Interview with H.E. Mr. El Hadji Abdourahmane Diouf, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Senegal, and meeting co-organisers

On December 13, 2024, the 2024 High-Level Policy Dialogue in Africa, themed "Operationalising Strategies for Quality Higher Education in the AI Era", was successfully held in Dakar, Senegal. The event was co-organised by UNESCO, UNESCO-ICHEI, Université Gaston Berger (UGB) - International Institute of Online Education (IIOE) National Centre in Senegal, Université Amadou Mahtar Mbow (UAM), and Université Numérique Cheikh Hamidou KANE (UN-CHK), with sponsorship from GuangZhou Dazzleview Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. and Meta Lingual Co., Ltd. The policy dialogue brought together more than 220 crucial higher education stakeholders from all sub-regions of Africa and beyond, including senior officials from governments, representatives from UNESCO and other international and regional organisations, higher education institution (HEI) leadership, representatives of partner institutions of UNESCO-ICHEI, experts in promoting AI integration in higher education as well as gender equality, industry professionals and private sector entities.

The key objective of the policy dialogue was to provide a platform for multi-stakeholders to examine policy frameworks and explore implementation strategies for effectively integrating digital and AI technologies into higher education systems in Africa and beyond. Responding to UNESCO's Priority Africa and Gender Equality, the event was convened under the framework of UNESCO's Priority Africa Flagship Programme "Campus Africa". Notably, UNESCO-ICHEI launched the "Strengthening Digital and AI Competencies for Women in the Higher Education Workforce in Africa" Project Plan in collaboration with UNESCO. Moreover, UNESCO-ICHEI unveiled its Three-Year Plan for the Transformation of Higher Education in Africa and introduced a new series of IIOE courses focused on Generative AI for teacher empowerment. The policy dialogue offered valuable insights for policymakers and other stakeholders, catalyzing collective action and supporting the implementation of relevant policies, strategies, and action plans for AI-driven higher education.

Opening remarks

Mr. Guillaume Husson, Head of Education Sector, UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for West Africa, highlighted Africa's youthful population as a significant opportunity, yet pointed out the major challenges the continent faces in the AI era, particularly the constraints on research capabilities. Mr. Husson called for collective action to implement policies and strategies to transform African higher education and strengthen innovation and research through the Campus Africa programme. He expressed hope that the policy dialogue would lead to concrete solutions that leverage the power of AI to create a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future in Africa.

Mr. JIN Li, Director of UNESCO-ICHEI and Vice President of Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), China, emphasised that this event provided a platform for multi-stakeholders to share innovations and exchange practices to ensure the effective integration of AI technologies into higher education, contributing to the implementation of Campus Africa. There are seven IIOE National Centres in Africa, serving as a national hub for localising projects at the institutional and national levels. He also stated that UNESCO-ICHEI has established a global network over the past few years and called for institutions and organisations from Africa and beyond to join the IIOE partnership network, working together to enhance digital and AI competency building for the higher education workforce in Africa, conduct joint research, and deepen industry-academic collaboration.

Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko, Assistant Director-General for Priority Africa and External Relations, UNESCO, recognised the vital role of higher education in Africa and highlighted UNESCO's unique position as the only UN agency with a global mandate for higher education and its collaboration with the African Union to support key strategic frameworks. He recognised the policy dialogue as a vital platform for South-South cooperation in promoting the AI integration into higher education. Finally, he expressed his interest in gaining deeper insights into UNESCO-ICHEI's initiatives and future plans aimed at advancing educational transformation across the continent.

H.E. Mr. El Hadji Abdourahmane Diouf, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation of Senegal, highlighted that digital transformation is no longer optional but a necessity. He stressed that national strategies, education policies, and institutional frameworks play a crucial role in driving technological and educational innovation. The policy dialogue brought together various stakeholders to address collective needs, share best practices, and develop concrete solutions. The Minister expressed interest in collaborating with UNESCO-ICHEI on innovative initiatives to drive the digital transformation of higher education while strengthening partnerships within the IIOE global ecosystem.

Keynote address

Mr. Claude Lishou, Director of Higher Institute for Distance Learning, Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), Senegal, emphasised that sustainable AI integration in higher education depends on strengthening ethical regulations for responsible AI use, improving technological infrastructure to ensure equitable access, and building the capacities of stakeholders to fulfill their roles effectively. He underscored that AI should complement, not replace, human capabilities, framing the transformation of African higher education as a movement to reclaim the region’s academic and technological destiny.

Mr. Guillaume Husson, Head of Education Sector, UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for West Africa, introduced the UNESCO "Campus Africa" flagship programme, with its three key action areas: "strengthening research and innovative capacities", "enhancing students mobility", and "connecting Africa’s higher technical education with the labor market", and two strategic enablers: "robust quality assurance systems", and "data and statistics". He emphasised that the programme provides a broad platform for increased multi-stakeholder engagement to support higher education in Africa. Furthermore, he called for collaboration and investment in the transformative power of education to achieve the African Union's Agenda 2063.

Mr. JIN Li, Director of UNESCO-ICHEI, Vice President of SUSTech, announced the launch of the UNESCO-ICHEI Three-Year Plan for the Transformation of Higher Education in Africa, with the aim of empowering 35,000 members of Africa’s higher education workforce and contributing to SDG4. Through multilateral partnerships with HEIs, enterprises, UNESCO and other international organisations, UNESCO-ICHEI is committed to leveraging the IIOE platform and resources, conducting joint research, providing localised training via IIOE National Centres, and fostering open sharing and multilateral collaboration in capacity-building initiatives. These efforts aim to harness the power of technology to deliver inclusive, quality education and create a future where no one is left behind.

Mr. Tony Wu, CEO of GuangZhou Dazzleview Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., China, reflected on past collaborations with UNESCO-ICHEI, particularly on the smart classroom project implemented across Asian and African countries. Looking ahead, he outlined Dazzleview’s development plans, including building an AI-Generated Content (AIGC)-based professional course system, establishing an AIGC Talent Service Centre, and continuing its partnership with UNESCO-ICHEI to drive innovation in talent cultivation.

Roundtable

Transforming higher education in the AI era: Advancing UNESCO’s Campus Africa Flagship Programme

UNESCO launched the Campus Africa initiative as part of UNESCO's Operational Strategy for Priority Africa 2022-2029, aimed at supporting more inclusive, quality-assured, equitable and gender-responsive higher education systems in Africa. The programme spans three phases: Phase 1 (2024-2025) enhances the visibility and quality assurance of Africa's higher education systems. Phase 2 (2026-2027) scales up activities and expands into new sectors, leveraging UNESCO’s Network of Chairs. Phase 3 (2027-2029) focuses on sustainability and integration into local systems. This session explored the actions and strategies undertaken by HEIs and others to advance research, development, and innovation (RDI), foster student and academic mobility, and strengthen academia-industry partnerships, aligning with UNESCO’s Campus Africa initiative.

Mr. Anthony Adejumo, Deputy Director, ICT, National Universities Commission (NUC), Nigeria, introduced NUC’s implementation of the National AI Strategy for integrating AI into the Nigerian University System to drive innovation and transformation. He underscored the importance of enhancing institutional capacity through university-industry collaboration, continental academic partnerships, as well as through synergy between policy implementation and the Campus Africa project, in order to advance the quality and accessibility of higher education at both national and regional levels.

Mr. Saliou Diouf, Vice Rector, Université Gaston Berger (UGB), Senegal, introduced UGB’s strategies and actions aligned with the three phases of the Campus Africa Initiative, such as UGB Strategic Plan 2021-2025 and the Sustainable Engineering of Bioresource Products project. He also highlighted the collaboration between UGB and UNESCO-ICHEI, including the establishment of the Senegal IIOE National Centre in 2023. Additionally, he expressed his commitment to supporting UNESCO-ICHEI’s Three-Year Plan to advance digital education and enhance teachers' digital competencies.

Mr. Idris A. Rai, Deputy Executive Secretary, Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) introduced the Capacity Building initiatives launched this year in collaboration with UNESCO-ICHEI, designed to enhance the digital and AI competencies of the higher education workforce. Looking ahead, IUCEA plans to strengthen its partnership with UNESCO to advance Campus Africa initiatives and deepen its collaboration with UNESCO-ICHEI in transforming teaching and learning as well as fostering university-industry partnerships.

Panel discussion

Supporting teacher professional development through open educational resources

The discussion focused on the availability of open educational resources to support the professional development of the higher education workforce and examined strategies for establishing co-construction and sharing mechanisms. These mechanisms aim to expand the pool of resources, fostering collaboration and ensuring broader access to high-quality educational materials for educators and institutions.

Mr. Ousmane Sall, Vice Rector of UN-CHK, Senegal, highlighted that democratizing access to higher education in Africa relies on free, high-quality digital educational resources, which are vital for ensuring pedagogical continuity. Virtual universities are pivotal in harnessing emerging technologies, particularly AI, to advance education and foster resource sharing. Through collaboration with UNESCO-ICHEI, UN-CHK is actively pooling pedagogical, human, and technological resources to promote greater virtual mobility for both students and educators.

Mr. SIT Fung, Assistant Director of UNESCO-ICHEI, emphasised the organization's efforts to enhance AI competencies within the higher education workforce through collaborations with technology enterprises and organisations. He outlined the 2025 Course Launch Roadmap, which includes advancing the IIOE Micro-Certification Project for Higher Education Workforce Digital Competency Building by delivering all 21 competency-based courses in English, French, and Arabic. Additionally, UNESCO-ICHEI aims to expand the IIOE 1+X GenAI Courses Series to explore innovative approaches to teaching, assessment, and course design in the AI era.

Ms. Amélé Ekué, Academic Dean, Switzerland, emphasised that open educational resources must be developed strategically and systemically to address disparities in access to quality professional development resources. Since July 2024, UNESCO-ICHEI and international organisations have collaborated to co-create two targeted courses on ethics and AI for higher education professionals and leadership. These courses are carefully designed to navigate the risks and opportunities of AI applications in education, laying the foundation for a more responsible and inclusive future in the sector.

Panel discussion

Empowering the higher education workforce with digital and AI skills

This session centred on current initiatives and mechanisms designed to enhance the digital and AI competencies of higher education teaching personnel, management staff, and leaders. It also explored ways to leverage external resources and partnerships to effectively upskill and reskill the workforce, ensuring they are equipped to meet the demands of the evolving educational landscape in the AI era.

Mr. Abdou Lahate Cissé, Administrative and Technical Coordinator, Francophone African Network of National Quality Assurance Agencies (ANAQ-Sup), Senegal, outlined the organisation’s vision to promote the transformation of higher education, research, and innovation through a quality assurance approach. He also discussed strategies for advancing digital technology and AI in higher education, emphasising the role of government and institutional frameworks, the importance of pedagogical institutes in strengthening educator capacities, and integrating AI into doctoral programs. He further highlighted the need for AI research, networking, and ethical quality assurance guidelines.

Mr. Noureddine Bali, Vice Rector, University of Science and Technology Houari Boumedienne (USTHB), Algeria, discussed how USTHB implemented the Pedagogical Support Unit (CAP) strategy to enhance digital skills of teachers and researchers and strengthen the universtiy pedagodical mechanism. He emphasised that AI should enhance, not replace, teaching and research. Training on AI tools requires clear guidance but takes time from actual teaching, calling for a standardised approach. He also stressed that the future direction of education should focus more on pedagogy than technology, learning from past experiences.

Mr. Daniel Mashao, Executive Dean, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa, shared the university's commitment to embracing future technologies and anchoring in Africa and the Global South. He highlighted key initiatives such as the introduction of freely available AI modules and UJ's efforts to intensify its outreach with full-time and fully online short learning programmes to help upskill and reskill people for current and future jobs. Such initiative is well in line with UJ’s global excellence and stature (GES) 4.0 strategic objective underpinned by the Forth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

Case sharing

Good practices of IIOE National Centres on planning and implementing teachers' professional development programmes

This session was moderated by Ms. BI Xiaohan, Deputy Director, UNESCO-ICHEI. The session had a special focus on how to leverage the partnerships and external resources to fulfil and strengthen the existing professional development programme of each university. One of the objectives of establishing IIOE National Centres is to seek alignment with national and institutional priorities, strategies, and resources, and harness digital and AI technology to enhance teaching, learning, and management.

Mr. Muhammed Bashir Mu'azu, Professor, Department of Computer Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU, IIOE Nigeria National Centre), Nigeria, shared how ABU— the first IIOE partner higher education institution to complete the whole phase of localised implementation— has advanced IIOE micro-certification and achieved promising results. Taking the two micro-certification courses as examples, he demonstrated an innovative approach to utilising the IIOE platform and customizing courses to adapt to Nigeria’s national and local context. In the process of customization, various formats such as video courses, workshops, and post-class practices were employed, incorporating blended learning strategies and a collaborative teaching approach.

Mr. Hany Nady Yousef, Head of the Training Coordination Team, Ain Shams University (ASU, IIOE Egypt National Centre), Egypt, noted that the university plans to expand technical support for users of the IIOE Egypt platform on a larger scale and that additional assessment experts will be needed. He also emphasized that ASU will encourage greater collaboration with other Egyptian HEIs to expand the local IIOE network, as well as develop IIOE micro-certification courses and create joint professional development programmes for teachers.

Mr. Jeilu Oumer, Academic Vice President of Addis Ababa University (AAU, IIOE Ethiopia National Centre), Ethiopia, shared the university’s successful practices in planning and implementing the IIOE micro-certification project to improve teachers' capacity. As part of this initiative, AAU has implemented six micro-certification courses for teachers, providing them with valuable training and technical support. These teachers have benefited from the courses, as well as from the resources and guidance available through the IIOE e-learning platform.

Mr. Michel Bakar Diop, Director of the Institute of Open and Distance Learning at Université Gaston Berger (UGB, IIOE Senegal National Centre), Senegal, introduced UGB's pilot network of seven HEIs, which aims to support localised IIOE initiatives at the national level. He showcased how UGB has collaborated with UNESCO-ICHEI to implement the IIOE micro-certification project and co-develop digital pedagogy courses, alongside high-quality training in French on the IIOE platform. Additionally, he acknowledged IIOE's practical approach to fostering digital transformation within institutions, enhancing teaching quality, and strengthening cooperation between academia and industry.

Panel discussion

Accelerating the digital transformation and AI development of higher education through a gender lens

This session examined the challenges of increasing female educators' participation in advancing the digital transformation and AI development of higher education. The discussion highlighted barriers such as unequal access to resources, limited representation of women in leadership roles, and socio-cultural constraints. Additionally, it explored good practices and innovative approaches to achieving gender equality and women's empowerment, with a focus on supporting women in the higher education workforce in Africa through targeted policies, capacity-building programmes, and mentorship initiatives.

Mr. Cao Zian, Chief (a.i.) of the Global Partnership and Programme Office at UNESCO-ICHEI, introduced the UNESCO and UNESCO-ICHEI project plan on "strengthening digital and AI competencies for women in the higher education workforce in Africa." Targeting 3,000 women across 10 African countries, the project seeks to promote gender equality in HEIs within Africa’s rapidly evolving technological landscape. Mr. Cao emphasized that the initiative will adopt a collaborative approach to build multi-stakeholder networks and leverage IIOE resources to empower female educators in the region.

Mr. Melisew Dejene, Associate Professor in Development Studies and Journalism, Hawassa University, Ethiopia Member of the UNITWIN Network on Gender, Media and ICTs, shared innovative pathways in Africa to close the gender gap. He emphasised the importance of proactive digital policies, strategies, and legal frameworks to ensure equitable access to AI for both men and women, as well as the critical need for investment in digital infrastructure for higher education. Additionally, he underscored the significance of empowering African women with AI-related skills to fully harness the benefits of this transformative technology.

Ms. Sarah Osei, Founding Partner, ESDEV Foundation Africa Regional Lead (West Africa), Instill Education, Ghana, stated that digital transformation in higher education offers unparalleled opportunities to empower women and build an inclusive academic ecosystem. She shared the innovative practices of Instill Education, which successfully addressed gender barriers and enhanced the participation of female educators. Ms. Osei stressed the need to prioritize equity, sustainability, and collaboration to drive meaningful change and build a future where women can thrive in education across Africa.

Ms. Maryam Khadim Mbacke, President of the Women’s Association for the Promotion of Science and Technology in Senegal, highlighted that less than a quarter of the teaching and research staff in Senegal are women. She proposed several potential solutions, including capacity-building programmes aimed at enhancing the digital and AI skills of female teachers and students. She also emphasised the importance of successful public-private partnerships as best practices and underscored the value of community engagement initiatives such as GalsenAI, a Senegalese community focused on data science and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Industry-academia cooperation case sharing

empowering AI-driven higher education transformation

This session focused on sharing the best cases that highlight successful industry-academia cooperation in driving AI-powered transformation in higher education. By showcasing good practices of HEIs and enterprises, the discussion aimed to explore how partnerships between universities and industries can empower innovation and bridge the gap between academic research and practical application to prepare teachers and students for the AI-driven future.

Mr. Muhammed Bashir Mu'azu, Professor, Department of Computer Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU, IIOE Nigeria National Centre), Nigeria, emphasised that the partnership between ABU and UNESCO-ICHEI has been pivotal in advancing localised digital competency development. The transformative impact of collective efforts, as exemplified by the ABU Smart Classroom Project, underscores the critical role of academia-industry collaboration in addressing digital education challenges and strengthening digital literacy for the higher education workforce.

Mr. Cedric Saber, Regional Channel Director, Alibaba, China, underscored the role of AI in education and the potential applications of large language models (LLMs). He further noted that, Alibaba Cloud and UNESO-ICHEI have signed an MoU to enhance global higher education through GenAI and Cloud Micro-Certification Programme. Designed to bridge the knowledge gap in AI and Cloud Computing among educators and students, the programme aims to benefit 12,000 trainees worldwide by the end of 2025.

Ms. Aicha Diack, Public Relations Manager, Huawei Technologies Senegal, highlighted Huawei's commitment to cultivating ICT talent in Senegal through initiatives like the Huawei ICT Academy, Seeds for the Future programme, and the innovative Digitruck mobile classroom. These programmes aim to develop 10,000 talents over the next three years. With a focus on inclusion, Huawei is empowering women, youth, and underserved communities to bridge the digital divide and advance Senegal's digital transformation.

Mr. Ibrahim Nour Eddine Diagne, General Administrator, Gainde 2000, Senegal, emphasised the importance of the integration of AI into enterprises for them to thrive in a competitive environment. He also revealed the challenges employees face in enhancing their skills and capacities to improve enterprise performance in the AI era. The challenge also lies in ensuring that academic institutions can support companies in navigating how AI can enhance their competitiveness.

Mr. Roger Larsen, Co-founder CEO, Norvalid, Norway, emphasized the urgent need to uphold academic integrity in the age of generative AI. Highlighting the risks of degree devaluation and increasing dishonesty, he introduced innovative solutions such as two-factor authorship validation to ensure trust in student assessments. By promoting honesty and fairness, these measures aim to empower educators to confidently assess authentic student work while fostering a culture of integrity in higher education.

Panel discussion

Fostering South-South and triangular partnerships for improved higher education outcomes

The session explored strategies and mechanisms that have proven effective in fostering South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) to enhance higher education outcomes. In the SSTC model, developing countries in the Global South collaborate on shared challenges, particularly in finance, technology, and knowledge management, with involvement from countries or organizations in the Global North. Inspiring examples of successful SSTC efforts included collaborative projects that catalyse the digital transformation of higher education and AI integration, demonstrating the power of partnerships to drive innovation, bridge gaps, and support sustainable development in the education sector.

Mr. Mamadou Babacar Ndiaye, Vice President President (a.i.), Network for Higher Education Excellence in West Africa Rector, Université Iba Der Thiam de Thiès, Senegal, discussed effective strategies for SSTC in higher education by leveraging AI and digital technologies to improve access and quality. He highlighted the collaborative partnerships among Southern countries in creating research networks and mobility programmes to address regional challenges. He also stressed that ensuring sustainability requires strong governance, ongoing training, and long-term funding.

Mr. Brian Halubanza, Dean of the School of Engineering and Technology, Mulungushi University, Zambia, introduced various approaches to SSTC in higher education, including multilateral platforms like IIOE and public-private partnerships. He emphasised that the IIOE platform, with its micro-certification programme, is set to enhance both the quality and accessibility of education, equipping students and faculty to thrive in an increasingly digital world. Mr. Halubanza called for stronger regional coordination and a greater focus on capacity building to advance SSTC in higher education.

Mr. Dumitru Vasilescu, Research Specialist, United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation, highlighted the role of SSTC in advancing digital transformation and AI integration in higher education. He emphasised the significance of regional cooperation, technology partnerships, and capacity development, while addressing challenges like the digital divide and resource inequities. He also introduced the South Galaxy platform, developed by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation, as a global resource showcasing solutions for South-South cooperation in digital inclusion and innovation.

Mr. Quentin Wodon, Director of UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa, highlighted the lack of financial resources and infrastructure as key challenges for digitalisation in African universities, based on the survey outcomes of joint research with UNESCO-ICHEI. He identified the need to improve internet access and strengthen teachers’ digital skills through better training programmes. He also emphasised collaboration with the African Union to develop frameworks for digitalisation and AI to support Africa’s higher education goals.

Smart Classroom signing ceremony

The Smart Classroom signing ceremony was held during the meeting. Led by UNESCO-ICHEI, with academic support from the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), the Weidong Cloud Education Group has signed cooperation agreements with Université Gaston Berger (Senegal), while MAXHUB has signed an agreement with the University of Science and Technology Houari Boumedienne (Algeria). The Smart Classroom is a flagship project of UNESO-ICHEI, which aims to enhance the infrastructure facilities of partner HEIs in African and Asian countries, strengthen their capacity for designing and implementing online and blended teaching and learning, and accelerate the digital transformation of their higher education systems. In Africa, smart classrooms have been implemented in 7 countries so far, including Egypt, Gambia, Djibouti, Nigeria, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya, benefiting over 20,000 university teachers and students.

Closing Remarks

Mr. Saliou Diouf, Vice Rector, Université Gaston Berger (UGB), Senegal, expressed gratitude to UNESCO-ICHEI, Weidong Cloud Education Group, and all partners for hosting the smart classroom at UGB. He emphasised the responsibility entrusted to the university, assuring that the tool will be used effectively not just for their institution, but for the entire educational community, spanning the whole education system. Mr. Diouf reaffirmed the commitment of UGB to achieving the stated objectives and addressing challenges of educational transformation with partners.

Mr. Ousmane Sall, Vice Rector, Université Numérique Cheikh Hamidou KANE, Senegal, highlighted the collective commitment to harnessing AI for positive impact, stressing the need for a holistic approach to addressing AI challenges in Africa. He summarised the key takeaways from this high-level policy dialogue by underscoring the importance of adopting and implementing inclusive educational policies; strengthening capacity building for teachers, researchers and students; and fostering strong partnerships among universities, governments, and technology companies.

Mr. Ibrahima Cissé, Rector, Université Amadou Mahtar Mbow, Senegal emphasised the need for higher education to adapt to technological advancements, particularly AI, to improve the quality and accessibility of higher education. He indicated the importance of multilateral partnerships in mobilizing resources and driving innovation. He also underlined the need for ethical AI practices to ensure equity and sustainability, and the importance of extending South-South cooperation for global collaboration.

Mr. Guillaume Husson, Head of Education Sector, UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for West Africa, emphasised the need for Africa's higher education system to adapt to the digital age and integrate AI. He highlighted strategic initiatives like Campus Africa and the importance of professional development for educators. He also stressed the role of partnerships between the private sector, public sector, and academia, as well as the need for gender equality in AI education. He concluded by stating that the outcomes of the policy dialogue would guide future policies for higher education in Africa.

Summary

Overall, the 2024 High-Level Policy Dialogue in Africa is a key collaborative initiative by UNESCO, UNESCO-ICHEI, and other partners, aimed at advancing the responsible integration of AI technologies into higher education. By aligning with UNESCO’s strategy and programme for Africa, the event contributed to driving transformative change in higher education and empowering students and educators to thrive in an increasingly digital and interconnected world. This event reflected a shared commitment to fostering innovation and strengthening the IIOE partnership ecosystem. Moving forward, UNESCO-ICHEI plans to deepen collaboration with multiple stakeholders in Africa and beyond, focusing on empowering HEIs through the IIOE Micro-Certification Project for Higher Education Workforce Digital Competency Building. The Policy Dialogue has fostered an inclusive environment for policy-making to improve the quality of higher education in the AI era and supported HEIs in effectively implementing their digital transformation strategies.

In 2024, High-Level Regional Policy Dialogues were successfully conducted in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Africa. Looking ahead to 2025, more policy dialogues are planned to take place in South Asia, the Arab Region, and Latin America and the Caribbean Region. These events aim to establish a dialogue mechanism among regional higher education policymakers and to support the development of policies and initiatives for effectively integrating Generative AI into higher education.