From 5 to 10 June 2026, during and following the International Future Higher Education Summit, the International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO (hereinafter "UNESCO-ICHEI") held a series of partner meetings and signing ceremonies with universities, international organisations, regional associations and research institutions. Focusing on the development of the International Institute of Online Education (IIOE) ecosystem, digital transformation in higher education, and AI-empowered talent development, UNESCO-ICHEI continued to expand its cooperation network across the Global South.

On 5 June, UNESCO-ICHEI signed a cooperation agreement with Tashkent University of Information Technologies. Ms. BI Xiaohan, Deputy Director of UNESCO-ICHEI, and Professor Makhkamov Bakhtiyor, Rector of Tashkent University of Information Technologies, signed the agreement on behalf of both parties. Under the agreement, Tashkent State Agrarian University and the Tashkent Branch of Astrakhan State Technical University officially joined the local partner network of the IIOE Uzbekistan National Centre, further supporting the local implementation of IIOE courses, training programmes and digital capacity-building initiatives in Uzbekistan.

UNESCO-ICHEI Signs Agreement with Tashkent University of Information Technologies

On the same day, UNESCO-ICHEI met with the Institute of Latin American Studies of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. The meeting was attended by Mr. SUN Yanfeng, Director of the Institute of Latin American Studies of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations; Ms. BI Xiaohan, Deputy Director of UNESCO-ICHEI; Mr. SIT Fung, Assistant Director of UNESCO-ICHEI and Chief of the Global Partnership and Programme Office(GPPO); and Mr. Yang Shangyi, Programme Officer of GPPO at UNESCO-ICHEI. The two sides exchanged views on trends in higher education digital transformation in Latin America and the Caribbean, regional studies, and future cooperation directions, and explored ways to strengthen the connection between think tank research and education cooperation projects.

Ms.BI Xiaohan and Mr. SUN Yanfeng

On 7 June, UNESCO-ICHEI held a meeting with the Association of Arab Universities (AARU). Participants included H.E. Prof. Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary-General of AARU; Ms. Lina Moh'd Nazmi Ismail Al Bitar, Administrative Director of AARU; Ms. Mona Abdelaal Abdelhamid Elsayed Elzahry, Director of the IIOE Arab Regional Centre; Ms. Dalia Ahmed Yousef Yehia Matouk, Director of the IIOE Egypt National Centre; Professor LI Ming, Founding Director and Secretary-General of IIOE Secretariat of UNESCO-ICHEI; Ms. BI Xiaohan, Deputy Director of UNESCO-ICHEI; Mr. SIT Fung, Chief of the Global Partnership and Programme Office & Assistant Director of UNESCO-ICHEI; and Mr. YANG Shangyi, Programme Officer of GPPO at UNESCO-ICHEI. The two sides exchanged views on the development of the IIOE Arab Regional Centre, teacher capacity building, "AI + industry" micro-certification programmes, and regional university network collaboration. They expressed their intention to promote the implementation of more digital capacity-building projects in the Arab region.

Group Photo of Representatives from UNESCO-ICHEI and the Association of Arab Universities

Subsequently, UNESCO-ICHEI held a meeting with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO). The meeting was attended by Dr. Mohamed Jemni, Plenipotentiary Representative of the League of Arab States and Director of the ICT Department at ALECSO; Ms. BI Xiaohan, Deputy Director of UNESCO-ICHEI; Mr. SIT Fung, Chief of the Global Partnership and Programme Office & Assistant Director of UNESCO-ICHEI; and Mr. YANG Shangyi, Programme Officer of GPPO at UNESCO-ICHEI. The two sides reviewed their cooperation foundation in higher education digitalisation, teacher digital capacity building, regional research and joint knowledge production, and exchanged views on promoting the participation of Arab universities in the IIOE ecosystem, expanding AI-empowered education projects, and strengthening regional policy dialogue.

Group Photo of Representatives from UNESCO-ICHEI and the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization

On the same day, UNESCO-ICHEI formally signed a cooperation framework agreement with the University of Technology and Applied Sciences in Oman. Mr. Nasser Salim Al Baimani, Vice Chancellor of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences; Mr. Musab A.M. Ali Al Rawi, Chair of Islamic Education, Science and Culture; Ms. BI Xiaohan, Deputy Director of UNESCO-ICHEI; Mr. SIT Fung, Chief of the Global Partnership and Programme Office & Assistant Director of UNESCO-ICHEI; and Mr. YANG Shangyi, Programme Officer of GPPO at UNESCO-ICHEI, attended the signing ceremony and held a working meeting. The two sides discussed the digital transformation of Omani higher education institutions, the introduction of IIOE courses and micro-credential programmes, teacher capacity building, smart classroom development and future cooperation mechanisms. They also expressed their intention to explore localised cooperation models for Omani higher education institutions by combining IIOE platform resources with UNESCO-ICHEI's project experience.

UNESCO-ICHEI Signs Agreement with the University of Technology and Applied Sciences

On 10 June, UNESCO-ICHEI formally signed a cooperation framework agreement with Pan Africa Christian University in Kenya. Ms. BI Xiaohan, Deputy Director of UNESCO-ICHEI, and Professor Dionysious Kihika Kiambi, Vice Chancellor of Pan Africa Christian University, attended the signing ceremony. The two sides will carry out cooperation around IIOE, with a focus on teacher capacity building, localised training and the development of multilateral dialogue mechanisms.

UNESCO-ICHEI Signs Agreement with Pan Africa Christian University

This series of meetings and signings forms an important extension of the outcomes of the International Future Higher Education Summit. Looking ahead, UNESCO-ICHEI will continue to leverage the IIOE ecosystem to deepen practical cooperation with partners across the Global South, and to promote the implementation of digital and AI-empowered higher education projects and resources in more countries and regions.

The Institute of Latin American Studies is a regional research institute under the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. Its research focuses on politics, economy, diplomacy, security, social development, and China–Latin America relations in Latin America and the Caribbean. The institute provides intellectual support for regional and country studies, policy analysis and international cooperation, and serves as an important research force in promoting China–Latin America exchanges and cooperation.

The Association of Arab Universities (AARU) is a key regional university organisation connecting higher education institutions across the Arab region. It is committed to promoting exchange and cooperation among universities in Arab countries, enhancing quality, strengthening research collaboration, and advancing regional higher education development. With an extensive university network, AARU provides an important platform for supporting the development of the IIOE Arab Regional Centre, teacher capacity building, and higher education digital transformation cooperation in the Arab region.

The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) is a specialised organisation under the framework of the League of Arab States. It is dedicated to promoting development and cooperation in education, culture and science across the Arab world. ALECSO plays an important role in education digitalisation, teacher capacity building, regional policy dialogue and joint knowledge production, and is an important partner of UNESCO-ICHEI in advancing higher education digital transformation cooperation in the Arab region.

Tashkent University of Information Technologies is an important higher education institution in Uzbekistan in the fields of information technology and communications. It has a strong foundation in information technology, communication engineering, software development, cybersecurity and digital talent development. As the host institution of the IIOE Uzbekistan National Centre, the university actively promotes the local implementation of IIOE course resources, teacher training and digital capacity-building projects in Uzbekistan.

Tashkent State Agrarian University is an important higher education and research institution in Uzbekistan's agricultural sector. It has long been committed to agricultural science, agricultural technological innovation and professional talent development. The university plays an important role in agricultural modernisation, food security, sustainable agriculture and related applied talent development, providing talent and research support for agricultural and rural development in Uzbekistan.

The Tashkent Branch of Astrakhan State Technical University is a higher education institution established to meet the development needs of relevant industries in Uzbekistan. It focuses on training professionals in aquatic bioresources, aquaculture, ecology and natural resource management, fisheries economics and related technical fields. Its participation will further enrich the local partner network of the IIOE Uzbekistan National Centre and expand the coverage of digital capacity building in more applied disciplinary fields.

The University of Technology and Applied Sciences is an important applied higher education institution in Oman, serving the country's needs for technical and skilled talent development as well as socio-economic development. The university offers education and research in fields such as engineering technology, applied sciences, computer science, business and education. Through cooperation with UNESCO-ICHEI, the two sides will explore practical collaboration in IIOE courses and micro-credential programmes, teacher capacity building, smart classroom development and localised training mechanisms.

Pan Africa Christian University is a higher education institution located in Nairobi, Kenya, with a strong focus on leadership development, professional capacity building and social service. The university has schools and programmes in areas including theology, leadership, business, technology, humanities and social sciences. It is committed to cultivating talent with professional competence, social responsibility and regional impact. The cooperation framework agreement with UNESCO-ICHEI will provide a new foundation for IIOE to expand university partnerships and capacity-building projects in East Africa.