Speaker Bio

Prof. Ning MA, served as the dean of the School of Educational Technology, the executive director of the Artificial Intelligence Education Laboratory, Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University. She also served as the deputy director of the "Mobile Learning" Joint Laboratory of the Ministry of Education and China Mobile Communications Corporation. Her research focused on intelligent technology-enhanced learning, technology-enhanced teacher professional development, big data and learning analytics, and STEM education. She has led and participated in dozens of international, national, provincial, and ministerial-level scientific research projects, and has conducted in-depth research and practice in the fields of educational informatization, educational reform in an information-based environment, teacher professional development, and STEM curriculum design and development. She has published more than 120 papers, books, electronic publications, and other works.

Speaker Bio

Minjuan Wang (Stanford Top 2% Scientist), Peking University alumna, Shanghai “Oriental Scholar,” and Hainan Province Overseas Distinguished Professor. Currently serves as Assistant Vice President (Interdisciplinary Studies and Partnership); Chair Professor of Emerging Technologies and Future Education at The Education University of Hong Kong, PhD supervisor, and Co-Director of the Global Institute for Emerging Technologies, as well as Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. As an internationally influential scholar in the field of educational technology, Professor Wang is fluent in both Chinese and English, deeply understands cultural differences between China and the U.S., and possesses a global academic vision and innovative thinking. She is dedicated to research on the application of XR, AI, and AIGC in various disciplines, and has delivered keynote speeches at about 50 international conferences. She also has extensive experience in international teaching and academic exchange and has accumulated a rich portfolio of scholarly publications.

Agentic AI Unleashed: Power, Promise, and Ethical Frontiers

Abstract. Artificial Intelligence is evolving from passive tools to autonomous agents capable of making decisions, pursuing goals, and interacting dynamically with complex environments. This keynote explores the transformative potential of Agentic AI—systems endowed with agency—and the profound ethical questions they raise. We will examine real-world applications across healthcare, education, finance, and scientific discovery, highlighting how agentic systems can accelerate innovation and reshape human-AI collaboration. At the same time, we confront critical challenges: accountability for autonomous decisions, transparency in algorithmic reasoning, and the alignment of machine objectives with human values. By mapping the ethical frontiers and proposing frameworks for responsible deployment, this session invites researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders to envision a future where agentic AI amplifies human potential without compromising societal trust.

Speaker Bio

Recognised among the world’s top 2% of scientists by Stanford University and Elsevier, Prof Kam Cheong Li is an internationally renowned scholar and leader in the field of open and distance education. In 2023, he received two highly prestigious accolades: the International Council for Open and Distance Education’s “Prize of Excellence” and the Asian Association of Open Universities’ “Meritorious Service Award”. Each of these awards is conferred upon only one distinguished individual per year. Since 2012, Prof Li has served as a Visiting Professor at Middlesex University in the United Kingdom, where he has also acted as the university’s advisor and consultant for the Doctorate of Professional Studies programme for many years. Before his retirement from Hong Kong Metropolitan University, he served as the Founding Dean of the School of Open Learning and Director of the Institute for Research in Open and Innovative Education. He now assists various institutions with their research development, and actively conducts research in educational technology, innovative learning and teaching, and open education.

Future-Proofing Education: The AI-Augmented Shift from Instructor to Learning Architect and Coach

Abstract. Artificial intelligence (AI) represents a once-in-a-generation catalyst to dismantle the outdated instructor-centric model of education. This paper argues that generative AI is not a threat to the teaching profession but an essential tool to enable a human-centred, future-ready education system. It proposes that educators should transition from traditional content deliverers to AI-augmented Learning Architects and Coaches, fostering students’ movement from passive followers to active knowledge builders. Furthermore, the paper highlights the necessity of evolving assessment paradigms to evaluate students’ competence in using AI to expand their professional and cognitive abilities, rather than simply testing isolated recall. Drawing on recent empirical data from the 2026 OECD Digital Education Outlook, the 2025 Stanford Artificial Intelligence Index, the 2026 Stanford SCALE Initiative review of causal evidence, and emerging frameworks for ethical AI integration, this manuscript outlines the imperative for pedagogical change. It presents a 4D Framework mapping the new educator role across core mandates, instructional practices, assessment, and professional identity as pedagogical scholars. Finally, the discussion explores the ethical governance required to prevent algorithmic bias and delivers actionable strategies for immediate classroom integration, while acknowledging systemic barriers such as workload and institutional reward structures.