On the afternoon of 17 November 2025, the Faculty of Teacher Education at Jiangsu University successfully hosted an academic lecture in Room 1808 of Sanjiang Building. The event featured Ms Lea Kuusilehto-Awale, a distinguished Finnish education expert, as the keynote speaker. Professor Liu Xiaoxu chaired the lecture, with numerous faculty members, postgraduate students, and undergraduates attending in person.

Liu Xiaoxu opened the event by warmly welcoming Ms. Kuusilehto‑Awale and highlighting her international reputation and significant contributions to research in educational leadership, equity, and immigrant education.

Ms. Kuusilehto‑Awale then delivered an in‑depth presentation entitled, “For Whom is Finland’s Exemplary Education System Designed? – Why Do Immigrant Children Struggle to Succeed in Finnish Schools?” In her talk, she examined both the reasons behind Finland’s educational success and the internal challenges it currently faces. Drawing on her recent monograph, Barriers to Academic Success for Immigrant Children in Finland, she pinpointed visible and hidden obstacles that affect immigrant students’ performance within Finnish families and schools. She also critically addressed several widely circulated “myths” about Finnish education.

From sociocultural, policy‑implementation, and school‑practice perspectives, Ms. Kuusilehto‑Awale offered new insights into the complexities of the Finnish system and provided practical analytical tools for promoting educational equity in multicultural settings.

During the interactive session, faculty and students actively engaged in lively discussions with Ms. Leia, exploring topics including the evolution of Finnish education policies, classroom practices for educational equity, and the cross-national applicability of research findings.

Concluding the lecture, Liu Xiaoxu delivered closing remarks. She reiterated gratitude for Ms. Leia's insightful presentation, noting that this event constituted a significant initiative in advancing the School’s educational internationalisation and enhancing cross-cultural research capabilities among faculty and students. Such high-calibre international academic exchanges not only establish platforms for direct dialogue with leading experts within the field but also powerfully propel innovation and development in the School’s research directions, including teacher education and multicultural education.