development and reforms, including greater ownership by teachers and principals in the implementation of these reforms in their schools and their country.

Dr. Andrews also noted that this is a flagship endeavour as we have collaborated with the school district in domestic programs, and now international, as well. “This is a fine example of the Surrey School District and the Faculty of Education working together towards educational leadership and professional development in an international arena”.

The 33 educators and administrators spent the week attending seminars at SFU in Burnaby and Surrey, as well as visiting the Surrey School District office, Sullivan Heights Secondary School, Cambridge Elementary School, North Surrey Secondary and Surrey’s Connect Virtual School. SFU students enrolled in the Master’s of Education program provided interpretive services.

For more information about International Programs in the Faculty of Education, go to www.educ.sfu.ca/intled