On May 14, 2026, the High-Level Expert Seminar and the inaugural Governing Board meeting of the UNESCO International Institute for STEM Education were held in Shanghai. The event was addressed by UNESCO Director-General Anani, Ren Youqun – Vice Minister of Education and Chairperson of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO – and Xie Dong, Vice Mayor of Shanghai.
In his speech, Ren Youqun noted that the ongoing new round of scientific-technological revolution and industrial transformation calls for strong support from innovative STEM talent. The Chinese government attaches great importance to STEM education. Its proposal to establish the International Institute for STEM Education was well received by UNESCO member states and approved by the UNESCO General Conference. In the future, China will work with UNESCO to support the Institute in becoming a global think tank for STEM education development, a hub for policy dialogue and cooperation, a platform for resource sharing and integration, and a key driver of capacity building for member states – thereby contributing to accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and building a community with a shared future for humanity.
Renowned international experts delivered speeches on STEM education and future talent development, providing advice for the Institute’s high-level strategic planning. These experts included Nobel laureate John Michael Kosterlitz, Turing Award laureate Andrew Chi-Chih Yao, Fields Medal laureates Efim Zelmanov and Bill Karl, Gruber Prize laureate Mu-ming Poo, as well as former President of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations Gong Ke, and former Executive Director of the African Academy of Sciences Peggy Oti-Boateng. Representatives of the Institute’s Governing Board, along with teachers, students, and international students from Shanghai’s primary schools, secondary schools, and universities, participated in interactive discussions. The Governing Board elected Gong Ke as its Chair and reviewed the Institute’s mid-term strategy, annual work plan, and project budget.
