Holistic Development

Research-led learning

Today, knowledge is being updated at an unprecedented rate. Active and effective learning skills have become essential for academic and professional success. This challenges the traditional education model that focuses mainly on disseminating knowledge.

Research-led learning, an innovative education method advocated by XJTLU, explores the active learning process. The model encourages students to start with a specific problem or phenomenon, take the initiative to search, integrate and analyse relevant sources and data, and eventually propose possible explanations or solutions.

LIFE supports students’ research and hosts the Research-led Learning Symposium, providing a platform for students to showcase their projects. At LIFE, Dr Benazir Quadir provides expert insights into research-led learning, especially technology-enhanced methods.

AI literacy

At LIFE, we understand the growing impact of AI on personal and professional spaces, including finance, healthcare, education and manufacturing. As AI evolves, AI-literate individuals can adapt better to industry and workforce changes.

To prepare our students for this changing world, we offer learning experiences that provide a clear understanding of AI and its global influence while guiding them to become innovative leaders, entrepreneurs, and problem solvers.

We have broadened the scope of AI literacy to form a central pillar of our course. From the start, students will learn about algorithms, machine language, deep learning, computer vision, robotics and natural language processing.

We not only educate students to meet the needs of today but also prepare the next generation of global citizens with the tools to be lifelong learners in AI, ready to explore new paths to innovation and solve global challenges spanning multiple fields.

At LIFE, Dr Anoop Saxena provides expert insights into AI literacy.

Ethics education

Moral education, also known as character or ethics education, is crucial within our educational framework at XJTLU. We believe good education should contribute to individual happiness, societal well-being and a better world. As Dr Marvin Berkowitz, character education specialist, said: “To live in a better world, we need better people. Better can mean many things, but the best better is a moral better.”

Students may encounter negative influences in today’s world, where AI and technology are developing rapidly. Character education serves as a counterbalance to that influence by reinforcing virtues and promoting critical thinking. It assists students in building a robust moral compass, empowering them to make well-informed decisions and live a flourishing life to contribute to the well-being of society.

Our moral education courses include:
• Positive moral development
• Professional ethics education (e.g., business ethics education)
• Development of virtue literacy
• Virtues and character cultivation
• Moral reasoning, emotion, identity, and adjudication
• Ethical excellence for decision-making in moral dilemmas

At LIFE, Dr Huo Yan provides expert insights into ethical education.

Global citizenship

Globalisation has grown on an unprecedented scale during the last century. While this has had many positive effects, it also involves several challenges.

Globalisation has highlighted the need for sustainable development, as outlined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals highlight that beyond being citizens of our countries, we also have a shared responsibility to the Earth.

To prepare our students for this increasingly globalised world, LIFE has developed several activities in Global Citizenship Education (GCED).

Learn more about our GCED programmes and activities. Through these activities, we hope to help you take advantage of all the world offers.

At LIFE, Dr Moritz Bilagher provides expert insights into Global Citizenship Education.

Socio-emotional education

At LIFE, we champion the importance of socio-emotional intelligence, recognising that understanding and managing emotions is vital for navigating life’s complexities.

Arts

The arts education courses at LIFE focus on art as inquiry, visual culture, digital storytelling, design thinking, and multimodal literacy to provide a well-rounded education that prepares our students for a complex future.

By engaging in these fields, students develop creative and critical thinking, adapt to new challenges, and understand and appreciate different views. This approach fosters a growth mindset and essential skills, enabling students to navigate and thrive in today’s interconnected and globalised world.

At LIFE, we firmly believe that arts education develops more than just artistic skills; it encompasses interdisciplinary studies with the potential to transform students’ personal and professional outlooks, leading to lifelong learning experiences.

At LIFE, Dr Yi Meng provides expert insights into arts education.

Physical education

At LIFE, we recognise that success at university and in life extends beyond academic achievements to encompass holistic well-being, including physical health and mental resilience. Our commitment to nurturing students’ overall growth is reflected in our approach to physical education, nutrition, well-being, and academic success.

Regular exercise and a healthy diet not only enhance physical fitness but also bolster cognitive function, memory retention and overall mental health. Our Physical Education course imparts foundational knowledge, promotes an active lifestyle, improves fitness levels, and instils discipline and time management skills crucial for academic excellence. We provide a variety of training, workshops and activities that help students develop lifelong habits of physical wellness.

At LIFE, Dr Sam Zare provides expert insights into physical education and health.

Transitional education

LIFE actively develops transformational education to help students transition smoothly to university. The Department oversees the transitional education module LIF001 for Year One students, ensuring a seamless shift from secondary education to university life through a research-led learning project.

Through working on the project, students can gain essential skills in problem-solving, teamwork and planning from this module. LIFE also offers transitional education modules for postgraduate students.

At LIFE, Dr Yingchun Li provides expert insights into transitional education.