HONG KONG, CHINA - - 11 September 2018 - The Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), titled The Russian Far East: Expanding the Range of Possibilities, is held in the port city of Vladivostok with the heads of state from China, Russia and other world leaders in attendance. 

This year's EEF's main themes include international cooperation in the Far East, support for Investors, priorities for industry and improving living conditions in the region.

Dr Charles CHEN Yidan, Core Founder of Tencent Holdings Limited and Founder of the Yidan Prize, the largest global prize in education, delivered a keynote address about the internationalization of education.

The internationalization of education has seen a rapid development in the past 20 years. In his speech, Dr CHEN remarked on globalization, new market-driven demands, changes in consumption patterns and greater need for flexibility, which are spurring broader cooperation in education and encouraging its internationalization.

Dr Chen commented: "A vigorous market demand for talent has forced the education sector to adjust, leading it to undergo rapid development. Transnational distance learning, enabled by the rise of the Internet, can help meet the public's varied needs."  

He called for greater cooperation in sharing best practices to help distinct educational systems find the best approaches to addressing pressing issues. Sharing proven practices more widely would also help improve educational outcomes for a greater number of people. 

Rewarding best practices in education research and educational development and shining a light on them helps improve educational outcomes around the world. This is a key mission of the Yidan Prize, which will announce its 2018 laureates on 16 September 2018 in Hong Kong.

Advancing the internationalization of education is an important goal for both the Yidan Prize and the Worldwide Educating for the Future Index, the first comprehensive global index to evaluate inputs to education systems rather than outputs such as test scores. 

The latest findings of this index will be unveiled at the Yidan Prize Summit, called Educating for the Future: How?, on 10 December 2018.

Dr Chen added: "While the world has reaped the benefits of transnational academic research, it is important to bear in mind that the purpose of education largely remains unchanged. It is to work for the public good and to enhance social well-being.''