BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Education experts have emphasized that artificial intelligence (AI) should help ensure equal access to learning opportunities for all students.
During the Global Smart Education Conference 2026 held in Beijing from Tuesday to Thursday, experts, scholars and frontline educators engaged in discussions around the theme "Reimagining Education in the Age of AI: Equity, Quality and Sustainability," sharing new technologies and practices in smart education.
Participants stressed that, amid the digital divide and varying levels of AI adoption around the world, education must retain its public character while addressing the unique development needs of each country.
They called for global cooperation in smart education to promote experience sharing, co-creation of solutions, and exploration of schools of the future, thereby ensuring equitable learning opportunities for all students.
Ren Youqun, China's vice minister of education, said in his speech that China attaches great importance to the integrated development of AI and education and is advancing the national education digitalization strategy. Significant progress has already been made in transforming education through digital technologies.
He stressed the urgent need for the international community to work together to strengthen teachers' digital literacy and teaching capabilities.
In a video address, Rabab Fatima, UN under secretary-general and high representative for the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and the small island developing states, said that harnessing AI and digital technologies to advance inclusive, equitable and sustainable education is an urgent priority for countries around the world.
She stressed the need to ensure that the benefits of technology reach every learner.
Mohamed Jemni, director of ICT Department at Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, called for promoting multilingual, accessible and inclusive AI-powered education.
The conference, co-hosted by Beijing Normal University and the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education, featured plenary sessions, parallel forums and thematic events, covering a range of topics including governance in AI education, and personalized student development and well-being. ■
