The AI+Education Forum, held under the theme “Reimagining the University for an AI‑Driven Future,” convened in Shanghai on July 17 as part of the World AI Conference 2026. Bringing together nearly 1,300 researchers, educators and industry stakeholders from around the world, the event took stock of where higher education stands in the age of artificial intelligence and laid out priorities for university transformation—with AI and the future of the university at the center of the conversation.
Policy priorities for higher education
Xu Qingsen, Vice Minister of Education, emphasized that AI is fundamentally reshaping the educational landscape and reiterated the national rollout of the digital education strategy and the “AI Plus Education” initiative. He called for a human‑centered approach, deeper integration of AI into teaching and research, and the creation of a collaborative governance ecosystem to rethink talent development through human–AI co‑education.
Xie Dong, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, positioned the city as an AI innovation hub and announced continued efforts to strengthen international cooperation across education, science and industry, as well as support for youth innovation driven by closer ties between AI and higher education.
The AI Open Alliance: mandate and progress
Li Luming, President of Tsinghua University and Chair of the AI Open Alliance, released the report “Open Collaboration, Co‑construction and Shared Benefits,” outlining the Alliance’s mission, objectives, operating model and achievements. According to Li, the Alliance has advanced work across several fronts — AI for education, AI for science, foundational engineering, ethics and governance, and international cooperation — and will continue to promote openness, collaboration and talent development to accelerate the AI innovation ecosystem.
Expert perspectives: training and research challenges
A plenary session featured leading academic voices. Turing Award winner and dean of Tsinghua’s College of AI Andrew Chi‑Chih Yao stressed the need to train professionals who combine inventive thinking with executional capability. Nobel laureate Omar M. Yaghi urged researchers to refocus on the “why” behind scientific creation. Mutlu Cukurova (UCL) argued for restructuring education systems around human–AI collaboration, reinforcing a people‑centered approach.
University leadership on institutional change
In a Presidents’ Dialogue moderated by Li Luming, presidents from major Chinese universities — including Gao Song (Peking University), Han Jiecai (Harbin Institute of Technology), Ding Kuiling (Shanghai Jiao Tong University), Ma Yugang (East China Normal University), You Zheng (Huazhong University of Science and Technology) — and Lionel Ming‑Shuan Ni (HKUST Guangzhou) discussed the institutional transformations required to embed AI across teaching, research and university governance.
Research, pedagogy and demonstrations
Presentations highlighted the intersection of research and classroom practice. Dragan Gašević (University of Hong Kong) argued that productive human–AI interactions begin with well‑designed human learning, while Zachary A. Pardos (UC Berkeley) showcased advances in adaptive learning for higher education. The “AI‑Empowered Education Practice Showcases” featured concrete deployments from universities and industry players — including Peking University, Fudan University, Tencent, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, East China Normal University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, the Shenzhen Loop Area Institute and Huawei — illustrating real‑world integration of AI into teaching and learning.
Organization and international reach
Hosted under the World Artificial Intelligence Conference Committee and organized by the AI Open Alliance, the forum was co‑organized by Tsinghua University, Peking University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, East China Normal University and Huazhong University of Science and Technology. The event underscored growing international collaboration and a shared commitment to reimagining higher education for an AI‑driven future.
