EdUHK Co-hosts 2nd International Conference on Education with Chiang Mai University for Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education through Emerging Technologies
On 4 July 2025, The Education University of Hong Kong’s (EdUHK) Global Institute for Emerging Technologies (GIET) Equity Team held the 2nd International Conference on Education, entitled ‘Innovative Learning and Emerging Technologies: Transforming Education for the Future’. The conference was held at the Faculty of Education at Chiang Mai University (CMU) in Thailand. The aim of the conference was to foster sustainable dialogue and collaboration, regarding the use of emerging technologies to advance inclusive and equitable quality education across Southeast Asia.
As the 5th forum of the Learning Innovations and Emerging Technologies Forum Series (the Series), the event was co-hosted by the GIET Equity Team, CMU, the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE), the UNESCO Chairs Programme, and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO).
This was the first event in the Forum Series to be hosted in Thailand, and it featured an opening ceremony, a keynote speech, and three impactful panel sessions. Participants included policymakers, practitioners, scholars and students from Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. With over 300 onsite participants and approximately 10,000 online viewers, this conference, also known as the 5th forum of the Series, provided a platform for education stakeholders and the global education community to exchange ideas and strategies, reinforcing the role of emerging technologies in fostering inclusive and equitable quality education.
The event began with opening remarks from representatives of the co-hosting institutions. Professor John Lee Chi-Kin, EdUHK President and UNESCO Chair in Regional Education Development and Lifelong Learning, delivered an online address summarising the milestones of the Learning Innovations and Emerging Technologies Forum Series and aligning its goals with EdUHK's strategic vision of ‘Education Futures’. “As EdUHK is dedicated to harnessing emerging technologies, we will allocate more resources to prepare teachers and students to embrace the opportunities and challenges of a digital and AI-driven future,” he stated.
Professor Pongruk Sribanditmongkol, President of CMU, also shared CMU's vision for the integration of education and technology. “At Chiang Mai University, we are not just adopting technologies; it is about creating an inclusive, future-ready learning ecosystem that prepares our students to thrive,” he said.
Professor Zhan Tao, Director of UNESCO IITE, discussed the relationship between humans and technology in addressing educational challenges and opportunities. “The magic is about working together among human beings and AI beings,” he said.
Datuk Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim, Director of SEAMEO Secretariat, highlighted the transformative impact of technology on education in Southeast Asia, advocating for education systems that are “innovative, resilient and truly equitable to ensure every learner thrives in the 21st century.”
Dr Tipparat Noparit, Dean of the Faculty of Education at CMU, welcomed all local and international participants using an AI-generated avatar. She said, “This landmark event represents a significant milestone in our commitment to advancing educational experiences and fostering international collaboration.”
Professor Lim Cher-ping, Chair Professor of Learning Technologies and Innovation and Co-Director of GIET at EdUHK, delivered a keynote speech, sharing rigorous research cases and best practices from leading international projects which use emerging technologies to enhance education quality and equity. His presentation set the stage for discussions on leveraging technology to create a transformative educational mentality and experiences. “We are now progressing from learning via technology and learning with technology, to learning how to learn with technology,” he explained.
The first panel session featured three local students at different educational levels discussing their perspectives on implementing innovation and emerging technologies in learning. Through first-hand sharing of local EdTech implementation cases and challenges, the students envisioned a future educational landscape empowered by emerging technologies that align with an inclusive and equitable mindset.
The second panel transitioned to scholars and practitioners in the higher education system who have solid pedagogical experience and abundant evidence-based reflections. Entitled ‘Innovative Learning Practices Leveraged by Emerging Technologies’, experts from CMU, Nanyang Technological University, and EdUHK discussed contextualised cases of inclusive and equitable tech-empowered education practices and their potential sustainability and scalability.
The third session brought together experts and policymakers from government, global organisations, and the private sector to discuss the implementation of EdTech policies and the cultivation of partnerships in diverse settings. As policies and partnerships are critical aspects in ensuring educational inclusion and equitable quality, panel members from The Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology, Asian Development Bank, and EdVolution Enterprise also shared their insights and best practices on building local capacity to sustain inclusive and equitable education advanced by technological implementation.
The EdUHK GIET Equity team will further strengthen its cooperation with partners in our global networks to enhance educational equity and inclusiveness through emerging technologies, both locally, regionally and internationally.
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EdUHK Co-hosts 2nd International Conference on Education with Chiang Mai University for Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education through Emerging Technologies
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