- UNESCO dedicates the International Day of Education 2025 to focus on Artificial Intelligence.
Paris, France, January 28, 2025 — The Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, has declared that UNESCO has dedicated the International Education Day 2025 (Friday, January 24) to exploring the opportunities and challenges associated with artificial intelligence. She has called upon the Member States of UNESCO to prioritize investments in training for educators and students regarding the responsible application of this technology in education.
AI offers major opportunities for education, provided that clear ethical principles guide its deployment in schools. To reach its full potential, this technology must complement the human and social dimensions of learning rather than replace them. It must become a tool at the service of teachers and pupils, with the primary objective being their autonomy and well-being.
— Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General
In 2025, UNESCO will dedicate the International Day of Education to the discourse on artificial intelligence, aiming to facilitate a global conversation regarding integrating this technology within educational frameworks. The organization has organized conferences in Paris and New York and a webinar to engage stakeholders in this critical dialogue.
Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly integrated into the field of education. In high-income countries, more than two-thirds of secondary school students utilize generative AI tools to assist with their academic assignments. Educators are increasingly adopting AI technologies to facilitate lesson preparation and assess student performance. Furthermore, the school guidance and admissions processes, traditionally overseen by educators and experts, are increasingly influenced by AI systems.
- Education professionals face a significant gap in clear guidelines for implementing artificial intelligence (AI) in educational environments. According to a survey conducted by UNESCO in May 2023, encompassing 450 institutions, only 10% of schools and universities have established an official framework for integrating AI.
As of 2022, a mere seven countries had devised AI frameworks or programs directed at educators, while only 15 incorporated objectives related to AI training within their national curricula. Concurrently, many countries are enacting restrictions on using new technologies in classrooms. Recent data from UNESCO indicates that nearly 40% of countries have implemented laws or policies prohibiting the use of mobile phones in schools, a notable increase from 24% reported in July 2023.
In education, UNESCO published the inaugural Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research in September 2023. Furthermore, in 2024, the organization introduced two competency frameworks for artificial intelligence for students and educators. These frameworks address the potential advantages and associated risks of AI technology. These publications represent a concerted effort to foster artificial intelligence’s safe, ethical, inclusive, and responsible application.
- UNESCO also points out that the resources governments allocate towards AI must be in addition to, and not divert from, the financial resources already committed to education.
What is the Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM)?
The AI Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) is a powerful diagnostic tool, guided by the UNESCO Recommendations on the Ethics of AI, designed to help governments navigate the rapidly evolving world of AI. It assesses the readiness of AI systems, identifies gaps in governance, and provides actionable insights to foster a responsible, ethical AI ecosystem. In a country like India, where AI is growing at lightning speed, aligning AI governance with ethical principles like proportionality, fairness, safety, transparency, and trust is more crucial than ever.
- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) comprises 194 member states. It fosters peace and security through multilateral cooperation in education, science, culture, communication, and information. Headquartered in Paris, UNESCO maintains offices in 54 countries and employs over 2,300 professionals. The organization is responsible for the oversight of more than 2,000 World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves, and Global Geoparks. Furthermore, UNESCO facilitates networks for Creative Cities, Learning Cities, Inclusive Cities, and Sustainable Cities and manages more than 13,000 affiliated schools, university chairs, training institutions, and research entities.
Source: UNESCO
— The Editor of CitiTimes possesses a certification from the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning located in Paris. Furthermore, he is a member of the Association of Higher Education Professionals in the United Kingdom and the American Association of University Administrators.
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