The 2026 World Digital Education Conference, themed “AI + Education: Transformation, Development and Governance,” was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, from 11 to 13 May 2026. Hosted by China’s Ministry of Education, the conference convened education ministers, policymakers, and researchers from over 100 countries, and served as a platform for China to announce a major upgrade to its Smart Education of China platform alongside new international AI education cooperation agreements.
China launched a global AI education service platform at the conference, accessible in approximately 220 countries and regions, featuring a new lifelong learning hub and a Chinese language learning community. An intergovernmental initiative on AI education was unveiled, calling for the use of AI to support inclusive and sustainable human development. China reached bilateral AI-in-education cooperation agreements with countries including Uzbekistan and Brazil. The Ministry of Education also signalled that the phased domestic implementation of the AI+Education Action Plan (April 2026) is proceeding as planned, with provincial education bureaus expected to issue implementation regulations and procurement timelines during 2026-27.
This development reinforces existing evidence for China’s dimension 13 score (Smart Education platform already captured in the May 2026 research file) and provides additional context on China’s international role in AI education governance. The conference underlines China’s strategy of using AI education diplomacy alongside domestic mandates. No new domestic policy departures were announced at the conference that would require a score revision beyond what has already been captured.