UNESCO: AI for Education Policy
Source: unesco.org
UNESCO Empowers Education Policymakers with AI Training
During UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week, a training session entitled “AI in Action: Project-based Learning for Education Policymakers” addressed key questions about AI in education. The workshop provided participants with skills and confidence to drive AI innovation in education, while prioritizing human rights, equity, and real-world needs.
Participants developed a basic understanding of AI systems, their governance, and educational applications. The session emphasized ethical design, data quality, and aligning technology with actual educational requirements. Through group activities and interactive lectures, policymakers investigated each phase of the AI project cycle, from problem identification and feasibility assessment to solution design, testing, and implementation.
Key Messages and Applications
Group discussions highlighted three main points. Participants used collaborative exercises to consider the essentials of designing effective AI solutions. Discussions included identifying users, training facilitators, and adapting curricula. Personalized learning and reducing teacher workload emerged as highly promising applications. A participant shared an example of an AI-powered tool that aids students in identifying plants and animals on nature walks, turning outdoor exploration into an active learning experience.
Hands-on Approach
The training included modules covering AI fundamentals, educational use cases, and collaborative policy planning. Through practical group work, policymakers identified AI entry points for education systems and used a structured development cycle that covered needs assessment, data evaluation, model selection, and implementation planning. This hands-on method encouraged peer learning and emphasized the practical use of concepts.
As UNESCO furthers its work to support digital transformation within the public sector, this session was an important step toward inclusive AI adoption in education that is grounded in human rights. Digital Learning Week reinforced the need to provide policymakers with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to champion change, ensuring innovation improves equity, quality, and long-term impact in education.
The UNESCO Communication and Information Sector’s AI for the Public Sector Programme organized the workshop. UNESCO’s Programme on AI and Digital Transformation for the Public Sector, launched in 2021, seeks to help governments build institutional capacity for digital transformation based on human rights. The program assists civil servants in creating AI-powered public services that are transparent, efficient, and inclusive. In 2022, UNESCO launched its Digital Competency Framework, published in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation: Competencies for Civil Servants. This framework has informed institutional digital transformation strategies in Nigeria and Rwanda. Public institutions in the European Union and India have also adapted UNESCO's Digital Competency Framework into their own competency frameworks.
To date, the program has reached 50 countries. Future initiatives include a Global MOOC on Digital Transformation and AI, a Repository of AI Tools for the Public Sector, and global and national training programs for civil servants. Through such initiatives and partnerships, UNESCO is committed to leading efforts toward human rights-based innovation, empowering governments to bring about meaningful change for their citizens and move closer to a digitally inclusive future. You can sign up here to receive updates about it.