Bringing together ministries, universities, and industry in Ulaanbaatar, the 2025 High-Level Policy Dialogue reveals a new regional vision for smarter, fairer digital learning.
Mongolia and UNESCO-ICHEI launched a joint action plan to build AI and digital skills in the higher education workforce,The new regional report "Digital Leap in East Asia" offers a blueprint for AI integration across the education sector,Experts emphasised collaboration between academia, government, and industry as key to ethical and inclusive AI transformation
What does it look like when an entire region decides to upgrade its universities with artificial intelligence? That question was at the heart of the 2025 High-Level Policy Dialogue, held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on 30 June. The event gathered over 150 participants, including 79 women, representing a spectrum of ministries, tech companies, UNESCO entities, and academic institutions. Their shared goal? To foster a truly collaborative, AI-enabled higher education ecosystem across East Asia.
Ulaanbaatar puts AI education on the regional agenda
Hosted in Mongolia's capital, the dialogue was a milestone moment for regional educational policy. Under the theme "Fostering an AI-enabled Higher Education Ecosystem", the event was co-organised by an impressive line-up: UNESCO's Regional Office for East Asia, UNESCO-ICHEI, Mongolia's Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Communication (MDDIC), and the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST).
Mongolia, often seen as an emerging digital player, stepped confidently into a leadership role. One key deliverable was a joint action plan between Mongolia and UNESCO-ICHEI. This plan focuses on capacity-building and the recognition of AI and digital competencies in Mongolia's higher education system, offering a tangible framework that other nations may soon emulate.
A regional roadmap: The "Digital Leap in East Asia"
Alongside the action plan came the formal launch of Digital Leap in East Asia: A Regional Synthesis on Higher Education Transformation. The report distils extensive consultations into a pragmatic roadmap for integrating AI into universities. It outlines seven core priorities:
Policy reform,Digital infrastructure,Capacity building,Pedagogy innovation,Student learning and assessment,Institutional governance,Cross-border cooperation
The document not only sets out the challenges but also provides a path to turn AI ambition into institutional change. In doing so, it positions East Asia as a cohesive, forward-looking bloc. For more insights into how AI is reshaping regional dynamics, check out our piece on APAC AI in 2026: 4 Trends You Need To Know.
Enjoying this? Get more in your inbox.
Weekly AI news & insights from Asia.
Voices shaping the future
Professor KHAN Shahbaz, Director of UNESCO's Regional Office for East Asia, captured the philosophical core of the event:
“Fostering an AI-enabled Higher Education Ecosystem resonates deeply with UNESCO’s mission. AI can personalise learning and optimise management, but it must serve inclusion, ethics, and equity.”
“Fostering an AI-enabled Higher Education Ecosystem resonates deeply with UNESCO’s mission. AI can personalise learning and optimise management, but it must serve inclusion, ethics, and equity.”
His call for ethical guardrails and inclusive values was echoed by local leaders. MUST President, Professor NAMNAN Tumurpurev, was strikingly pragmatic:
“AI can automate routine tasks like registration and grading, freeing our faculty to focus on teaching and mentoring. Used wisely, it means lower costs and better student experiences.”
“AI can automate routine tasks like registration and grading, freeing our faculty to focus on teaching and mentoring. Used wisely, it means lower costs and better student experiences.”
Meanwhile, Mr Boldsaikhan Sambuu, Secretary General of Mongolia's National Commission for UNESCO, gave a rousing close that brought the room to its feet:
“This is about investing in educators and preparing our learners. But it’s also about cooperation. Startups, universities, and companies co-creating, not just consuming, solutions. AI is reshaping education, but human collaboration will decide if it’s fair and sustainable.”
“This is about investing in educators and preparing our learners. But it’s also about cooperation. Startups, universities, and companies co-creating, not just consuming, solutions. AI is reshaping education, but human collaboration will decide if it’s fair and sustainable.”
Why it matters
East Asia is a patchwork of digital readiness. While nations like South Korea and Singapore lead in AI infrastructure, others, including Mongolia and Laos, are only just scaling. The event's inclusive participation marked a recognition that transformation cannot be siloed. This mirrors broader discussions around Southeast Asia's AI Trust Deficit. For a deeper dive into the policy frameworks guiding this transformation, consider reading about Taiwan’s AI Law Is Quietly Redefining What “Responsible Innovation” Means.
By focusing not just on tools, but on competencies and governance, the region is beginning to build shared capacity. Moreover, the emphasis on academic-industry partnerships reflects a growing maturity. AI adoption is not just a tech challenge; it's a people challenge, a pedagogy challenge, and a policy challenge. The UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education offers further resources on AI in education.
The message from Ulaanbaatar is clear: East Asia's higher education systems are ready to embrace AI, but they want to do so together, ethically, and with purpose. As other regions look on, one must ask—could this become a model for global cooperation in digital education?
Latest Comments (4)
This is spot on. I've seen firsthand how universities back home are scrambling to integrate AI ethics into their engineering programmes. It's a real challenge differentiating between just using the tech and truly understanding its broader implications, especially with the speed of developments. Good to see a regional push on this.
This piece really hit home for me, lah. Just last week, my nephew, who’s at NUS, was telling me about how much more AI is popping up in his engineering coursework. It’s not just about learning coding anymore; they’re actually using AI tools to *design* and *simulate* projects. It’s a definite shift, and I wonder how quickly this "unified vision" will translate into practical curriculum changes across the board. Singapore's always been quick to adapt, but seeing how other East Asian countries are also pushing this means it's not just a fancy buzzword anymore. It’s becoming foundational, and that's a good thing, I reckon.
It's really encouraging to see East Asia moving forward with a cohesive plan for AI in higher ed. This proactive approach feels like a smart move against potential digital divides, especially in our diverse region. I hope Singapore can leverage these insights; we've certainly got the tech infrastructure to benefit. Good on them for sketching out a roadmap.
This is really promising to hear! It makes me wonder, given the diverse educational landscapes across East Asia, how this regional roadmap will address the varying levels of technological infrastructure and digital literacy in different countries, especially for remote learning initiatives?
Leave a Comment