Introduction

“In the age of intelligence, what is the role of education?” This is a question we need to answer together. From May 11 to 13, 2026, the World Digital Education Conference will be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, co-hosted by the Ministry of Education and the Zhejiang Provincial Government. Guests from various countries will gather to discuss how artificial intelligence can promote systematic changes in education and enhance the quality of educational development.

From 2023 to 2025, the World Digital Education Conference has been successfully held for three consecutive years, accelerating the integration of digital technology into educational scenarios at an unprecedented pace. Follow the video to review past conferences and unlock highlights of the 2026 World Digital Education Conference, anticipating this warm and powerful digital education event.

Goals and Achievements

Promoting global collaborative innovation in digital education, facilitating the global sharing of educational resources, and contributing a “Chinese solution” to the development of digital education have showcased China’s achievements in the field of digital education in recent years, significantly enhancing its influence and voice in international education.

“Artificial intelligence is integrating into people’s lives, learning, and work with unprecedented breadth and depth, injecting new momentum into economic and social development, and bringing infinite possibilities for educational reform,” said Yang Dan, Director of the International Cooperation and Exchange Department of the Ministry of Education, at the conference’s launch.

We understand that digital transformation is rapidly reshaping the form, essence, and boundaries of global education, which deserves our continuous attention. This year’s World Digital Education Conference, themed “AI + Education: Transformation, Development, Governance,” aims to build an open and inclusive global dialogue platform to explore strategies for promoting educational equity and quality through smart technology, and to forge a consensus and guidelines for global AI education governance.

Highlights of the Conference

Highlight 1: High-Quality Outcomes

The conference will release eight outcomes categorized into three chapters: Frontier Leadership, Practice Empowerment, and Global Consensus. The first chapter will present the “China Smart Education Development Report (2025-2026)”, the Global Digital Education Development Index 2026, and the Top Ten Global Digital Education Research Hotspots 2026, deepening the understanding of the laws of digital education and continuously building international consensus.

The second chapter, Practice Empowerment, will unveil the upgraded China Smart Education Public Service Platform, the “AI Education Ethics: Reference Framework”, the Top Ten Global Digital Education Innovation Cases, and two standards from the World Digital Education Alliance: “AI Education Application Systems” and “Essential Elements for AI-Enabled Smart Campuses”. These will provide strong support and practical references for digital education development in countries worldwide.

The third chapter, Global Consensus, will release the “Hangzhou Initiative on AI Education”, calling on countries around the world to join hands to accelerate the implementation of the United Nations Future Summit’s “Global Digital Pact” and promote the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals for education. It advocates for a global embrace of the changes brought by the intelligent era, shared human-centered educational concepts, and collaborative governance solutions.

Highlight 2: Innovative Agenda

The opening ceremony will feature an immersive display of “AI + Education Innovation Ecosystem”, showcasing three major scenarios: interdisciplinary learning, future learning centers, and open-source communities, allowing participants to intuitively experience the future of learning.

The plenary session will introduce a first-of-its-kind “School-Enterprise Cooperation Lightning Talk”, where experts from China and abroad, industry leaders, and students will take turns presenting concise, high-density insights, sharing cutting-edge experiences and thoughts from the forefront of laboratories to the industrial frontlines.

The closing ceremony will also be filled with highlights, with leaders from various countries’ education departments and international organizations witnessing the release of the “Hangzhou Initiative”, marking the beginning of future digital education cooperation.

Emphasizing intelligent integration, cross-domain collaboration, and diverse displays, the visit segment will offer seven “Digital Education Hangzhou Tour” routes, providing a one-stop experience at schools, renowned enterprises, and cultural landmarks. Participants will visit cutting-edge technology companies such as Yushu Technology, Alibaba, and Xinhua San, experiencing educational achievements and the digital vitality and cultural depth of Hangzhou.

Highlight 3: High International Participation

This conference has garnered widespread attention and positive responses globally, achieving historic highs in guest levels and coverage.

New perspectives, new outcomes, and new breakthroughs await.

This global educational feast is not to be missed!