The 2024 World Digital Education Conference will be held in Shanghai, China on 29-31 January 2024, co-hosted by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO and Shanghai Municipal People’s Government.

1. Background

As a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial revolution accelerates, digital technology has increasingly become a driving force that fundamentally changes and reshapes the thinking patterns, organizational structures, and operational modes of human society in all fronts. It presents us with both new challenges and major opportunities to innovate pathways, redesign forms and promote development. The application and development of digital technology have integrated into all areas of society and will exert a profound influence on the future development of education. The United Nations, along with countries worldwide and numerous international organizations, are taking active measures to prioritize digital education as a crucial pathway and initiative in responding to challenges and forging a bright future. Digital transformation has become a vital vehicle and direction for global educational transformation. The United Nations Transforming Education Summit has identified digital transformation in education as one of the five priority areas for action, emphasizing that the digital revolution should ensure benefits for all learners. Many countries have implemented strategies for digital development with education being a significant component of these efforts. In this context, the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO successfully co-hosted the 2023World Digital Education Conference in Beijing, China in February 2023. Representatives from over 130 countries and regions shared their latest policies and effective practices on digital education transformation, and received favorable responses and reviews from all parties involved.

2. Objectives and Theme

The conference aims to work with governments, universities, primary and secondary schools, relevant international organizations and non-governmental organizations, enterprises, and other stakeholders, to jointly explore practices and innovations in digital education. It seeks to promote inclusive, equitable, and quality education through digital education transformation, thereby advancing the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. With the theme of “Digital Education: Application, Sharing, and Innovation”, the conference will focus on topics including Improvement of Digital Literacy and Competency of Teachers, Education Digitalization and Learning Society Construction, Global Trends of Digital Education Development and Evaluation Index, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Ethics, Challenges and Opportunities of Digital Transformation for Basic Education, and Digital Governance in Education.

3. Participants

The conference plans to invite 600 representatives, including:

• State leaders and education ministers from relevant countries

• Diplomatic envoys stationed in China from relevant countries

• Heads and representatives of UN agencies

• Heads and representatives of relevant international organizations and non-governmental organizations

• Presidents and professors from universities

• Principals and teachers from primary and secondary schools

• Representatives of digital technology experts and scholars and representatives of companies