About the competition
The “Teaching in the 21st Century 2.0” competition, organized by UNESCO IITE and NetDragon on the E-Library platform, concluded in September 2024, showcasing educational innovation from 528 teachers across 40 countries. Participants from countries such as Pakistan, Egypt, Mauritius, Tunisia, Armenia, Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Serbia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Ghana, and others submitted 235 projects that highlighted creative approaches to modern teaching. These included the use of ChatGPT and generative AI tools to enhance learning, gamified classrooms to boost engagement, greening classrooms with EdTech solutions, and building innovative environments in classrooms with ICT.
The competition awarded five winners from Tunisia (Bouslimi Chokri), Egypt (Adel Mohamed Badawy Dardir), Greece (Antonia Nikou), Mauritius (Mehtaab Bukhuth), and Uzbekistan (Denis Kudaimetov) a 5-day study tour to Serbia (28 October – 1 November 2024), where they participated in learning exchanges and received additional training on integrating AI into education. This international experience enabled teachers to explore diverse educational practices and enrich their teaching methods through exposure to new educational perspectives.
Day 1: A Warm Welcome and Academic Introduction
The tour began at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Education, with an introduction by Faculty Dean, Prof. Dr. Danimir Mandić, and Vice Minister of Education, Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Jović. Ms. Galina Udayadas from UNESCO IITE presented an overview of the E-Library platform, followed by discussions with faculty staff, tours of teaching facilities, and classroom visits. The day ended with a cultural excursion to the Tesla Museum, exploring how technological advances have shaped modern society.
Day 2: AI and Immersive Technology in Education
On the second day, the delegation visited the Centre for Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in Education (CRAIE), where participants explored cutting-edge learning environments featuring AI-supported software, virtual reality, holograms, and smart classroom setups. Later, the group visited the Huawei branch in Serbia, engaging in discussions facilitated by members of the international delegation, including NetDragon representative Ms. Zhang Qing (Nicole Zhang) and Mr. Chen Hao (Michael Chen) from Beijing Normal University. The day concluded with a cultural visit to the renowned Saint Sava Temple.
Day 3: Showcasing Educational Innovation
At CRAIE, PhD and master’s students from University of Belgrade showcased award-winning projects from the “Global Competition on Design for Future Education.” In addition, “Teaching in the 21st century 2.0” winners presented their innovative teaching projects, followed by a training session on AI in education, led by Dr. Lixin Zhu from the UNESCO Chair on AI in Education. The training was closed with the speech of Mr. Zlatko Grušanović, Director of Institute of Improvement of Education. The delegation also visited Savremena School for a hands-on workshop with Robot Pepper and participated in a live classroom session.
Day 4: Expanding Educational Perspectives in Jagodina
The delegation traveled to Jagodina to visit the Faculty of Education, University of Kragujevac, where they exchanged teaching practices with faculty and students. The day included discussions on educational transformation over a working lunch and a cultural outing to a local art museum.
Day 5: Visit to the Ministry of Education and Conclusion of the Tour
The final day included an official visit to the Ministry of Education, where State Secretary Prof. Dr. Aleksandra Šuvaković and vice ministers engaged in discussions on the transformation of education in Serbia. Later, an official ceremony took place, during which certificates of appreciation were awarded to the winning teachers. Following this, CRAIE hosted a workshop on integrating teaching technologies, such as Bee Bots, in primary education. The study tour concluded with visits to the Museum of Yugoslavia and the National Museum.
The staff of the University of Belgrade Faculty of Education and CRAIE received heartfelt gratitude from UNESCO IITE, NetDragon and winning teachers for their organization and support in making this international educational tour a success. The tour fostered an exchange of ideas on the expanded implementation of AI in education and the use of educational innovations in classrooms worldwide.