Highlights of the G20 Education Dialogue & International Conference on Education and Sustainable Development

Beijing, China. October 27–29, 2025

NORRAG participated in the G20 Education Dialogue and International Conference on Education and Sustainable Development, with Felicitas Acosta, Regional Coordinator for NORRAG Latin America (Spanish-speaking countries), serving as keynote speaker. Her involvement demonstrated NORRAG’s ongoing engagement in global education governance discussions and its effort to promote South–South exchange and regional perspectives within the international discourse on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The “G20 Education Dialogue & International Conference on Education and Sustainable Development”, held in Beijing, China, from 27 to 29 October 2025, served as a major international platform for fostering dialogue on the nexus of education, sustainable development, and technological innovation. Under the overarching theme “Education, Sustainable Development, Our Common Future”, the conference aimed to promote cooperation among G20 member states and partner institutions by encouraging mutual learning and collaboration. The programme sought to explore policy, research, and pedagogical innovations that can align educational transformation with global sustainability goals. Particular attention was given to the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in contemporary educational contexts.

The event brought together several high-level forums and thematic series, including:

• G20 Education Dialogue, focusing on global coordination in educational policy;
• SDGs Dialogue Series, addressing progress, challenges, and innovations in implementing SDG 4;
• APEC Forum on Lifelong Vocational Skills, emphasising workforce development and upskilling;
• International Conference on Education and Sustainable Development, which offered academic and practitioner perspectives on higher education, technology, and social transformation.

The conference was hosted by Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) under the leadership of Dr. Wang Yan, and organised by the Country and Area Studies Academy, the G20 Research Centre, and the Research Centre of the United Nations and International Organisations. It was held in collaboration with various Chinese institutions and included participation from staff and students from Beijing Information Technology College and Beijing No. 12 Middle School.

The event drew participants from G20 member countries, international organisations, universities, research institutions, as well as government officials, business leaders, teachers, and students. It coincided with the China Annual Conference and Expo for International Education (CACIE), the largest educational gathering in Asia, and featured the launch of an “Education Cooperation Mechanism” to strengthen collaboration within the G20 framework.

Felicitas Acosta’s keynote address examined the regional progress in access, equity, and quality of education since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, while also highlighting the persistent structural inequalities and governance challenges affecting educational systems in Latin American countries. She emphasised the need to strengthen national policy ownership, improve data and accountability frameworks, and foster South–South cooperation to ensure that the global education agenda reflects regional realities.

Her presentation sparked a wider reflection on the legitimacy and practical application of SDG 4, linking the Latin American experience to international debates on education governance, sustainability, and the future of learning in the age of artificial intelligence and post-pandemic recovery.