To promote innovation and development in the field of lifelong learning, the “2024 Digital Transformation and Lifelong Learning International Conference” kicked off in Shanghai on October 24-25, 2024. The conference was co-hosted by Shanghai Open University, UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, and UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education. With “open, intelligent, and creative” as its core concepts, the conference focused on the integration and application of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and the metaverse in the field of lifelong learning. It attracted hundreds of experts and industry leaders from 24 countries and regions around the world to discuss the grand plan for the digital transformation of education and to enhance the fairness and sustainability of global education.
The opening addresses were delivered by Mr. Ping Wang, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, Mr. Hui Min, Vice Chair of the University Council of Shanghai Open University, Ms. Isabel Kempf, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. Mr. Tao Zhan, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education, said in his address that the two major themes of the conference, “digital transformation” and “lifelong learning” are self-evident in the importance of global educational change. The establishment of the Global Network for Digital Lifelong Learning is crucial for promoting the application of artificial intelligence and digital literacy in open education and enhancing the importance of digital technology in lifelong education.
In the keynote speech session, many education experts and scholars discussed how digital technology and artificial intelligence can drive the transformation of lifelong education. Mr. Wei Jia, President of the Shanghai Open University, gave a keynote speech titled “Open, Intelligent, and Creative—The Era’s Proposition for Digital Transformation and Lifelong Learning” where he underlined that digital intelligence era requires openness in thinking, concepts, and organizations, achieving an idea and approach from one-way to two-way, and then to all-round openness.
During the conference, the Global Network for Digital Lifelong Learning was officially launched, marking a new stage in global educational cooperation. Eighteen network members from around the world will work closely and share resources to jointly promote the widespread application and innovative development of open education and lifelong learning, contributing to the enhancement of educational equity and inclusiveness worldwide, and striving to narrow the digital divide.
The conference held parallel sessions around three major themes: “Technology Solutions and Best Practices of AI-enabled Lifelong Learning”, “Integrating Digital and Intelligent Technologies for Innovation and Creativity in Education” and “Digitalization Empowering Education for the Senior”. Experts from the fields of education and technology discussed the application of cutting-edge technologies in educational scenarios, shared specific practice cases and successful experiences, and provided innovative directions for the future development of education. Ms. Natalia Amelina, the chief of the Teacher Professional Development and Networking Unit at UNESCO IITE, and Ms. Tatiana Murovana, programme specialist of the UNESCO IITE Digital Pedagogy and Learning Materials unit, delivered presentations on the outcomes of the UNESCO IITE-SOU joint project on “Promoting ICT Capacity Building and Open Education in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies”.
The conference not only showcased the cutting-edge achievements of global educational technology but also built a platform for cooperation and exchange for educators around the world. The newly-established Global Network for Digital Lifelong Learning is intended to further support the educational digital transformation processes and promote the application of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and the metaverse for the fairness and sustainable development of education, laying a solid foundation for building a more open and inclusive lifelong learning ecosystem globally.
