The 2019 International Confederation of Principals Convention (ICP) was held at the East China Normal University in Shanghai from 23 to 25 October. Themed “Connecting Leaders, Creating the Future”, the event gathered over 1,500 primary and secondary school principals from 50 countries.

In her inaugural speech, Weng Tiehui, Vice Minister of Education, emphasized that ensuring education for all and improving the quality of education should be a common vision shared by the world. As she referred, China, as the largest developing country, faced complex problems in education, and was committed to establishing in-depth and mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries. The Vice Minister declared that basic education was the underpinning of education, the cornerstone to social equity and justice, and the foundation for passing down cultural traditions and encouraging innovation. She said primary and secondary school principals played an especially important role in basic education, and a competent principal would bring out the best in teachers and students.

Keynote speakers at the event included Jack Ma, founder of the Jack Ma Foundation and former Alibaba Group CEO, Zhao Yong, Foundation Distinguished Professor in the School of Education at the University of Kansas, Yuan Zhenguo, Director of the Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, and Andreas Schleicher, Director for the OECD Directorate of Education and Skills. Nearly 100 principals presented reports during the event’s 12 panel sessions.