Members Professors in Attendance and on Leave

1. Prof. Nan Zhou, 2. Prof. Biying Hu, 3. Prof. Weiwen Chen,

4. Prof. Jin Sun, 5. Prof. Ching Ho-Hong, 6. Prof. Keang-ieng Vong,

7. Prof. Juan Zhang, 8. Prof. Mingming Zhou,

Professors on Leave

1. Prof. Xin Lin, 2. Prof. Mengdi Chen, 3. Prof. Nai-Hua Liu
Time 11:30, October 27, 2025

Meeting Notes

The meeting focused on several key areas, including center website development, academic event planning, budget utilization, service initiatives, recruitment plans, and research sample collection. The main directions and priorities for each area were clarified as follows:

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  • Website Development

Content Structure

  • PhD Student Section: A new “PhD Student” section will be added to the website, listing all students under each professor. Clicking “More” will display detailed student information. Each student will provide their own information to ensure accuracy.
  • Content Source and Revision: All website content should be provided directly by members, rather than copied from existing web pages. One of the existing entries contains an error; the information for Day 3 should be confirmed in the Highlights section and cross-checked on the speaker’s official website for correction.
  • Local Services Section: The “Local Services” content has not yet been specified. Members may discuss whether a separate section is needed. Professors with relevant projects may first provide the project title; further details can be added later for Alex to update.

Website Name and Mobile Version

  • The current name “CEPECE” is considered too complex. Alternative naming options can be explored, taking into account the university’s approval procedures.
  • The website currently lacks a mobile version. Although this issue has been noted, there is no immediate plan for implementation.

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  • Academic Activities

Seminars and Talks

  • Completed Events: Three to five seminars have been organized this year, including those hosted by Prof. Ching Ho-Hong (Oct 16) and Prof. Zhang Juan (Oct 21). Upcoming talks include those invited by Prof. Cai Taisen (early childhood education expert, November), Prof. Chen from Fudan University (family research, November), and Prof. Sun Jin (December).
  • Scheduling and Budget: Most talks are scheduled for after October due to earlier quota applications. To optimize budget use, some speakers were invited from nearby institutions (e.g., Prof. Chen Bin-Bin from CUHK, who visited during the university’s anniversary).
  • Overlapping Events: One December talk overlaps in schedule due to the invited expert’s limited availability.

International Conference

  • Preliminary Plan: An international conference is tentatively planned for November 2026; logistics and collaborations are under discussion.
  • Format and Audience: The conference may include both research-focused and practice-oriented sessions. Workshops led by practitioners will serve the local community, and special education teachers and related professionals may be invited to enhance participation.
  • Themes and Invited Experts: Topics need not be limited to early childhood or inclusive education. Members are encouraged to propose ideas. Invited experts may serve as keynote speakers or panelists. Two experts invited by Prof. Liu already meet the criteria, and additional scholars such as Prof. Zhang Jun from Hong Kong may also be considered.

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  • Budget and Services

Budget Overview

  • Annual Budget: The center’s annual budget (physical year) is MOP 100,000, covering all expenses.
  • Allocation: Current spending remains modest, with primary costs expected for expert invitations. Inviting 2–3 experts may strain resources; hybrid formats (some in-person, others online) can help control expenses.
  • Funding Sources: For the university’s 45th Anniversary Celebration, funding arrangements need further discussion. Combining research and teacher-training funds may be a feasible approach.

Center Services

  • The center can provide services such as workshops for parents and teachers. Members are encouraged to propose ideas for inclusion under the center’s service portfolio.
  • Given strong parental interest, additional activities targeting parents could be developed to meet their needs.

⸻

  • Recruitment Plan

Recruitment this year was conducted jointly at the Faculty level. Next year, the Dean hopes each center will handle its own recruitment independently. Details regarding budget and arrangements will be finalized at next year’s meeting.

Professors also discussed some other issues regarding their research.

  • Research Sample Collection

Collaboration Models

  • With Educational Researchers: Collaboration with local educational researchers can facilitate access to preschool teachers across the city, enabling questionnaire distribution and data collection. In return, research outcomes can help them prepare reports for professional evaluation.
  • With Universities: Cooperation with universities can help recruit undergraduate samples through institutional invitations, instructor contacts, or public advertisements. Formal application procedures must be followed to ensure voluntary participation.

Sample Types and Considerations

  • Undergraduate Samples: When recruiting university students, participation willingness and time cost must be considered. Small incentives may improve participation but not necessarily guarantee representativeness.
  • Couple Samples: Some fake couple cases have been reported. Verification methods such as on-site observation by research assistants are being explored.

Research Timeline and Output

  • Data Collection Duration: Depends on research type; daily diary studies typically last around 30 days.
  • Research Output: The time from data collection to publication used to be about six months; currently, it can be completed within two to three months, provided research outputs are planned before data collection.

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  • Follow-Up Tasks

Website:

  • Collect detailed information about local service projects from all professors for Alex to update.

Academic Activities:

  • Discuss funding sources and collaboration models for the international conference with relevant departments.
  • Continue contacting potential international speakers and finalize details for scheduling.
  • Seek suggestions from Prof. Sidali on appropriate keynote or panel experts.

⸻

This meeting clarified priorities across administrative, academic, and research tasks, ensuring coherent planning for the center’s future development.