On 3 July 2026, The Education University of Hong Kong's (EdUHK) Global Institute for Emerging Technologies (GIET) Equity Team co-hosted the 3rd International Conference on Education, entitled "Education in the Era of Human–AI Teaming: Developing Competencies for Meaningful Collaboration” at the Faculty of Education at Chiang Mai University (CMU) in Thailand.
As the 8th forum of the Learning Innovations and Emerging Technologies Forum 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 conference aimed to provide a platform for education stakeholders and the global education community to share insights on meaningful human-AI collaboration to foster inclusive and equitable quality education. This conference brought together more than 500 onsite participants and attracted over 9,000 online viewers, including educators, researchers, policymakers, industry partners and students from 12 countries.
Featuring an opening ceremony, a keynote presentation and three panel sessions, this conference, also known as the 8th forum of the Series, fostered international dialogue on developing competencies for meaningful human–AI collaboration and explored approaches to preparing education systems for an AI-enabled future.
The conference commenced with welcoming remarks from Dr Tipparat Noparit, Dean of the Faculty of Education at CMU. Welcoming local and international participants, she highlighted the conference as an important platform for strengthening collaboration among universities, international organisations, and industry partners to advance AI-enabled education.
Professor Pongruk Sribanditmongkol, President of CMU, underscored the university's vision of embracing technological innovation while preserving the human-centred nature of education. He encouraged educators to prepare learners with not only digital competencies but also with the responsibility, creativity and critical thinking needed to collaborate with AI.
Dr Shafika Isaacs, Interim Director of the UNESCO IITE and Chief of Section for Technology and AI in Education at UNESCO Headquarters, encouraged participants to critically cultivate human agency in increasingly AI-mediated learning environments. "The more entangled humans and machines become, the more reflect on what human-centred AI truly means,” she noted.
Datuk Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim, Director of SEAMEO Secretariat, highlighted the need to prepare Southeast Asia’s education systems for inclusive and human-centred AI adoption. “We must keep people, not technology, at the center of AI,” she remarked.
Dr Gary Cheng, Associate Co-Director of GIET Equity Team, Director of the Centre for Learning, Teaching and Technology (LTTC), and Associate Professor at EdUHK, shared research cases and real-world classroom practices on how to develop competencies required for teachers and learners for meaningful, ethical and effective human–AI teaming and shared practices demonstrating how AI can support critical thinking, personalised learning and reflective practice.
The first panel session brought together students from local primary school and university, and early-career educators to share their experiences of learning with AI. The discussion highlighted the importance of critical thinking, learner agency and reflective AI use in students’ learning.
The second panel session featured scholars from CMU, Shanghai Normal University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and industry expert from BOTNOI GROUP, showcasing innovative AI-enabled pedagogies, virtual learning environments and intelligent teaching platforms that support personalised and engaging learning experiences.
The third panel session explored strategies for advancing responsible AI adoption through policy development, capacity building and cross-sector collaboration. Panelists from SEAMEO Secretariat, HeyHi, Google for Education (Thailand) and Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology, emphasised that sustained partnerships among governments, educational institutions and industry are essential for building inclusive and future-ready education systems.
The conference reaffirmed the importance of human-AI teaming in shaping the future of AI in education. Through continued collaboration with global partners, the EdUHK GIET Equity Team will continue to strengthen research, innovation, and capacity strengthening to enhance inclusive, equitable, and future-ready education through emerging technologies at local, regional, and international levels.
Panel List
Panel Session 1: Learning How to Learn with AI: Perspectives from the Next Generation
Ms Zhang Jiaen (PhD Student in Education, EdUHK) [Moderator]
Kornthatcharat Tungcharoensak (Lower Secondary Student, CMU Demonstration School)
Mr Punnathon Lertpunyatikul (Pre-service Teacher, Faculty of Education, CMU)
Ms Asama Sawamiphak (Master’s Student in Computer Science, Faculty of Science, CMU)
Panel Session 2: Innovative Learning Practices Leveraged by Emerging Technologies
Dr Sarinporn Chaivisit (Lecturer in Educational Technology, Faculty of Education, CMU) [Moderator]
Mr Krirk Arunoprayote (Senior Data Scientist / Head of Product, iBotnoi Group)
Professor William Cope (Professor, Education Policy, Organization and Leadership, University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign)
Professor Fei Jiang (Chongqing Academy of Science and Technology)
Panel Session 3: Policies and Partnerships for Innovative Learning and Emerging Technologies
Mr Carlo Fernando (Learning Innovation and Information Specialist, SEAMEO Secretariat)[Moderator]
Dr Glenn Low (COO and Co-founder, HeyHi, Singapore)
Dr Rachata Channoi (CEO, The Decoder Ltd., Thailand; Digital Transformation Manager, Google for Education Thailand)
Dr Cheeraporn Sangkawetai (Director, Technology Department, Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST), Thailand)
Forum 8 Group Photo
Opening and welcome remarks
(From Left to Right: Dr Tipparat Norapit; Prof Pongruk Sribanditmongkol; Datuk Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim; Dr Gary Cheng; Dr Shafika Isaacs )
Dr Gary Cheng Delivering Keynote Speech
Panel Session 1: Learning How to Learn with AI: Perspectives from the Next Generation
Panel Session 2: Innovative Learning Practices Leveraged by Emerging Technologies
Panel Session 3: Policies and Partnerships for Innovative Learning and Emerging Technologies