The global education system is at a critical juncture of profound change. On September 2nd, UNESCO released a landmark report, AI and the Future of Education: Disruptions, Dilemmas and Directions, which offers an in-depth analysis of the disruptive implications of artificial intelligence on education, ranging from philosophical reflections to ethical tensions, and from policy challenges to the reconstruction of practices[1][2].

Around the same time, on August 28th-29th, the first-ever World Summit on Teachers was held in Santiago, Chile. It' s UNESCO's first high-level international conference focused solely on "teachers". Education ministers and vice-ministers from 16 countries, leaders of international organizations, and frontline teachers from across the globe came together to address key issues including teacher shortages, education equity, and the digital transformation in education.

Opening ceremony of the first UNESCO World Teachers' Summit | Xinhua News Agency, courtesy of the Presidency of Chile

The summit, together with UNESCO' s report, sent a clear and powerful message to the world: in the age of AI, teachers are not to be replaced, but the key force leading the transformation of education for the future.

UNESCO' s report begins by stressing that the rise of AI is not merely a story of technological advancement, but a profound philosophical and societal transformation reshaping the very foundations of education[1].

In Ghana, students practice algebra with the help of AI tutors on WhatsApp. In the United Kingdom, teenagers confide their anxieties to AI "companions". In South Korea, university lectures are delivered by AI-powered virtual professors. Once the stuff of science fiction, these scenarios are now becoming part of real classrooms.

AI brings new possibilities to education: personalised learning that breaks free from one-size-fits-all models; cross-lingual learning environments that transcend cultural boundaries; and automated tools that free teachers from administrative burdens so they can focus on what truly matters—teaching.

But at the same time, risk also looms. The report warns that without proper governance and guidance, AI could reduce learning to mere data processing and outputs, challenging the cultivation of critical thinking, creativity, and independent character. Even more fundamentally, the humanistic spirit of education, the bonds between teachers and students, and the moral and value-based guidance inherent in learning, may be diluted by algorithmic logic[2].

The availability of AI is also uneven. The report highlights that one-third of the global population remains "offline", while the most advanced AI models are concentrated in regions with strong technological, linguistic, and infrastructural advantages[1].

In resource-scarce contexts, where budgets for professional development and training are limited, many governments struggle to provide quality education. As a result, higher education systems in underdeveloped regions may be forced to rely on traditional pen-and-paper assessments, exacerbating educational inequalities[1]. 

This constitutes a structural and systemic challenge to quality education.

Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, emphasized at the opening ceremony of the World Summit on Teachers: "Teachers are facing a severe crisis. Ongoing conflicts, climate change, and insufficient educational resources are undermining the stability of the teaching workforce." She called for global innovative education financing mechanisms to ensure that, in the era of AI, the teacher gains more opportunities for growth, support, and protection.

In this context, strengthening teachers' capacities has become one of the key means to prevent the digital divide from widening further and to curb the deepening disparities in the quality of higher education.

UNESCO highlighted on its social media platforms: "As digital tools enter the classroom, teachers are becoming more vital than ever. They connect learning with daily life, cultivate critical thinking, and help students find their way in an uncertain world."

The report underscores that teachers should not only be users of AI, but also designers and leaders in shaping its integration with education. Looking ahead, the development of teacher capacities will hinge on three key dimensions:

• Digital literacy and technological adaptability: Teachers must understand and flexibly apply AI tools, transforming them into enablers of learning rather than passively adopting them.

• Educational design and humanistic care: Teachers should position AI as a supportive "Third Being" that helps students cultivate collaboration, empathy, and intercultural understanding.

• Critical and ethical judgment: Even as AI makes tasks more convenient, teachers need to continuously guide students in questioning the logics and values behind technology.

To support the capacity development of higher education teachers in the AI era, the International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO (UNESCO-ICHEI), together with its International Institute of Online Education (IIOE), is advancing global collaboration on multiple fronts.

IIOE has established IIOE National Centres and regional university networks across Asia and Africa, carrying out localised training, multilingual content development, and projects such as smart classroom construction and the dissemination of AI teaching tools to help teachers master technology and transform pedagogy.

The platform has also developed the "IIOE Digital Competency Reference Framework for Higher Education Workforce", using micro-certifications to strengthen teachers' digital and AI-related skills. Through training programs, policy support, and content development, IIOE is enabling educators to shift their roles from mere "tool users" to "course designers", and leading a pathway for teaching personnel lifelong learning. To date, more than 700 courses, trainings, and IIOE micro-certifications have been launched on the platform, offering flexible certification pathways to systematically enhance teachers' digital literacy.

Moreover, IIOE has partnered with industry leaders to introduce cutting-edge "AI + Discipline" courses in fields such as smart manufacturing and renewable energy. These courses equip teachers to better connect teaching and learning with industrial development and the evolving demands of future talent.

IIOE' s multilingual micro-certifications are gaining popularity among teachers worldwide

Drawing on the insights of the UNESCO report and the outcomes of the World Summit on Teachers, the future of teacher capacity-building can be framed around a threefold mission:

Teachers must be able to flexibly harness AI and digital tools, achieving "human–machine co-education" rather than passively following the technological tide.

Teachers should uphold the humanistic spirit of education, placing emphasis on critical thinking, value formation, and the teacher–student relationship to advoid education devolving into mere "data processing".

Under multilateral cooperation frameworks, teachers must engage in international dialogue to shape common training standards, promote educational equity, and ensure that both the Global North and South are equipped with qualified teachers in the AI era.

This threefold mission is not only a blueprint for the future of teacher capacity but also a collective responsibility for global education governance. As the cornerstone of cultural transmission and social innovation, teachers must be re-empowered, re-valued, and re-invested in amid the rapid acceleration of digitalisation and AI. IIOE is playing a pivotal role in providing systemic solutions to enable this transformation.

The tide of AI is irreversible, reshaping education at an unprecedented pace. However, the soul of education still rests in the hands of teachers. Both UNESCO' s report and the World Summit on Teachers echo a common call: education is not merely the transmission of knowledge, but a social endeavor rooted in dignity, justice, and inclusion[1].

In this process, teachers are both guardians and pioneers. They must learn to "dance" with AI, but even more importantly, they must guide the next generation with wisdom, care, and creativity. So they can guide the next generation towards a more humane, equitable and sustainable future of education.

As the saying goes:

Education needs teachers.

UNESCO-ICHEI's next webinar is designed to support higher education teaching personnel: