Prof.  Shuo  Zhao
Communication University of China

Title: Creating Educational Innovation through Global South Research Paradigms

Abstract:

The study argues that educational innovation in the Global South will be rooted in de-colonial research paradigms to dismantle epistemic hierarchies and catalyze context-driven transformation. Analyzing four interconnected dimensions—epistemological sovereignty, deconstruction of dominant models, co-creation of pedagogies, and structural scaling it demonstrates how communities reclaim education as a tool for collective liberation. Through case studies from Pacific Island curricula, Brazilian favela rooftop labs, and African teacher-led pedagogical disobedience, the study reveals how constraints become creative catalysts when methodologies center place-based knowledge, intergenerational dialogue, and community impact metrics. Critically, the study exposes policy barriers while proposing radical alternatives: participatory governance, autonomous financing, and teacher spaces. Ultimately, it contends that sustainable innovation emerges not from imported techno-fixes but from ecologies of practice where classrooms seed sovereignty—measuring success by cultural continuity, ecological resilience, and the democratization of knowledge design.

Biography:

Dr. Shuo Zhao is Professor in Communication University of China (CUC) and Fellow of New York Academy of Sciences while he is guest professor/PhD Superviser in University of Malaya(UM),  Krirk University of Thailand and visiting professor in Universidad Nacional de Rosario(UNR) in Argentina. 
He received his two Ph.D in Shanghai International Studies University and Northwestern Polytechnical University. He did his Postdoctoral Research both in Fudan University, Shanghai of China and Universitat of Barcelona, Barcelona of Spain. He is majored in higher education, language education, digital education. 
Professor Shuo Zhao ever presides over National Social Science Fund in China, China Postdoctoral Science Fund, Humanities and Social Science Fund of Chinese Ministry of Education, National Education Science Program. He publishes 200 papers and articles approximately. 

He is awarded as International Humanity Scholar by American Common Ground Publishing and CEU of Spain in 2014. In addition he is awarded as Emerging Humanity Scholar by American Common Ground Publishing and Imperial College London in 2017. Recently he is awarded as Emerging Scholar by Universidad Complutense of Spain in 2021, Emerging Scholar by University of Aegean of Greece in 2022, Emerging Scholar by University of Sorbonne of France in 2023, Emerging Scholar by Sapienza University of Rome of Italy in 2024, Emerging Scholar by University of Hawaii of US in 2025.