Deepening the Integrated Innovation of AI and Education and Co-Creating a Blueprint for Future Teachers —Forum on “Empowering Teachers through AI-Driven Continuous Professional Development” Successfully Held
date：2025-09-01 15:41author：adminsource：Smart Learning Instituteviews：
On the afternoon of August 20, the Forum on “Empowering Teachers through AI-Driven Continuous Professional Development” under the Global Smart Education Conference 2025 (GSE2025) was successfully held at Beijing Normal University. Officials, scholars, and industry experts from universities, research institutions, and international organizations worldwide gathered together to engage in in-depth discussions on key topics such as the conceptual dimensions and developmental pathways of AI literacy for teachers, the deep integration of AI throughout educational processes including lesson preparation, tutoring, and pedagogical research, as well as educational ethics and the boundaries of responsibilities in the intelligent era. The forum was jointly organized by the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE), Guangzhou AVA Electronics Technology Co., Ltd., and NetDragon Websoft Inc.
Group photo of attendees
Mr. ZHAN Tao, Director of UNESCO IITE, emphasized that AI presents both unprecedented opportunities and significant challenges for education, with teacher development as its core. As the only institution within the United Nations system dedicated to educational information technology and AI-powered teacher development, UNESCO IITE has been continuously promoting teacher training and professional growth. He called on the global education community to strengthen cooperation and share wisdom, to promote human-AI collaborative symbiosis and contribute to the sustainable development of education and society.
Mr. ZHAN Tao, Director of UNESCO IITE
Mr. ZHAO Xin, Deputy Director of the Department of Teacher Education, Ministry of Education, P.R. China, emphasized in his speech that teachers, as the core force of educational transformation, will determine the future of education through their own transformation and capacity enhancement. The Ministry of Education places high importance on the digital transformation of the teaching workforce, is committed to enhancing digital literacy and promoting the deep integration of AI into education. He pointed out that at present, there are issues such as uneven digital literacy among teachers and a slow shift in mindset. He called for the joint establishment of a global community for AI-enabled teacher education to promote mutual recognition of standards, data interoperability, and platform interconnection. Additionally, he emphasized strengthening international collaboration and joint curriculum development to build an open and shared new paradigm for smart education.
Mr. ZHAO Xin, Deputy Director of the Department of Teacher Education, Ministry of Education, P.R. China
Mr. XIA Yingyuan, Member of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of China Reform Culture Holdings Co., Ltd. (CRHC), stated that AI, as a new quality productive force, is accelerating the transformation of human-AI collaboration in education and reshaping the roles, capabilities, and development models of teachers. As a central state-owned enterprise, CRHC has long been dedicated to empowering teacher development through AI. Relying on AVA Electronics, CRHC has developed products such as the multimodal analysis tools, AI mentorship interaction system, and smart education platforms, to foster teacher growth and promote educational equity. He emphasized that the key to educational innovation lies in unleashing teachers' creativity and making AI a powerful supporter for educators, and called for the joint creation of a new, intelligently symbiotic educational ecosystem.
Mr. XIA Yingyuan, Member of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of China Reform Culture Holdings Co., Ltd.
Mr. John Shawe-Taylor, Director of UNESCO International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) and Professor of University College London, emphasized in his speech that advancing AI applications must be grounded in a clear understanding of the essence and principles of education. AI should serve as a collaborator rather than a replacement for teachers, enhancing educators’ efficiency and creativity through human-AI collaboration to foster deeper learner understanding and engagement. The potential of large language models lies in stimulating students' interest in learning and critical thinking through debate and interaction, and enhancing their engagement and communication skills. It is anticipated that effective human-AI collaboration can be built in the future to enable AI to truly empower educators and learners.
Mr. John Shawe-Taylor, Director of UNESCO International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) and Professor of University College London
Dr. Song Hae-deok, President of the Korean Society for Educational Technology (KSET), South Korea, noted that AI is driving the digital transformation of education in South Korea, with digital textbooks and support systems already widely adopted, though disagreements persist across various sectors of society. He emphasized the need to establish unified standards and enhance teachers' digital literacy, and help them adapt to new technologies through large-scale training. He believes that future education should be human-centered, focusing on cultivating qualities such as empathy, collaboration, and social-emotional skills. He advocated for AI to serve as a learning partner, while teachers take on the role of guides.
Dr. Song Hae-deok, President of the Korean Society for Educational Technology (KSET), South Korea
Dr. Natalia Amelina, Senior National Project Officer and Chief of Unit of Teacher Professional Development and Networking, UNESCO International Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE), emphasized that enhancing AI competency among teachers and students is pivotal for the future of education. She called for addressing existing challenges and bridging the digital divide by increasing investment in teacher training, integrating AI into multidisciplinary curricula, expanding equitable access to technological infrastructure, strengthening education in ethics and critical thinking, and deepening global collaboration.
Dr. Natalia Amelina, Senior National Project Officer and Chief of Unit of Teacher Professional Development and Networking, UNESCO International Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE)
Prof. Demetrios Sampson from the University of Piraeus, Greece, introduced Europe's multifaceted practices in deeply integrating AI into education through policies like the “Digital Education Action Plan,” which aims to enhance teachers' digital literacy and support their professional development. The European Union promotes training and professional exchange, benefiting millions of teachers and school users worldwide through initiatives such as advancing AI literacy, establishing open platforms, exploring micro-credentials, and leveraging technology to mitigate educational inequalities. He emphasized that empowering teachers with AI goes beyond enhancing individual capabilities, and requires support from systematic platforms, policy frameworks, and transnational partnerships.
Prof. Demetrios Sampson from the University of Piraeus, Greece
Prof. Abtar Darshan Singh, UNESCO Chair on Harnessing Innovations in Technology to Support Teachers and Quality Learning and Professor of the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), introduced that her team has provided eight AI training modules to approximately 7,000 teachers from 24 countries within two years. These modules cover areas such as content generation, instructional design, academic research and writing, as well as assessment innovation. She emphasized that the core of smart education lies in continuously improving teaching efficiency, learning experience, and content adaptability, while supporting personalized and multilingual learning. She also called for strengthening regional and global cooperation.
Prof. Abtar Darshan Singh, UNESCO Chair on Harnessing Innovations in Technology to Support Teachers and Quality Learning and Professor of the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation
Prof. Brinda Oogarah-Pratap, Head of the Outer Island and International Affairs Desk and Associate Professor at the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE), Mauritius, highlighted, from a Global South perspective, that AI has the potential to empower teacher education, but it also faces significant challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited training opportunities, and cultural neglect. She emphasized that AI should serve as an inclusive tool and integrate with local languages and cultures to provide teachers with more effective training and support. She called for promoting inclusive AI applications, formulating privacy policies, developing localized AI literacy, and enhancing collaboration and investment to advance educational equity.
Prof. Brinda Oogarah-Pratap, Head of the Outer Island and International Affairs Desk and Associate Professor at the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE), Mauritius
Dr. Renee Chew Shiun Yee, Research Fellow & Senior Lecturer of the Centre for Educational Sustainability Development & Strategies, Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts (FELA), INTI International University, Malaysia, emphasized that teachers need to guide students in the ethical use of AI and help them avoid academic plagiarism and over-reliance. He proposed an “EIV Framework”: Exploration, Identification, and Verification. He advocated for the integration of multiple tools and critical thinking to position AI as an aid rather than a replacement for teachers or learners.
Dr. Renee Chew Shiun Yee, Research Fellow & Senior Lecturer of the Centre for Educational Sustainability Development & Strategies, Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts (FELA), INTI International University, Malaysia
UNESCO IITE, Beijing Normal University, and NetDragon Websoft Inc. jointly launched a short video series titled Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Education–The Future is Here. This series focuses on the profound impact of AI on teaching models, teacher-student relationships, and educational ethics, and explores issues such as the redefinition of teachers’ roles, the governance of gender bias, and the establishment of ethical standards for technologies, aiming to promote the development of a human-AI collaborative “dual-teacher model.”
“Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Education” theme release
Mr. XIAO Fangming, Director of the Education Commission of Yuzhong District, Chongqing, stated that AI is reshaping teaching models and redefining the role of educators. He emphasized that the key to educational transformation lies in teachers' digital literacy and classroom restructuring. Yuzhong District started with “AI-native classrooms” to promote intelligent tools as cognitive carriers, built a collaborative smart teaching environment for teachers and students in “AI-symbiotic classrooms,” and aims to ultimately achieve low-cost, high-efficiency “AI-creative classrooms.” He called for moving beyond an instrumental perspective and jointly building a new ecosystem for future classrooms characterized by human-AI collaboration, data-driven approaches, and co-creation and sharing.
Mr. XIAO Fangming, Director of the Education Commission of Yuzhong District, Chongqing
Mr. HU Xiaoyong, Director of the Teacher Development Center and Executive Deputy Dean of the Institute of Educational Artificial Intelligence, South China Normal University, proposed that the “future teachers” in the AI era should encompass a diverse range of roles, including teacher trainees, in-service educators, and AI “quasi-teachers.” He emphasized the need to shift teachers' focus from “information literacy” to “intelligence literacy,” and to reshape their professional competencies with practice at the core. He introduced that South China Normal University has provided replicable and scalable paradigms for the intelligent transformation of the teaching workforce by constructing national-level smart training scenarios for future classrooms, releasing a series of research outcomes and development reports, and promoting courses and platforms.
Mr. HU Xiaoyong, Director of the Teacher Development Center and Executive Deputy Dean of the Institute of Educational Artificial Intelligence, South China Normal University
Mr. Gary Wong, Director of the Centre for Information Technology in Education (CITE), The University of Hong Kong, believed that AI should be regarded as a “first-aid kit” in teachers' instructional practices, providing support in unexpected situations. He advocated for enhancing teachers' awareness and proficiency in using AI tools through systematic training, establishing a human-AI collaboration mechanism between teachers and AI, and achieving the organic integration of intelligent technology and educational value in the classroom.
Mr. Gary Wong, Director of the Centre for Information Technology in Education (CITE), The University of Hong Kong
Mr. WANG Yong, General Manager of Guangzhou AVA Electronics Technology Co., Ltd., explained that in response to practical challenges such as difficulties in classroom data collection, low analysis standards, weak pedagogical research mechanisms, and data security concerns, AVA Electronics proposed a solution path centered on “AI-driven evidence-based pedagogical research” to construct a closed-loop for instructional reform. By integrating multimodal, unobtrusive data collection, educational-specific large model reasoning, multidimensional evaluation system development, and human-AI collaborative growth support, the company aims to create a new ecosystem for teacher development characterized by “data-driven—intelligent decision support—targeted improvement.”
Mr. WANG Yong, General Manager of Guangzhou AVA Electronics Technology Co., Ltd.
Mr. LIU Shufang, Director of the Education Bureau of Quanzhou City, introduced that Quanzhou has established a comprehensive digital ecosystem spanning teacher development, student growth, home-school collaboration, and educational management through its self-developed “Quanzhou Education Online” integrated platform. This system serves more than 100,000 teachers and 1.7 million students across the city. By leveraging mechanisms such as synchronous classrooms, dual-teacher pedagogical research initiatives, and digital profiling, the system is driving teachers toward data-driven transformation, with plans to cultivate 10,000 AI teaching specialists within three years.
Mr. LIU Shufang, Director of the Education Bureau of Quanzhou City
Mr. CAO Hairong, Director of the Institute of Educational Technology, Suzhou, shared Suzhou's integrated approach to advancing teacher transformation through a four-pronged strategy: “top-level design—platform construction—diverse research and training—scenario innovation.” Guided by policies, supported by platforms, and driven by comprehensive training, the city has built a human-AI collaborative ecosystem for future teachers. As he said, Suzhou will continuously adhere to the development philosophy of “intelligent, people-oriented, and continuous upgrading” to build a diverse, integrated, and human-AI collaborative ecosystem for future teachers. Experts from different fields are welcome to participate in the initiative.
Mr. CAO Hairong, Director of the Institute of Educational Technology, Suzhou
Mr. ZHANG Guofeng, Director of the Education and Sports Bureau of Shouguang City, emphasized that Shouguang has leveraged over two decades of accumulated experience in educational IT application to systematically advance three key initiatives. First, the city has built a digital foundation through infrastructure upgrades, including a 10G educational metropolitan area network, comprehensive smart campuses, and AI-powered self-study rooms. Second, it has established a mechanism to enhance teachers' digital literacy by designing a three-phase growth path—“technology adaptation → integration and modification → innovative application”—to cultivate a multi-tiered team of tech-savvy educators. Third, it is driving teaching innovation with the “Six-Step AI Tool Application Method,” enabling full-process digitalization of teaching practices, and creating a data-driven new model for pedagogical research.
Mr. ZHANG Guofeng, Director of the Education and Sports Bureau of Shouguang City
Mr. TIAN Shenjian, Director of the Education and Sports Bureau of Zoucheng City, shared the city's practices in leveraging human-AI collaboration to drive the digital transformation of education and promote educational equity between urban and rural areas. To address disparities between urban and rural areas, Zoucheng has established a “cloud-network integration” digital infrastructure, achieving full coverage of a 10-gigabit education network and smart classrooms. It also built an education cloud platform aggregating more than 15 million resources, supporting equitable development between urban and rural areas. In addition, Zoucheng has established a “five-in-one” coordinated ecosystem involving the government, universities, enterprises, schools, and teachers. It has introduced AI technology to carry out targeted teaching and classroom evaluation, and developed a digital literacy training system for teachers to support their professional growth through intelligent lesson preparation and classroom diagnostics.
Mr. TIAN Shenjian, Director of the Education and Sports Bureau of Zoucheng City
Mr. HUANG Bin, Principal of Changjun Bilingual Experimental Middle School, Changsha, shared the school's practical experience in applying digital intelligence to enhance campus safety: By establishing a smart security system, creating digital risk profiles, and deploying comprehensive intelligent sensing defenses, the school has achieved precise identification and dynamic management of campus risks. Focusing on key scenarios such as abnormal behavior recognition, facial surveillance, and voice alerts, the school has developed an intelligent closed-loop mechanism featuring “pinpoint positioning, tiered intervention, and rapid response.” Additionally, it promotes multi-scenario intelligent collaboration, shifting from passive reaction to proactive prevention. He called for efforts to make campuses truly safe, caring, and intelligent spaces.
Mr. HUANG Bin, Principal of Changjun Bilingual Experimental Middle School, Changsha
The forum was co-chaired by Dr. Tatiana Shutova, Programme Specialist of the Unit of Teacher Professional Development and Networking, UNESCO IITE, and Prof. ZHOU Yueliang, Dean of Smart Education Research Institute at Zhejiang Normal University.
Two moderators at the forum
Group photo of attendees
Mr. ZHAN Tao, Director of UNESCO IITE
Mr. ZHAO Xin, Deputy Director of the Department of Teacher Education, Ministry of Education, P.R. China, emphasized in his speech that teachers, as the core force of educational transformation, will determine the future of education through their own transformation and capacity enhancement. The Ministry of Education places high importance on the digital transformation of the teaching workforce, is committed to enhancing digital literacy and promoting the deep integration of AI into education. He pointed out that at present, there are issues such as uneven digital literacy among teachers and a slow shift in mindset. He called for the joint establishment of a global community for AI-enabled teacher education to promote mutual recognition of standards, data interoperability, and platform interconnection. Additionally, he emphasized strengthening international collaboration and joint curriculum development to build an open and shared new paradigm for smart education.
Mr. ZHAO Xin, Deputy Director of the Department of Teacher Education, Ministry of Education, P.R. China
Mr. XIA Yingyuan, Member of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of China Reform Culture Holdings Co., Ltd. (CRHC), stated that AI, as a new quality productive force, is accelerating the transformation of human-AI collaboration in education and reshaping the roles, capabilities, and development models of teachers. As a central state-owned enterprise, CRHC has long been dedicated to empowering teacher development through AI. Relying on AVA Electronics, CRHC has developed products such as the multimodal analysis tools, AI mentorship interaction system, and smart education platforms, to foster teacher growth and promote educational equity. He emphasized that the key to educational innovation lies in unleashing teachers' creativity and making AI a powerful supporter for educators, and called for the joint creation of a new, intelligently symbiotic educational ecosystem.
Mr. XIA Yingyuan, Member of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of China Reform Culture Holdings Co., Ltd.
Mr. John Shawe-Taylor, Director of UNESCO International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) and Professor of University College London, emphasized in his speech that advancing AI applications must be grounded in a clear understanding of the essence and principles of education. AI should serve as a collaborator rather than a replacement for teachers, enhancing educators’ efficiency and creativity through human-AI collaboration to foster deeper learner understanding and engagement. The potential of large language models lies in stimulating students' interest in learning and critical thinking through debate and interaction, and enhancing their engagement and communication skills. It is anticipated that effective human-AI collaboration can be built in the future to enable AI to truly empower educators and learners.
Mr. John Shawe-Taylor, Director of UNESCO International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) and Professor of University College London
Dr. Song Hae-deok, President of the Korean Society for Educational Technology (KSET), South Korea, noted that AI is driving the digital transformation of education in South Korea, with digital textbooks and support systems already widely adopted, though disagreements persist across various sectors of society. He emphasized the need to establish unified standards and enhance teachers' digital literacy, and help them adapt to new technologies through large-scale training. He believes that future education should be human-centered, focusing on cultivating qualities such as empathy, collaboration, and social-emotional skills. He advocated for AI to serve as a learning partner, while teachers take on the role of guides.
Dr. Song Hae-deok, President of the Korean Society for Educational Technology (KSET), South Korea
Dr. Natalia Amelina, Senior National Project Officer and Chief of Unit of Teacher Professional Development and Networking, UNESCO International Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE), emphasized that enhancing AI competency among teachers and students is pivotal for the future of education. She called for addressing existing challenges and bridging the digital divide by increasing investment in teacher training, integrating AI into multidisciplinary curricula, expanding equitable access to technological infrastructure, strengthening education in ethics and critical thinking, and deepening global collaboration.
Dr. Natalia Amelina, Senior National Project Officer and Chief of Unit of Teacher Professional Development and Networking, UNESCO International Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE)
Prof. Demetrios Sampson from the University of Piraeus, Greece, introduced Europe's multifaceted practices in deeply integrating AI into education through policies like the “Digital Education Action Plan,” which aims to enhance teachers' digital literacy and support their professional development. The European Union promotes training and professional exchange, benefiting millions of teachers and school users worldwide through initiatives such as advancing AI literacy, establishing open platforms, exploring micro-credentials, and leveraging technology to mitigate educational inequalities. He emphasized that empowering teachers with AI goes beyond enhancing individual capabilities, and requires support from systematic platforms, policy frameworks, and transnational partnerships.
Prof. Demetrios Sampson from the University of Piraeus, Greece
Prof. Abtar Darshan Singh, UNESCO Chair on Harnessing Innovations in Technology to Support Teachers and Quality Learning and Professor of the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), introduced that her team has provided eight AI training modules to approximately 7,000 teachers from 24 countries within two years. These modules cover areas such as content generation, instructional design, academic research and writing, as well as assessment innovation. She emphasized that the core of smart education lies in continuously improving teaching efficiency, learning experience, and content adaptability, while supporting personalized and multilingual learning. She also called for strengthening regional and global cooperation.
Prof. Abtar Darshan Singh, UNESCO Chair on Harnessing Innovations in Technology to Support Teachers and Quality Learning and Professor of the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation
Prof. Brinda Oogarah-Pratap, Head of the Outer Island and International Affairs Desk and Associate Professor at the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE), Mauritius, highlighted, from a Global South perspective, that AI has the potential to empower teacher education, but it also faces significant challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited training opportunities, and cultural neglect. She emphasized that AI should serve as an inclusive tool and integrate with local languages and cultures to provide teachers with more effective training and support. She called for promoting inclusive AI applications, formulating privacy policies, developing localized AI literacy, and enhancing collaboration and investment to advance educational equity.
Prof. Brinda Oogarah-Pratap, Head of the Outer Island and International Affairs Desk and Associate Professor at the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE), Mauritius
Dr. Renee Chew Shiun Yee, Research Fellow & Senior Lecturer of the Centre for Educational Sustainability Development & Strategies, Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts (FELA), INTI International University, Malaysia, emphasized that teachers need to guide students in the ethical use of AI and help them avoid academic plagiarism and over-reliance. He proposed an “EIV Framework”: Exploration, Identification, and Verification. He advocated for the integration of multiple tools and critical thinking to position AI as an aid rather than a replacement for teachers or learners.
Dr. Renee Chew Shiun Yee, Research Fellow & Senior Lecturer of the Centre for Educational Sustainability Development & Strategies, Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts (FELA), INTI International University, Malaysia
UNESCO IITE, Beijing Normal University, and NetDragon Websoft Inc. jointly launched a short video series titled Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Education–The Future is Here. This series focuses on the profound impact of AI on teaching models, teacher-student relationships, and educational ethics, and explores issues such as the redefinition of teachers’ roles, the governance of gender bias, and the establishment of ethical standards for technologies, aiming to promote the development of a human-AI collaborative “dual-teacher model.”
“Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Education” theme release
Mr. XIAO Fangming, Director of the Education Commission of Yuzhong District, Chongqing, stated that AI is reshaping teaching models and redefining the role of educators. He emphasized that the key to educational transformation lies in teachers' digital literacy and classroom restructuring. Yuzhong District started with “AI-native classrooms” to promote intelligent tools as cognitive carriers, built a collaborative smart teaching environment for teachers and students in “AI-symbiotic classrooms,” and aims to ultimately achieve low-cost, high-efficiency “AI-creative classrooms.” He called for moving beyond an instrumental perspective and jointly building a new ecosystem for future classrooms characterized by human-AI collaboration, data-driven approaches, and co-creation and sharing.
Mr. XIAO Fangming, Director of the Education Commission of Yuzhong District, Chongqing
Mr. HU Xiaoyong, Director of the Teacher Development Center and Executive Deputy Dean of the Institute of Educational Artificial Intelligence, South China Normal University, proposed that the “future teachers” in the AI era should encompass a diverse range of roles, including teacher trainees, in-service educators, and AI “quasi-teachers.” He emphasized the need to shift teachers' focus from “information literacy” to “intelligence literacy,” and to reshape their professional competencies with practice at the core. He introduced that South China Normal University has provided replicable and scalable paradigms for the intelligent transformation of the teaching workforce by constructing national-level smart training scenarios for future classrooms, releasing a series of research outcomes and development reports, and promoting courses and platforms.
Mr. HU Xiaoyong, Director of the Teacher Development Center and Executive Deputy Dean of the Institute of Educational Artificial Intelligence, South China Normal University
Mr. Gary Wong, Director of the Centre for Information Technology in Education (CITE), The University of Hong Kong, believed that AI should be regarded as a “first-aid kit” in teachers' instructional practices, providing support in unexpected situations. He advocated for enhancing teachers' awareness and proficiency in using AI tools through systematic training, establishing a human-AI collaboration mechanism between teachers and AI, and achieving the organic integration of intelligent technology and educational value in the classroom.
Mr. Gary Wong, Director of the Centre for Information Technology in Education (CITE), The University of Hong Kong
Mr. WANG Yong, General Manager of Guangzhou AVA Electronics Technology Co., Ltd., explained that in response to practical challenges such as difficulties in classroom data collection, low analysis standards, weak pedagogical research mechanisms, and data security concerns, AVA Electronics proposed a solution path centered on “AI-driven evidence-based pedagogical research” to construct a closed-loop for instructional reform. By integrating multimodal, unobtrusive data collection, educational-specific large model reasoning, multidimensional evaluation system development, and human-AI collaborative growth support, the company aims to create a new ecosystem for teacher development characterized by “data-driven—intelligent decision support—targeted improvement.”
Mr. WANG Yong, General Manager of Guangzhou AVA Electronics Technology Co., Ltd.
Mr. LIU Shufang, Director of the Education Bureau of Quanzhou City, introduced that Quanzhou has established a comprehensive digital ecosystem spanning teacher development, student growth, home-school collaboration, and educational management through its self-developed “Quanzhou Education Online” integrated platform. This system serves more than 100,000 teachers and 1.7 million students across the city. By leveraging mechanisms such as synchronous classrooms, dual-teacher pedagogical research initiatives, and digital profiling, the system is driving teachers toward data-driven transformation, with plans to cultivate 10,000 AI teaching specialists within three years.
Mr. LIU Shufang, Director of the Education Bureau of Quanzhou City
Mr. CAO Hairong, Director of the Institute of Educational Technology, Suzhou, shared Suzhou's integrated approach to advancing teacher transformation through a four-pronged strategy: “top-level design—platform construction—diverse research and training—scenario innovation.” Guided by policies, supported by platforms, and driven by comprehensive training, the city has built a human-AI collaborative ecosystem for future teachers. As he said, Suzhou will continuously adhere to the development philosophy of “intelligent, people-oriented, and continuous upgrading” to build a diverse, integrated, and human-AI collaborative ecosystem for future teachers. Experts from different fields are welcome to participate in the initiative.
Mr. CAO Hairong, Director of the Institute of Educational Technology, Suzhou
Mr. ZHANG Guofeng, Director of the Education and Sports Bureau of Shouguang City, emphasized that Shouguang has leveraged over two decades of accumulated experience in educational IT application to systematically advance three key initiatives. First, the city has built a digital foundation through infrastructure upgrades, including a 10G educational metropolitan area network, comprehensive smart campuses, and AI-powered self-study rooms. Second, it has established a mechanism to enhance teachers' digital literacy by designing a three-phase growth path—“technology adaptation → integration and modification → innovative application”—to cultivate a multi-tiered team of tech-savvy educators. Third, it is driving teaching innovation with the “Six-Step AI Tool Application Method,” enabling full-process digitalization of teaching practices, and creating a data-driven new model for pedagogical research.
Mr. ZHANG Guofeng, Director of the Education and Sports Bureau of Shouguang City
Mr. TIAN Shenjian, Director of the Education and Sports Bureau of Zoucheng City, shared the city's practices in leveraging human-AI collaboration to drive the digital transformation of education and promote educational equity between urban and rural areas. To address disparities between urban and rural areas, Zoucheng has established a “cloud-network integration” digital infrastructure, achieving full coverage of a 10-gigabit education network and smart classrooms. It also built an education cloud platform aggregating more than 15 million resources, supporting equitable development between urban and rural areas. In addition, Zoucheng has established a “five-in-one” coordinated ecosystem involving the government, universities, enterprises, schools, and teachers. It has introduced AI technology to carry out targeted teaching and classroom evaluation, and developed a digital literacy training system for teachers to support their professional growth through intelligent lesson preparation and classroom diagnostics.
Mr. TIAN Shenjian, Director of the Education and Sports Bureau of Zoucheng City
Mr. HUANG Bin, Principal of Changjun Bilingual Experimental Middle School, Changsha, shared the school's practical experience in applying digital intelligence to enhance campus safety: By establishing a smart security system, creating digital risk profiles, and deploying comprehensive intelligent sensing defenses, the school has achieved precise identification and dynamic management of campus risks. Focusing on key scenarios such as abnormal behavior recognition, facial surveillance, and voice alerts, the school has developed an intelligent closed-loop mechanism featuring “pinpoint positioning, tiered intervention, and rapid response.” Additionally, it promotes multi-scenario intelligent collaboration, shifting from passive reaction to proactive prevention. He called for efforts to make campuses truly safe, caring, and intelligent spaces.
Mr. HUANG Bin, Principal of Changjun Bilingual Experimental Middle School, Changsha
The forum was co-chaired by Dr. Tatiana Shutova, Programme Specialist of the Unit of Teacher Professional Development and Networking, UNESCO IITE, and Prof. ZHOU Yueliang, Dean of Smart Education Research Institute at Zhejiang Normal University.
Two moderators at the forum
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