'Educational Research' Forum, themed 'AI Redefining Education,' was successfully held at Northwest Normal University (NWNU) from July 5 to 6.
At the opening ceremony, Jia Ning, Secretary of the CPC Committee, NWNU, highlighted the institution’s century-old legacy of serving western China and its disciplinary strengths in education. He emphasized NWNU’s proactive exploration of integrating digital-intelligent technologies with teacher training, aligning with national strategies and regional needs. He expressed hope that the forum would spark intellectual exchanges, foster consensus, and chart a visionary path for education in the smart era. Bai Jiangping, Deputy Director, Gansu Provincial Department of Education, outlined 5 key measures to implement China’s national digital education strategy: policy guidance, think tank support, top-level mobilization, pilot programs, and model development. He called for collaborative efforts to harness AI’s potential in empowering education, thereby injecting momentum into the revitalization of central-western China’s higher education and the nation’s modernization drive. Li Yongzhi, Director, National Office for Education Sciences Planning, President, China National Academy of Education Sciences(CNAES), urged participants to follow President Xi Jinping’s vision of developing "lifelong, equitable, personalized, and open-flexible education." He stressed the need for in-depth discussions on AI-education integration to generate actionable insights and theoretical foundations for digital transformation in education.
This forum closely aligned with the strategic directives of the 2024-2035 Master Plan on Building China into a Leading Country in Education, particularly its emphasis on "leveraging AI to drive educational transformation." The discussions centered on profound reforms across educational paradigms, teaching methodologies, and governance systems. It featured keynote presentations, expert dialogues, and a youth round-table session.
The sub-forum on "AI-Driven Transformation of Educational Paradigms" was chaired by Wu Kangning, Professor, Nanjing Normal University (NNU).
· Xie Weihe, Professor, Tsinghua University (THU) explored "Three Possibilities of Redefinition" in the AI era.
· Li Zhengtao, Professor, East China Normal University (ECNU) analyzed the paradigm shift from "AI Redefining Education" to "Education Redefining AI".
· An expert dialogue followed, featuring Xiang Xianming, Professor, NNU and Guo Wenming, Researcher, Peking University, PKU.
· A youth round-table discussion brought together:
· Dr. Duan Shifei, Zhejiang University
· Dr. Fan Yizhou, PKU
· Dr. Gao Jie, Capital Normal University
· Dr. Yu Hui, South China Normal University
· Dr. Zhang Feng, Beihang University
· Deng Youchao, Researcher, CNAES and Liu Xudong, Professor, NWNU provided concluding remarks.
The sub-forum on "AI-Based Curriculum Redesign" was chaired by Guo Jiong, Professor, NWNU.
· Li Yongzhi, Researcher CNAES, delivered an in-depth analysis of "The Specific Logic of AI-Driven Curriculum Reconstruction."
· Andreas Schleicher, Director, Education and Skills at the OECD, examined "Learning in the World of AI, Assessment for the World of AI"
· An expert dialogue followed, featuring Cao Peijie, Researcher, CNAES and Song Huan, Professor, BNU.
· A youth round-table discussion included:
· Dr. Hu Hang, Southwest University
· Dr. Li Gang, Northeast Normal University
· Dr. Wen Wen, THU
· Dr. Yang Chengyu, ECNU
· Dr. Yang Zi, Xiamen University
· Concluding remarks were provided by Guo Shaoqing, Professor, NWNU and Shen Shusheng, Professor, NNU.
The sub-forum on "AI-Restructured Educational Scenarios" was chaired by Yang Zongkai, Professor, Wuhan University of Technology.
· Liu Sannüya, Professor, Central China Normal University (CCNU) presented insights on "AI and the New Paradigms of Education."
· Han Xibin, Professor, THU addressed "Challenges and Strategies in Developing and Applying Large-Scale Educational AI Models."
· An expert dialogue featured Tang Jiangping, Director, Institute of Contemporary Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Li Xigui, Principal, Beijing No.1 Experimental School.
· A youth academic round-table included:
· Dr. Chen Min, CCNU
· Dr. Liu Jiahao, BNU
· Dr. Ma Zhiqiang, Jiangnan University
· Wu Rongjin, Principal, Shanghai Huangpu District Luwan No.1 Central Primary School
· Dr. Yu Jifan, THU
· Commentary was provided by Wang Quan, Professor, Xidian University and Song Tian, Professor, Beijing Institute of Technology.
This forum was hosted by Educational Research, CNAES and organized by NWNU, contributing significant academic insights to advance educational theory innovation and practical exploration in the AI era. The event brought together educational scholars, practitioners, and journal editors from 44 universities across China, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue on the future of AI in education.