Europe-Asia Center: Exploring the Nexus between Education and AI in Beijing
- Europe-Asia Center
- Apr 20
- 2 min read
Beijing, April 20th, 2025
On 18 April 2025, the high-level international forum “AI for the Future: Global Educational Transformation and the Paradigm Revolution in Scientist Cultivation” convened at the Columbia University Beijing Global Center, gathering leading policymakers, scientists, and technology experts to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in reshaping global education systems.
The forum was organized by the UNITAR SDGs Center and co-organized by the Europe-Asia Center, in collaboration with the Columbia University Beijing Global Center, the World Federation of Young Scientists, the Global Youth Development Alliance, and the Xinhua Net Integrated Media Future Research Institute. Together, these partners addressed pressing global challenges around reimagining education in the AI era, focusing on how to build interdisciplinary talent pipelines, foster cross-sector collaboration, and localize the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4).
Highlights of the event included a keynote address by Irina Bokova, Senior Advisor to the Board of the Europe-Asia Center and former Director-General of UNESCO, alongside Turing Award Laureate Joseph Sifakis, member of the French Academy of Engineering, the US National Academy of Sciences, and the European Academy of Sciences.
Throughout three thematic roundtables, leading experts explored pathways for integrating AI into education in ways that foster innovation and societal benefit. Topics included:
Redefining STEM education to incorporate AI fluency and ethical reasoning
Reforming talent pipelines to bridge academic knowledge with industrial application
Creating interdisciplinary training models that prepare scientists for complex global challenges
Speakers included senior figures such as:
Zhao Chunjiang, Director of China’s National Engineering Research Center for IT in Agriculture
Huang Tianyin, Deputy Provost of Tsinghua University and a global leader in medical sciences
Xiao Na, Executive Director of the Columbia University Global Center in Beijing
Bi Siwen, Deputy Director at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and an expert in remote sensing science
Yi Weidong, Professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Moderated by Jonathan Schwestka, Director for Europe at the Europe-Asia Center, the third roundtable underscored the urgency of adapting curricula and learning environments to immersive, AI-driven formats that can better prepare the next generation of scientific leaders.
A key milestone of the forum was the launch of the UN SDGs Behavioral Science International School Network and the AI for the Future Project - two flagship initiatives designed to accelerate innovation, behavioral insight, and international cooperation among educators and researchers working toward inclusive and future-ready education systems.
Amid growing global attention to education reform and AI governance, the forum positioned Beijing as a central hub for international dialogue and thought leadership in educational innovation. The Columbia University Beijing Global Center provided an ideal venue - bridging global perspectives and catalyzing collaboration toward sustainable talent development for the AI age.
For press enquiries:
Jonathan Schwestka, Director for Europe, Europe – Asia Center
