Amid the accelerating pace of technological advancement and industrial transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping global economic structures, industrial landscapes, and societal operations with unprecedented depth and breadth. Beyond transforming pathways of knowledge production and technological diffusion, AI is placing systemic demands on higher education to redefine talent development objectives, pedagogical models, and collaborative mechanisms. In the context of rapid technological iteration, the question of how to restructure the connection between higher education and industry, promote industry‑academia collaborative talent development, and build an ecosystem to nurture a new generation of professionals who are equipped with technological literacy, interdisciplinary competence, and strong practical skills has become a shared concern of the global education and industry sector.

As 2026 marks the APEC "China Year", on 6 June 2026, UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia (UNESCO Beijing), the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE), Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) and the International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO (UNESCO-ICHEI) will jointly convene the "APEC Future Higher Education Summit: A New Ecosystem for AI-Driven Industry–Academia Collaborative Talent Development". The Summit aims to explore new models of industry–education integration and higher education ecosystems, while jointly charting forward-looking pathways for talent development in the digital and AI era. As a localised and substantive response to the vision of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in the field of higher education, the Summit will provide APEC member economies with actionable models for building an AI-enabled industry–academia collaborative ecosystem for talent development.

     Event Details    

   Date: 8 June 2026

   Location: Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) Convention Center, Shenzhen, China

   Hosts:  UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia (UNESCO Beijing)

International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO (UNESCO-ICHEI)

      Programme Theme    

This session will examine the impact of AI and digital technology on education. It will feature the joint release of a series of global and regional research reports on higher education digital transformation, conducted collaboratively by UNESCO and UNESCO-ICHEI. The session will provide insights into global and regional education governance trends, explore the deeper dimensions of technology empowerment and international cooperation in talent development, and advance education cooperation among APEC economies.

This session will focus on emerging trends in the deep integration of AI with key industries. In collaboration with industry partners and sectoral organisations, a series of IIOE micro-credential training programmes will be launched, covering "AI + cross-border E-commerce", "AI + life sciences", "agricultural technology". These initiatives aim to provide practical models for aligning talent competencies with evolving industry demands, supporting stakeholders, including APEC member economies, in developing application-oriented professionals who are at the cutting edge of their respective industries.

This session will focus on the practical application of frontier technologies by enterprises, examine the transformation of higher education driven by technological change, showcase application cases of technologies in the fields of higher education and vocational education, with a focus of innovative achievements of enterprises from APEC economies.

This session will highlight the core roles played by IIOE National Centres, Regional Centres, and Training Centres within the IIOE ecosystem at national and regional levels. It will feature the release of the IIOE Development Report (2019–2026), demonstrating the achievements of the IIOE ecosystem (covering 14 APEC member economies) in advancing higher education innovation and talent development.

    Expected Outcomes    

   In collaboration with UNESCO Headquarters, the UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNESCO IESALC), and UNESCO field offices, jointly release global and regional research reports on the digital transformation of higher education.

   In partnership with industry and academia, launch IIOE training programmes on frontier technological applications and industry integration, covering "AI + cross-border E-commerce", "AI + life sciences", "agricultural technology", and other fields.  

   Identify and showcase exemplary cases of leading technology enterprises advancing frontier technological applications and industry–academia collaborative talent development.  

   In coordination with IIOE National Centres (including APEC member economies such as Malaysia and Indonesia), Regional Centres, Training Centres (including APEC member economies such as Hong Kong, China and Singapore), and other partners, jointly release the IIOE Development Report (2019–2026).  

   Together with IIOE Alliance members (covering 14 APEC member economies), adopt and release the APEC Future Higher Education Summit Consensus Document, focusing on a new AI-driven ecosystem for industry–academia collaborative talent development.

As artificial intelligence reshapes global industrial landscapes with unprecedented depth, higher education stands at the crossroads of systemic transformation.

In addressing the era-defining mission of restructuring industry-academia connections and nurturing a new generation of digital-intelligent professionals, it is paramount for all stakeholders in higher education to pool their wisdom and build a shared consensus.