Dr. Gail Yuen has worked in a variety of educational settings, both overseas and local. Graduated from Teachers College, Columbia University, Dr. Yuen has her expertise built on child and family development, as well as international educational development specializing in early childhood education. She is particularly interested in policy and advocacy for young children. Her recently completed studies on the voucher scheme and early childhood teacher development in Hong Kong have raised public attention on critical issues concerning the sector. Dr. Yuen works collaboratively with colleagues to promote the development of public discourse on pertinent policy issues. She actively promotes reconceptualizing the relation between early childhood and school education. Under her leadership, Dr. Yuen prepared a full proposal on 15-year free education together with a team of comrades. The proposal was submitted to the Hong Kong SAR Government and Legislative Council, as well as widely circulated to facilitate professional and public dialogues. Between 2013 and 2017, Dr. Yuen was the convener of the Alliance on the Fight for 15-year Free Education, representing 30 educational bodies in Hong Kong. She was also a member of one of the subcommittees under the Committee on Free Kindergarten Education of the Education Bureau. Dr. Yuen recently completed another Public Policy Research project which focused on kindergarten space in Hong Kong. The key findings of this project has informed important recommendations on policy and practice. Dr. Yuen followed up her recommendations with an action research project to facilitate practice change in kindergartens with reference to the research results and policy recommendations.

Early childhood education policy; child advocacy; teacher development

Teahcer professionalism; critical pedagogy; experiential learning; community engagement

Convener, The Alliance on the Fight for 15-year Free Education (2013 - 2017)

Member, Subcommittee on Objectives, Teacher Professionalism and Research, Committee on Free Kindergarten Education, Education Bureau (2013 - 2015)

Member, Editorial Advisory Board, Early Childhood Education Series, Teacher College Press (2010 - 2013)

Review of the Voucher Scheme, Working Group, Council of Non-profit-making Organizations for Pre-primary Education (2009)

Teacher Convention, Working Group, Council on Professional Conduct in Education (2009)