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New Milestone in International Cooperation: NetDragon Joins UNESCO-ICHEI to Chart a New Blueprint

On June 12, NetDragon and the UNESCO ICHEI (International Centre for Higher Education Innovation) (Shenzhen, China) held a strategic cooperation signing ceremony in Shenzhen. The two parties will engage in in-depth collaboration across various fields, including Smart Classrooms, co-building AI courseware, and micro-credential development, working together to promote the digital transformation of higher education in developing countries and contribute to achieving the UN 2030 Education Agenda. This strategic cooperation marks another significant achievement for NetDragon in the field of international education cooperation.

Attendees at the signing ceremony included Zhan Tao, Director of the UNESCO IITE (Institute for Information Technologies in Education); Bi Xiaohan and Pan Feng, Deputy Directors of the UNESCO-ICHEI; Li Ming, Founding Director of the ICHEI and Secretary-General of the International Institute of Online Education Secretariat; Han Wei, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Institute of Online Education Secretariat of the ICHEI; and Chen Changjie, Vice President of NetDragon.

Powerful Alliance to Build an Education Innovation Ecosystem

It is understood that the UNESCO-ICHEI is the tenth Category 2 education institute globally under UNESCO, and the first in China. Since its establishment in 2016, leveraging Shenzhen's ICT industry strengths and focusing on the needs of developing countries along the Maritime Silk Road, the Centre has been committed to enhancing the online and blended teaching capabilities of university faculty through cooperation with flagship universities in various countries, and to expanding lifelong learning and opportunities for quality, equitable education. Li Ming, Secretary-General of the International Institute of Online Education Secretariat of the ICHEI, stated that NetDragon possesses "both strength and commitment" in the education field, and looks forward to developing more concrete project collaborations in the future.

As a pioneer of Chinese "Education Going Global," NetDragon has deep expertise in the digital education field for many years, having built a business ecosystem supported by three pillars: content resources, tool solutions, and platform channels. Its education footprint now covers more than 190 countries and regions globally, serving over 150 million users and 2 million classrooms. Recently, at a high-level expert group meeting at the United Nations Headquarters, NetDragon proposed using "AI + Education" to promote "learning on demand," aiding the least developed countries in achieving educational equity and quality improvement.

Chen Changjie, Vice President of NetDragon, explained that NetDragon continuously invests significant R&D resources in the education sector. The company currently possesses strengths such as providing affordable, quality educational resources globally through its educational metaverse platform; empowering lifelong learning through the development of micro-credentials and vocational training products; and reducing the cost of educational content and accelerating the implementation of inclusive education through technological innovation.

Both parties highly recognize the important role of ICT in higher education innovation. They will combine the ICHEI's UNESCO channels, resources, and global brand influence with NetDragon's "AI + Education" solutions and technical support services to jointly explore new paths for digital transformation. Zhan Tao, Director of the UNESCO-IITE, participated in the ceremony via video. He expressed his hope that NetDragon and the ICHEI could fully leverage their respective advantages to jointly create examples that "pioneer new forms of education."

Diverse Cooperation to Empower Educational Digital Transformation

According to the strategic cooperation framework agreement, the collaboration between the two parties is extensive and forward-looking, covering multiple aspects such as smart classrooms, co-building AI courseware, resource integration, micro-credential development, competitions and events, research and innovation, certification training, and brand promotion. Chen Changjie, Vice President of NetDragon, stated that the two sides will also establish regular liaison and information-sharing mechanisms to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the cooperation, jointly promote the application and innovation of ICT in the higher education field, and provide better resources and services for global educators.

Deputy Director Bi Xiaohan (left) and Vice President Chen Changjie (right) representing their respective organizations at the signing

In the future, the two parties will use specific projects as units, signing separate project cooperation agreements to advance implementation, ensuring the effective landing of cooperative content, and jointly contributing to accelerating the achievement of the 2030 education goals.

It is reported that the UN 2030 Education Agenda is a core component of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically corresponding to SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. This agenda aims to achieve a fundamental transformation of global education by 2030. Its key monitoring indicators include the participation rate of adults in vocational skills training, the proportion of qualified teachers and the adequacy of teaching facilities, and the extent to which education permeates the values of sustainable development.