Parallel Session 3 on higher education of the 2026 World Digital Education Conference was held on May 12 at the Hangzhou International Expo Center. Under the theme “Leading Higher Education Through Digital and Intelligent Innovation: Building a New Ecosystem for Talent Development”, the session unveiled two major outcomes: the first group of AI agents for higher education and the first group of model cases for digital education going global. These outcomes—representing Chinese approaches to global higher education innovation—showcased the nation’s achievements in higher education digital transformation and international cooperation.
The initial group of 18 higher education AI agents was designed for two core teaching scenarios—AI-assisted teaching and AI-assisted learning, spanning foundational disciplines, interdisciplinary fields, emerging disciplines, and distinctive academic programs. These AI agents have been integrated into the Smart Education of China platform for higher education and are publicly accessible. The goal is to help teachers improve teaching efficiency and effectiveness while addressing students’ learning challenges and building greater academic independence, thereby providing a foundation for teaching reform and innovation in talent development.
The initial group of 20 model cases for digital education going global cover four areas: sharing educational resources overseas, expanding international exchange, exporting educational services, and promoting Chinese educational standards internationally. Aiming to advance China’s educational openness and strengthen the international profile of Chinese education, they highlight innovative practices by Chinese higher education institutions in areas such as joint course development, credit recognition, promotion of standards, and people-to-people exchange, offering replicable models for global collaboration in digital education.
Taken together, these outcomes will facilitate both the digital transformation and international openness of Chinese higher education.
