From Meritocracy to Human Interdependence: A New Vision for Education with Prof. Yong Zhao

As part of its Global Reflections series, Institute Social recently hosted Prof. Yong Zhao, a renowned expert in educational psychology from the University of Kansas. In his presentation, titled “From Meritocracy to Human Interdependence: Redefining the Purpose of Education,” Zhao argued that instead of an education system solely based on meritocracy and exam success, we should adopt a human-centered approach that focuses on individuals’ unique qualities and promotes mutual responsibility.

According to Zhao, the concept of meritocracy was originally coined as a critique of the British education system, but over time it has been embraced in many countries as a measure of success. Meritocracy not only fosters unhealthy competition, but it also allocates resources to some while excluding others, ignores unequal starting points among students, and ultimately hinders both individual fulfillment and societal progress. He proposed shifting education’s focus to a human interdependence model that nurtures every student’s unique talents and helps address real-world problems.

Prof. Zhao further emphasized that it is not only education but society’s entire structure that needs to be redefined. He explained that the age of artificial intelligence is paving the way for a new kind of society and economy, one that values individuals not for their test scores or standardized achievements, but for their unique human qualities. This transformation encourages people to move away from competition toward collaboration and shared learning. Individuals are now using their passions and talents not only for personal benefit but also to support others, making mutual support and cooperation key values of this new era.