The Ministry of Education participated in UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week, hosted in Paris, France, under the theme “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Education: Transformations, Challenges, and Trends.” This event saw the involvement of numerous ministers and leaders in the digital education sector, including academics, researchers, and UNESCO partners, aimed at discussing pathways to integrate artificial intelligence into education.
The ministry’s delegation was led by His Excellency Engineer Mohammed Al Qasim, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education. In his address, he emphasized that the Digital Learning Week serves as a platform for member states to communicate, collaborate, and coordinate efforts to share experiences and visions that contribute to the establishment of flexible, inclusive, and high-quality educational systems. These efforts are essential in meeting the needs for sustainable and inclusive development and are geared towards fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of future generations.
During his remarks at the event, His Excellency discussed the proactive approach and visionary perspective of the UAE towards investing in educational technology. This includes implementing a comprehensive strategy for digital transformation and employing artificial intelligence across various sectors, including education, to ensure the development of a generation equipped with future skills and capable of competing in all fields.
He also highlighted the practical steps taken by the UAE government in this direction, noting that the UAE was among the first countries globally to introduce a comprehensive curriculum for teaching artificial intelligence, covering all educational stages from preschool to grade twelve. This curriculum is designed to be progressive and integrated while considering the specific needs of each age group, demonstrating the country’s commitment to embedding artificial intelligence as a fundamental tool in its national educational framework.
The main agenda of Digital Learning Week focused on how to reshape curricula, teaching methods, and assessments through artificial intelligence, as well as the future of student learning with AI. The event also included extended parallel sessions addressing curriculum issues, inclusivity, educational technology design, vocational education and training, along with discussions on policy designs and applications related to public digital learning platforms, and the influence of media and information in the AI era, along with regional innovation.
Additionally, His Excellency Mohammed Al Qasim engaged in several bilateral meetings during the UNESCO Digital Learning Week with notable figures, including His Excellency Ali Abdullah Al Ali, the UAE’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO; Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education at UNESCO; Sardor Rajabov, Deputy Minister of Pre-School and School Education in Uzbekistan; Caroline Nombo, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in Tanzania; Claudia Scherer-Ivosev, General Director of the French Agency for Education; and Fabien Cano, Director General of the National Institute of Sport in Paris.