International Education Day Webinar ‘Lifelong learning in the age of AI’
24 January 2025, 14:00 - 15:30 | Johannesburg
Webinar
You are warmly invited to the International Education Day webinar 'Lifelong learning in the age of AI' on 24 January 2025.
The webinar will bring together policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to revisit the idea of lifelong learning in the age of emerging technologies, with thematic focus on lifelong learning as a concept, workplace learning, digital competencies of adult educators, and bridging the grey digital divide.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to address some of the biggest challenges in education and lifelong learning today, innovate teaching and learning practices, and accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4. However, rapid technological developments inevitably bring multiple risks and challenges, which have so far outpaced policy debates and regulatory frameworks.
Current policies on AI and lifelong learning often adopt an instrumental and technologically deterministic approach, prioritising efficiency over human development and agency. UNESCO is committed to supporting Member States to harness the potential of AI technologies for achieving the promise of lifelong learning opportunities for all, while ensuring that its application in the learning contexts is guided by the core principles of inclusion and equity.
Objectives
- Discuss current trends, in policy, research, and innovative practices in emerging technologies such as AI and its relation to lifelong learning and the concept of agency.
- Highlight the role of adult learning and education, in fostering digital competencies with a focus on adult educators and bridging the grey digital divide.
- Engage educators and participants in interactive discussions and activities to foster a deeper understanding of AI and emerging technologies in adult education settings.
Times shown below are Central European Time.
13:00 – 13:15: Opening Remarks
Moderator: Ms Annapurna Ayyappan, Assistant Programme Specialist, UIL
- Ms Isabell Kempf, Director, UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning
13:20 – 14:20: Session: Lifelong Learning in the Age of AI
Moderator: Ms Rakhat Zholdoshalieva, Team Leader, Quality Learning Ecosystems, UIL
Reconfiguring Lifelong Learning in the Age of AI: Insights from policy and research
- Ms Rebecca Eynon, Professor of Education, the Internet and Society, University of Oxford, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Workplace Learning in the Age of AI: Challenges and Opportunities
- Mr Martin Dougiamas, Moodle Founder and Head of Research, Moodle, Australia
Bridging the Digital Divide for Older Adults: Lessons from Chile and Beyond
- Ms Virginia Rodés Paragarino, Research Professor on Lifelong Learning, Institute for the Future of Education – Europe, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico
Capacity building: Strengthening AI and Digital Competencies of Adult Educators (new training)
- Ms Annapurna Ayyappan, Assistant Programme Specialist, UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning
Discussion and moderated Q&A
14:20 – 14:30: Closing remarks
Ms Isabell Kempf, Director, UIL
Cost
FreeUpcoming events
Past events
Financing Models for Literacy and Non-Formal Education in West Africa
Theme: Financing Models for Literacy and Non-Formal Education in West Africa
Presenter: Ms. Eleonore Ouedraogo
Date: October 28, 2025
Time: 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM GMT (Mali and Togo Time)
Registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/53IRrjpZRByIGMcMd4bmyw
Webinar: 'Exploring learning through culture: Leveraging the arts to empower cities'
You are warmly invited to the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities' Webinar: ‘Exploring learning through culture: Leveraging the arts to empower cities’ on 15 October 2025. This event is part of our global webinar series, ‘Unlocking the power of lifelong learning’, bringing together stakeholders from across the globe on the first and third Wednesday of every month.
This webinar will focus on culture and the arts as powerful vehicles for promoting lifelong learning in cities. Creative processes, whether they are related to the visual arts, music, dance or theatre, can foster new ways of thinking, personal growth and self-expression. These activities not only enhance cognitive abilities but also inspire individuals to see the world in a different way, encouraging innovative and outside-the-box thinking. Artistic interventions in urban spaces can transform city environments, offering opportunities to reconnect with local cultural heritage and forge stronger community bonds.
This webinar will delve into the potential of culture and artistic practices to shape urban learning experiences. Speakers will consider how cultural institutions and public art initiatives make culture-based learning accessible to diverse audiences. They will discuss strategies for integrating the arts into urban education policies. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how cultural initiatives can be designed to enhance educational inclusion, engagement and empowerment across diverse communities.
Time
15 October 2025, 13:00 to 14:00 (CEST)