This year, the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE) convened its Governing Board (GB) in Beijing, China, for its 26th Session, held on 20 August 2026 within the framework of the Global Smart Education (GSE2026) Conference.

Speakers highlighted that growing demand for AI teacher training offers a strategic opportunity to strengthen MIL, shared national policy experiences, and called for proactive, equitable approaches to navigating the rapidly evolving AI-driven information landscape.

UNESCO IITE has published a Russian-language version of the brief “Media and Information Literacy for All: Closing the Gaps”, produced by the UNESCO Unit for Media and Information Literacy and Digital Competencies.

The session “AI and Women’s Leadership in Higher Education: Insights from UNESCO IITE and UNESCO-ICHEI Initiatives” explored how strengthening women’s AI competencies, leadership and institutional support can advance more inclusive digital transformation, drawing on the experience of 'Women Leading Change in Africa'.

Under the theme “Reimagining Education in the Age of AI: Equity, Quality, and Sustainability,” the Conference launched the Global Smart School Initiative and addressed a broad spectrum of critical topics, including AI-enabled school transformation and AI governance as a global common good.