LocationsOpening Remarks by Mr James George at the 11th International Forum on Science Education
April 7, 2026
UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in China, James George, delivered opening remarks at the 11th International Forum on Science Education
Ding Kuiling, President, Shanghai Jiao Tong University,
Yang Yuliang, Director, Science Popularization, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Hu Shaofeng, Director, Natural Sciences Sector of UNESCO,
Distinguished experts, members of the media, ladies and gentlemen,
On behalf of the United Nations Development Programme in China, it is a great pleasure to join you today at the 11th International Forum on Science Education.
My sincere thanks to the Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences for the kind invitation.
Science education is critical in shaping the future of sustainable development. It also has a personal impact on my professional and personal journey.
Four decades ago, when I was just a young boy, my parents enrolled me into a computer programming and coding class.
This early immersion has been instrumental to my three decades of professional journey in the United Nations and the private sector, as I explored the full potential of how governments and the private sector could transform economies and advance sustainable development by leveraging on scientific innovation, technology and digitalisation.
As we convene today, artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining the very fabric of our societies, and we can certainly feel this transformation across the globe, including here in China.
At this year’s Two Sessions, AI was featured prominently in the country’s blueprint for economic transformation and technological innovation. The anticipated comprehensive and profound integration of artificial intelligence across diverse sectors is poised to substantially transform numerous aspects and levels within these fields.
This issue is particularly critical within the education sector. The effectiveness, scalability, and pace of AI adoption are fundamentally driven by human capital.
Science education serves as one of the primary influences on how imagining, designing, and harnessing artificial intelligence will shape the future of our world.
I wish to share two reflections to help the context of our discussion.
Firstly, AI must be seen as a shared global responsibility.
The effects of AI do not stop at borders. Algorithms, data, and tools affect billions of people globally.
Therefore, the approaches we adopt to regulate AI and ensure that it is utilized responsibly must also be developed collectively.
The United Nations continues to serve as the principal global platform for engagement, facilitating discussions and consensus on governance frameworks and standards to promote the safe, trustworthy, and beneficial adoption of AI tools for all.
Both UNDP and our sister UN agencies stand ready to support you on this collective journey.
Encouragingly, world leaders took a major step in this direction by adopting the Global Digital Compact in 2024, which set the goal of ensuring the digital transformation is aligned with the public good. Following through on this agreement is critical.
Secondly, the inherent risks of AI exacerbating inequalities must be recognised.
Today, the power to develop and deploy advanced AI tools is unevenly distributed.
Within countries, divides are emerging. Large cities and skilled workers are more readily able to capture the benefits of AI, while rural communities are more vulnerable to being left behind.
When it comes to education, new technologies and digital platforms can help democratize learning, but only if students and teachers have access, both to infrastructure and skills.
Technology will change the tools we use in the classroom - but ultimately, it is education that shapes the human mind that guides the design and usage of those tools.
As new AI tools continue to emerge, we must ensure that they are accessible in classrooms across all communities equally and incorporated into existing pedagogical approaches in a way that actually improves learning outcomes.
Otherwise, there is a risk of establishing a self-reinforcing cycle of exclusion in which individuals lacking access are also less likely to acquire the skills necessary to participate in the development of these technologies.
At UNDP, as UN’s largest development agency, we have turned our focus on the impact of AI and technology advancement to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
We are working with governments in over 170 countries to build inclusive AI ecosystems, strengthen capabilities, and implement solutions that benefit both people and planet - working to ensure all countries can actively participate in shaping and harnessing AI's transformative potential.
Initiatives like the UNDP Local Language Accelerator expand AI capabilities in low-resource languages, preventing millions from being excluded, especially in education.
In China, we have also established six SDG Innovation Labs, supporting policy experimentation and digital capacity building in different development sectors, and laying the groundwork for digital-enabled solutions that accelerate SDGs.
The underlying philosophy is simple: innovation alone does not dictate outcomes. What matters is our ability to build the institutions, the skills, and the global cooperation required to harness technologies for the public good.
As the 15th Five Year Plan begins implementation, UNDP in China welcomes the opportunity to further deepen our partnership and collaboration with the Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to jointly undertake frontier research and demonstration pilots that will underscore the significant potential of AI and technology to advance sustainable development.
Ladies and gentlemen, in closing, as I recall the young boy four decades ago who was excited to see a computer, my final thoughts to share would be this.
Technology will change the tools we use in the classroom - but ultimately, it is education that shapes the human mind that guides the design and usage of those tools.
Technology serves as a means to augment human capabilities rather than being the definitive end goal of development. It is important to ensure that technological advancements facilitate progress toward a sustainable future for all individuals.
Machines cannot replace human curiosity, replicate ethical judgments, or possess the spark of imagination that drives scientific discovery. The future of AI will depend on education systems capable of cultivating traits like critical thinking, scientific literacy, and deep interdisciplinary understanding, rather than diminishing them.
Let us invest in scientific education and equip the next generation to leverage these innovations for the advancement of humanity, sustainable development, and inclusive progress that leaves no one behind.
Thank you very much.
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