The 20th Jiangsu International Forum for School Principals held in Suzhou
Representatives from the education sectors of 16 countries gathered in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, on November 6 to discuss key topics concerning education in the digital age.
With the theme "Core Components and Cultivation Pathways of Students' AI Literacy in the Digital Era", the 20th Jiangsu International Forum for School Principals was co-hosted by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education and the Suzhou Municipal People's Government, and organized by Jiangsu Education Services for International Exchange and the Suzhou Municipal Bureau of Education.
Jiang Yong, Director-General of Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education, attended the event and gave a keynote speech. Zhang Jin, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges at the Ministry of Education, delivered a video address. Liu Bo, Deputy Mayor of Suzhou; Linda Vaughan, Executive Director of International Education and Partnership Division, Department of Education in Victoria, Australia; Kevin Bartle, Senior Education Lead of The Schools, Students and Teachers Network, UK; and Ryan McElveen, Board Member of the Fairfax County Public Schools and Director of U.S.-China Education Trust Managing, also addressed the opening ceremony. The event was chaired by Yang Shubing, Deputy Director-General of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education, who also delivered remarks at the closing ceremony.
Jiang Yong pointed out that new technologies, represented by artificial intelligence, are comprehensively reshaping the modes of social production and ways of life, with education standing at the forefront of this transformation. Cultivating students' AI literacy in the digital age has become a pivotal issue for the entire world to address collectively. By focusing on this theme, the forum aligns with the trends of our times, pools wisdom from China and abroad, explores pathways for cooperation, and jointly seeks to pinpoint the role of education in the digital age. He proposed three joint initiatives: to jointly build platforms for educational exchange and foster new frameworks for international cooperation; to share resources and collectively explore new models for AI-driven education; and to promote talent co-cultivation and establish new paradigms for nurturing innovative talent.
Zhang Jin noted that since its inception in 2005, the Jiangsu International Forum for School Principals has nurtured a number of international education exchange projects and achieved a series of practical outcomes, becoming a flagship program for Jiangsu's educational opening-up. She expressed hope that all parties would use the platform to enhance connectivity and build new networks of cooperation, establishing long-term exchange mechanisms for resource sharing and mutual complementarity of advantages. Through openness, she advocated for fostering integration to jointly create new paradigms for cultivating talent, nurturing a new generation equipped with both innovative capabilities and humanistic spirit. Through exchange, she hoped to promote mutual understanding and jointly discuss the future of education, encouraging overseas participants to gain a better sense of the educational landscapes of Jiangsu and China, and to experience a real and vibrant China.
In her speech, Linda Vaughan noted that through in-depth exchanges at this year's forum, participating schools would be better equipped to acquire new knowledge and skills, and to respond collaboratively to opportunities and challenges in the fields of artificial intelligence and STEM education.
The forum also featured keynote presentations by Lindsay Oades, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne; Ricardy Anderson, Member of the Fairfax County School Board; Chow Jia Yi, Dean of Teacher Education and Undergraduate Programs at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University; and Frances King, Head of Ruthin School.
At the ceremony, 46 new sister-school agreements were signed between Chinese and international primary and secondary schools, further expanding Jiangsu's global education network. Additionally, the "Discover Jiangsu: International Youth Exchange Program 2026" was announced. Jiangsu Education Services for International Exchange also launched the Joint International Workshops on STEM Education with schools and partners from the U.K., U.S., Australia, Austria, Singapore, New Zealand, Germany, and France.
As artificial intelligence and emerging technologies continue to transform all aspects of life and work, education stands at the forefront of this transformation. Cultivating AI literacy among students has become a shared global concern. This year's forum drew participants from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, Germany, France, Finland, Spain, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Austria, Italy, and Brazil, marking the largest international participation in the event's history and a record-breaking attendance of over 350 representatives.
Prior to the forum, visiting international principals conducted in-depth visits to various locations across the province, engaging in face-to-face exchanges with their partner schools.
Since its inception in 2005, the Jiangsu International Forum for School Principals has facilitated the establishment of over 2,000 sister school partnerships between Jiangsu and overseas institutions. More than 50,000 teachers and students have participated in exchange programs initiated under this platform.
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