With more than 4,000 attendees, the opening day featured high-level plenaries and immersive learning experiences focused on the future of human-centered education
Published: 24 Nov 2025 - 08:07 pm | Last Updated: 24 Nov 2025 - 08:38 pm
Doha, Qatar: The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), a global initiative of Qatar Foundation, launched the 12th edition of its flagship Summit today at Qatar National Convention Centre.
Held under the theme “Humanity.io: Human Values at the Heart of Education’, the opening day of the Summit brought together global education leaders, policymakers, innovators, and youth from more than 100 countries to explore how learning ecosystems can remain grounded in human purpose in an era shaped by rapid technological transformation.
The day began with a high-level plenary that examined how societies can navigate the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence in education. Speakers emphasized that while technology continues to accelerate at an unprecedented pace, it is ultimately human identity, creativity, emotional intelligence, and ethics that determine how innovation will shape future generations.
The Humanity.io theme of the session, symbolizing the continuous exchange between human insight and technological output, anchored the day’s discussions and set the tone for the day’s program.
Continuing the day’s high-level engagements, the Ministerial Roundtable ‘Bridging the Divide: Financing Inclusive and Future-Ready Education’, led by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), convened senior government officials and global education leaders in a high-level dialogue on national education priorities and cross-sector collaboration.
Building on the momentum of cross-sector dialogue, ‘Bridging the Digital Divide: Scaling EdTech for Equity’, moderated by Niamh Whelan, Program Lead at WISE, examined global strategies to expand digital access and close technology-driven learning gaps.
Speakers shared insights on building inclusive EdTech ecosystems, highlighting models that enhance connectivity, strengthen foundational skills, and ensure that learners in low-resource environments benefit equally from digital innovation.
Extending the focus to cultural and linguistic innovation, the Arabic-language session ‘Reading in the Age of AI: How Is Arabic Content Produced, Consumed, and Distributed?’ explored how AI is transforming the Arabic publishing ecosystem. Panelists discussed content creation trends, the future of digital reading, and the importance of strengthening regional platforms that preserve linguistic identity while embracing technological innovation.
Speakers examined why the Arab world is still not investing enough in developing its own AI systems, and highlighted several emerging solutions, platforms, and innovative approaches that support Arabic language learning and content production.
The session titled ‘Innovating Schooling: Towards a Progressive Schools Movement’ brought together leading voices shaping the future of learner-centered schooling. Participants looked into emerging models that prioritize creativity, student agency, community engagement, and holistic development across diverse education systems.
The session underscored how holistic education is ultimately about recentering the human being and reaffirming the deeper purpose of learning; and how it brings together spiritual, moral, and intellectual development, ensuring that every learner is equipped to help build a more compassionate and balanced world.
Closing the series of thematic conversations, the session ‘Fostering Collaboration among Global Education Platforms’ convened influential leaders shaping the future of international education ecosystems.
Moderated by Dr. Asyia Kazmi, OBE, CEO Designate of WISE, the discussion featured insights on how global education platforms can break silos, accelerate innovation, and strengthen collaboration across continents especially in areas of digital learning, data-sharing, lifelong learning pathways, and cross-border knowledge exchange.
The session spotlighted the importance of promoting education as a shared societal vision at a time when global advocacy for education is declining.
The WISE 12 Summit underscores WISE’s continued role as a global platform for reimagining the future of education. On its second day, participants continue discussions offering deeper insights into how education can adapt, collaborate, and scale meaningful change in an era shaped by rapid global shifts.
