Deepening China-UK Professional Education Exchange, Exploring International Training Programmes for Chinese Dental Practitioners
Recently, Zhao Mengda, Executive Chairman of Shanghai Prospect Development Institute (hereinafter referred to as "SPDI"), Chairman of China Culture Promotion Association Industrial Investment Association, and CEO of Longcharm Group, and Dr. Wang Lina, Vice Chairperson and Executive Dean of SPDI and Co-founder of Longcharm Education, visited King's College London (KCL) in the United Kingdom. They held talks with Professor Sanjukta Deb, Dean for International, Engagement and Service and Professor in Biomaterials Science at the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences.
The two sides conducted in-depth exchanges on China-UK dental professional education exchange, continuing professional development (CPD) for dental practitioners, and international talent cultivation, and focused on the feasibility of developing customised short-term training programmes for Chinese dental practitioners.
Pooling International Academic Resources to Explore a New Model for Continuing Education in Stomatology
King's College London, founded in 1829, is a research university with a long history and international reputation in the United Kingdom. Its Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences has deep academic foundations and international influence in dental education, clinical research, and biomaterials science.
Professor Sanjukta Deb is a renowned scholar in biomaterials science, long engaged in research on biomaterials chemistry and its applications in medicine and dentistry. She also serves as Dean for International, Engagement and Service at the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, with extensive experience in international academic cooperation and professional education exchange.
During the talks, the two sides focused on the professional development needs of Chinese dental practitioners and exchanged views on curriculum design, teaching formats, implementation mechanisms, and future cooperation directions for international continuing education programmes. In response to the practical needs of Chinese dental practitioners in areas such as clinical technology updates, dental biomaterials applications, emerging diagnostic and treatment technologies, and international academic exchange, the two sides initially explored the feasibility of developing one- to two-day short-term CPD training courses.
According to the preliminary concept, the relevant programmes would draw on King's College London's professional resources in dental teaching, research, and clinical practice, and combine them with the career development characteristics of Chinese dental practitioners to explore various training formats, including thematic academic courses, professional practice workshops, and academic exchange, creating opportunities for Chinese dental professionals to learn about cutting-edge international research, broaden their professional horizons, and enhance their clinical practice capabilities.
Leveraging the Strengths of Both Sides to Promote China-UK Professional Education Exchange
During the talks, Zhao Mengda introduced SPDI's development history, educational philosophy, and international development direction. He said that SPDI's origins can be traced back to the "Prospect Programme" launched in 1993, and that it has long focused on talent cultivation, educational innovation, and international exchange and cooperation. As professionals' demand for internationalisation, professionalism, and lifelong learning continues to grow, the Institute is actively exploring new paths to combine high-quality international educational resources with China's professional talent development needs.
Zhao Mengda noted that technology in the field of dentistry is iterating rapidly, and the demand among professionals for continuous learning and international exchange is becoming increasingly prominent. King's College London has deep accumulated strengths in dental education and research, and he looked forward to both sides using short-term continuing professional development courses as an entry point to explore a cooperation model that combines academic quality, professional value, and practical application, providing Chinese dental professionals with richer opportunities for international learning and exchange.
Dr. Wang Lina introduced Lingcheng Education's practical experience in international education planning, educational resource integration, and project organisation and implementation. She said that international continuing education programmes for professionals require not only high-level academic resources but also full consideration of participants' professional backgrounds, learning objectives, and actual needs. She looked forward to exploring, through exchanges with King's College London, a cooperation mechanism featuring professional course content, flexible training formats, and systematic project implementation, and to building a pragmatic and efficient exchange platform for Chinese and British dental professionals.
Professor Sanjukta Deb welcomed the SPDI delegation and introduced the academic characteristics, teaching and research resources, and international exchange and cooperation of the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences at King's College London.
She expressed positive interest in the two sides' exchanges on the continuing education needs of Chinese dental professionals, and discussed the potential content, teaching organisation methods, and project implementation conditions of short-term CPD courses. Both sides agreed that, on the basis of further clarifying the target trainees, course objectives, and implementation arrangements, they could continue to study professional training programmes suitable for Chinese dental practitioners.
Starting with Short-Term Professional Training to Expand Multi-Level International Cooperation
After in-depth exchanges, the two sides reached a positive consensus on continuing to advance feasibility studies and course programme discussions for relevant projects. Next, the two sides plan to maintain communication and further exchange views on specific matters such as course themes, training duration, faculty arrangements, teaching formats, and project organisation, exploring the implementation of the first short-term CPD training programme for Chinese dental practitioners. At the same time, the two sides also exchanged views on the possibility of broader cooperation in the future in areas such as dental research exchange, academic visits, young professional talent cultivation, and international educational resource sharing.
This visit was a positive practice for SPDI in expanding international professional education cooperation and exploring continuing education programmes in the healthcare field, and it also established a new communication channel for promoting exchanges between Chinese and British dental professionals. In the future, SPDI will continue to leverage its strengths in educational project organisation, international cooperation, and professional talent cultivation, actively connect with high-quality international educational resources, explore diversified, professional, and internationalised talent development models, and contribute to promoting high-level professional education exchange and cooperation.