On July 1, 2025, the International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO (UNESCO-ICHEI) visited the Ministry of Education of Mongolia and the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST), which hosts the International Institute of Online Education (IIOE) Mongolia National Centre. Discussions centred on strategic topics such as national-level faculty training and certification in AI education, AI talent development, and multilateral university-industry collaboration.

During the visit, UNESCO-ICHEI and the IIOE Mongolia National Centre formally signed the "Joint Action Plan of IIOE Mongolia National Center and UNESCO-ICHEI on Capacity Building and Recognition of Digital and AI Competencies in Mongolia's Higher Education Sector 2025-2027". The plan aims to enhance the digital and AI literacy of faculty at Mongolian higher education institutions and promote wider recognition and implementation of the IIOE Micro-certification Project. Representatives from Guangzhou Dazzleview Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., Wisdom Garden Holdings Ltd., and China Pocy Group Co., Ltd. also participated in the discussions. Participants exchanged views on building a diverse collaborative ecosystem to assist Mongolia in upgrading its talent development systems and driving industrial innovation.

UNESCO-ICHEI and partners visited the Ministry of Education of Mongolia	UNESCO-ICHEI and partners visited MUST

Reflecting on Achievements and Envisioning the Future of Micro-certification Project

During the visit to the Ministry of Education of Mongolia, Dr. BADMAANYAMBUU Ranjil, Vice President of MUST, and Prof. GANBAT Danaa, Director of Open Education Institute, MUST briefed H. E. Mr. ARIUNBOLD Jaaljav, Director of the Higher Education Department of the Ministry of Education of Mongolia, and IIOE enterprise partners, on the progress of cooperation between MUST and UNESCO-ICHEI. Since the signing of the MoU in 2019, UNESCO-ICHEI and the IIOE Mongolia National Centre have achieved notable results in areas including the Smart Classroom Project, the Blended Learning Capacity Building for STEM Teachers (IIOE Mongolia Pilot Project), and the IIOE Micro-certification Project. H. E. Mr. ARIUNBOLD Jaaljav noted that although micro-certification is still at an early stage in Mongolia, he sees strong potential in this innovative training model. He emphasised that the IIOE Micro-certification Project aligns closely with Mongolia's national strategies on AI talent development and the creation of an innovative learning ecosystem. The Ministry will provide policy support for the localisation and implementation of the project.

H.E. Mr. ARIUNBOLD Jaaljav, Director of the Higher Education Department of the Ministry of Education of Mongolia	Representatives from MUST

Signing the Joint Action Plan to Advance Faculty Digital and AI Competencies

At MUST, UNESCO-ICHEI and MUST signed the "Joint Action Plan of IIOE Mongolia National Center and UNESCO-ICHEI on Capacity Building and Recognition of Digital and AI Competencies in Mongolia's Higher Education Sector 2025-2027". The IIOE Mongolia National Centre will focus on three strategic areas, which are digital skills development, AI competency enhancement, as well as micro-certification and recognition. By delivering localised training based on IIOE Micro-certification Project, the IIOE Mongolia National Centre will respond to Mongolia's pressing need for faculty development in higher education.

With strong policy guidance and support from the Ministry of Education of Mongolia, the IIOE Mongolia National Centre will promote nationwide implementation of the IIOE Micro-certification Project and work towards official recognition by relevant professional and government bodies. This initiative will accelerate the digital transformation of higher education in Mongolia and contribute to talent development under the "Digital Nation" strategy.

UNESCO-ICHEI and MUST signed the Joint Action Plan

Deepening University-Industry Collaboration to Empower Higher Education with AI

During the meeting, Prof. NAMNAN Tumurpurev, President of MUST, shared the university's achievements, highlighting its strengths in ICT, mining engineering, transportation, and energy engineering, fields that play a pivotal role in supporting Mongolia's key industries. He emphasised that as the only Mongolian university offering a dedicated major in AI, MUST will deepen practical cooperation with UNESCO-ICHEI and its enterprise partners to empower higher education through AI, strengthen faculty development, and localise industry-academia collaboration projects under the framework of the Joint Action Plan.

Ms. BI Xiaohan, Deputy Director of UNESCO-ICHEI, affirmed UNESCO-ICHEI's full commitment to supporting the implementation of the Joint Action Plan. She noted that UNESCO-ICHEI will continue to foster deep collaboration among universities and enterprises through a multilateral platform and provide high-quality IIOE courses and technical support to enable Mongolian educators to effectively integrate AI into teaching and learning.

Prof. NAMNAN Tumurpurev, President of the MUST	Ms. BI Xiaohan, Deputy Director of UNESCO-ICHEI

Prof. LIU Jimmy, Chair Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), also shared insights into SUSTech's experience in developing AI programmes. He introduced the "AI+Education" and "AI+Healthcare" course series, co-developed with UNESCO-ICHEI, on the IIOE platform. The courses have been integrated into the IIOE curriculum system and will be used in upcoming faculty training initiatives at MUST.

During the discussion, representatives from Guangzhou Dazzleview Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., Wisdom Garden Holdings Ltd., and China Pocy Group Co., Ltd. engaged in the dialogue with the university on topics including cutting-edge educational technologies, university-industry integration, and innovative talent development models.

UNESCO-ICHEI and partners held a meeting with MUST

Following the meeting, the delegation visited the Smart Classroom at MUST, which was coordinated by UNESCO-ICHEI, with equipment and technical support from Guangzhou Dazzleview Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. and academic support from SUSTech. The delegation exchanged views on the application of the Smart Classroom and its future upgrade pathways.

Smart Classroom at the MUST

Looking ahead, UNESCO-ICHEI will work closely with the IIOE Mongolia National Centre and IIOE enterprise partners to support faculty and administrators in improving digital and AI competencies, facilitate the integration of advanced educational technologies into higher education, and promote the IIOE Micro-certification as a recognised standard for professional development, empowering Mongolia to become a leading example of digital higher education transformation in the region and beyond.

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