It is with great sadness that the IB community has learned of the passing of Professor Zhou Nanzhao in July.
Professor Zhou was pivotal in his roles as a member of the IB Council of Foundation (former IB Board of Governors) from 2001 to 2007, the Regional Advisory Council from 2000 to 2006 and, more recently, as an IB Recognition Ambassador until June this year. In all these roles and outside of these, he helped influence IB strategy and service to schools in the Asia Pacific region. Professor Zhou also championed the IB and assisted in its acceptance in China and in Asia.
Professor Zhou’s exceptional dedication to the world of education is illustrated by the extensive list of his achievements, collaborations, publications and expert advisory roles, which can be found on the website for the International Center of Teacher Education. His career in education began in 1964 as a researcher for National Institute for Educational Research in Beijing, China and expanded considerably throughout his life to include extensive work with NGOs, the European Union (EU), consultant work for UN Agencies, considerable support for the IB, a wide variety of president and chairman positions along with teaching roles that include doctoral courses of comparative education at US universities. Furthermore, Professor Zhou was hugely influential in his work with the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission where he has laid a strong foundation for a mutual understanding of the IB Mission and a shared objective to enhance education in China.
He was a member of the Delors Commission that produced the famous report to UNESCO on education: Learning: The Treasure Within : Report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century (1996). Professor Zhou contributed a separate chapter to this report on differences between Western and Eastern cultures and the implications for education.
His tireless dedication to exploring the role of education through research and teaching as well as promoting the exchange, cooperation and collaboration between educators in Asia Pacific, also earned him several awards.
Ian Chambers, Director of IB Asia Pacific, added ”It is certain that the IB has been a huge beneficiary of Professor Zhou’s pivotal work and his legacy will surely be felt in many schools, communities and higher education establishments throughout China, Asia Pacific and around the world.”
Our thoughts are with his family at this time.
