Hildesheim in focus: Professor Rao discusses educational opportunities for children

Hildesheim in focus: Professor Rao discusses educational opportunities for children

On February 11, 2025, the Wippermann Lecture with Prof. Dr. took place in the forum on the main campus of the University of Hildesheim. Nirmala Rao from the University of Hong Kong. Under the title “Nurturing Young Minds: Policies, Preschools, and Home Environments,” the renowned professor of Child Development and Education and director of the Consortium for Research on Early Childhood Development and Education (CORE) presented her findings on the key influencing factors for early childhood development.

Prof. Dr. In her lecture, Rao focused in particular on the interactions between education and parents' wealth and their influence on the learning progress of children aged three to six. Their research findings show a significant connection between the socioeconomic status of the family and children's learning outcomes. It was shown that high-quality preschool concepts and stimulating home learning environments significantly increase the chances of positive learning outcomes.

Challenges and solutions

A central theme of the lecture was the need for universal strategies to eliminate inequalities in the education system, a concept known as “equity”. Prof. Dr. Rao, who also advises international organizations such as UNICEF, UNESCO, World Bank, OECD and WHO, notes that different cultures need to apply different measures of wealth and ability to ensure equitable education for all.

The event was opened with introductory words by Prof. Dr. Martin Schreiner and a presentation by Prof. Dr. Claudia Mähler, who accepted the invitation from Prof. Dr. Rao initiated. In addition to scientific aspects, the lecture also included psychological aspects and political measures, which ensured a constructive exchange with the audience.

A new funding program

The Wippermann Fellowship, which was launched in 2017, is a funding program for international guest researchers run by Jutta and Prof. Dr. Burkhard Wippermann is supported. Prof. Nirmala Rao was honored with a certificate from this fellowship for her lecture, which underlines her important role in early educational research.

The topic of early childhood education is also highly topical in Germany, especially with regard to the needs of children in day care centers. An analysis of the Early Education Skills Barometer 2023 shows that although there are the highest number of employees in daycare centers, there is a growing gap between vacancies and qualified specialists. In addition, the development of suitable specialists for child day care requires a critical examination of the training of young talent.

This urgency is underpinned by the extensive data available on early education in Germany Pedagogy specialist portal is accessible. The portal offers a variety of statistics and reports about early childhood education and care in Germany, which are of great importance for political decision-makers and specialists.

In summary, the Wippermann Lecture with Prof. Dr. Nirmala Rao the international relevance of the topics of early childhood education, social equality and the role of families in education. Her research results call for educational systems to be reconsidered and adapted globally.

For further information about Prof. Dr. Nirmala Rao and her works visit her website as well as the publication at UNESCO.