The Inaugural China Camp Education Conference Held in Beijing

BEIJING, April 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 13, the eight-day First China Camp Education Conference held in Beijing has come to an end. The conference's themes are "Understand China and Understand the World" and "21^st Century Learning." The conference has an in-depth discussion on how to standardize the development of China's camp education, how to scientifically and systematically acquire skills, and how to help Chinese youth grow and develop through camp education, etc. The Conference also shares camp education practices and academic research results of education experts, principals and practitioners from the United States, Russia, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Singapore and dozens of other countries as well as Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Representatives from the Chinese Ministry of Education also attend the meeting.

"In the 21^st century, we need our education to prepare future leaders to address many unresolved international issues, such as poverty, environmental pollution, energy shortage, education etc. The society needs a younger generation that can find answers in a new way and youth education is facing an urgent need for innovation. We look forward to the cooperation between the education circle and the whole society to cultivate the youth's learning ability, as well as life and survival skills, which are necessary for the 21^st century through education innovation," says Ms. Zhao Wei, the first president of China Camp Education Alliance and IDEAS Founder.

"Camp education," a social education model compared to school education and family education, originated in the United States and has more than 150 years' history. Presently, education systems in developed countries attach great importance to camp education. According to the statistics of American Camp Association (ACA), there are more than 12,000 camps in total that annually serve over 10 million primary and secondary school students in the USA. As indicated by the data of International Camping Fellowship (ICF), Russia has the largest number of camps in the world -- a total of 55,000 camps. Australia boasts the closest combination between camp education and school education systems, and the country has included camp education into the national education system. Japan also has more than 3,500 camps, and more than 30 million primary and secondary school students participate in camp education activities each year. Camp activities in China's Hong Kong and Taiwan are also active.

Modern camp education is based on the interdisciplinary theory and practice of pedagogy and developmental psychology, etc. It encourages and guides children and young people to explore themselves, discover their potentials, develop their awareness and ability needed for coexistence and creating win-win situations in the 21^st century global environment. These initiatives include cross-cultural communications and exchanges, leadership, viability and spirit of service, etc. All forms of camps share one common feature, which is the experiential learning. Through creative camp activities, young people are allowed to "play purposefully" and "make in-depth exploration of themselves." As proven by 150 years of camp education pedagogy development in foreign countries, camp activities have significant influence in helping young people build self-confidence, develop independent character and leadership, and improve social skills.

"Camp education is an important form of out-of-school education, and it plays a very important role in enhancing students' ability to innovate, social responsibility, popularization of science and technology, arts and physical cultivation, work skill practices and habit formation. As a supplement to school and family educations, camp education will exert an increasingly important influence," says Zhang Dongyan, representative from the Ministry of Education.

China is considered as a country with the biggest growth potential in camp education development. Camp education, as an effective complement to and an integral part of school and family educations, has attracted more and more attention worldwide. Many countries have included camp education into regular school education systems.

"Compared to the youth camp education in European and American countries, camp education is still a fledgling industry in China. The orderly development of camp education in China requires our joint promotion," says Wei Zhao, president of China Camp Education Alliance. In this context, China Camp Education Alliance was set up under the leadership of IDEAS and with the joint efforts of Beijing Sailing Center, Mind Education, UWC United World Colleges (China), Vanke Education Camp, Future Training Camp (DE), New Oriental International Study Tour, Yitong Camp Education, YOOK and US Tour Camp.

This conference offers camp education practitioners a three-day professional training course, which is provided and certified by International Camping Fellowship (ICF). The course, comprised of International Course for Directors of Camping (ICDC), Camp Programme Designing Course (CPDC), and Camp Coordinator Course (CCC), equips the camp education practitioners with standardized international training certification. The conference also opened a professional exhibition for the public providing information and support for more than 3,000 people to understand and select camps. China Camp Education Alliance will continue to build the platform dedicated to the preparation of camp education talents, promotion of standardization and normalization, encouraging diversified and sustainable development, and support to the development of camp education with Chinese characteristics.

SOURCE CHINA CAMP EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (CCEA)