Yong Zhao

Zhao grew up in a poor, remote area of the Sichuan Province in western China. From these humble beginnings he has become a world-renowned scholar for his work to improve education and language-learning on an international scale.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in English language teaching from Sichuan International Studies University in 1986, Zhao came to the United States to complete his education, earning a master’s and doctorate in education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

He joined the MSU faculty in 1996, and is now a University Distinguished Professor of educational psychology and educational technology. Zhao also serves as executive director of MSU’s Confucius Institute, which strives to meet the increasing demand for Chinese education in the United States.

Zhao’s research at MSU has been supported by more than $20 million in public and private funding, including $5 million from the Sun Wah Education Foundation in China. Much of his research focuses on the impact of globalization on education and the integration of Eastern and Western educational practices.

Zhao travels frequently to lecture and consult with government and educational agencies in many countries including Chile, China, Ireland, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

He is also founding director of the Center for Teaching and Technology and director of the US-China Center for Research on Educational Excellence, both housed in MSU’s College of Education.

For more on Zhao, see zhao.educ.msu.edu/default.asp.

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