Meeting with a staff member of UNESCO’s “Future of Learning and Innovation” division, Project Officer Alina Kirillina
On 15 May 2026, colleagues from the UNESCO Hungarian National Commision (UMNB) welcomed Alina Kirillina, Project Officer of UNESCO’s “Future of Learning and Innovation” division, at their office.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Bernát Török, Director General of the Eötvös József Research Centre at the National University of Public Service and Head of the UNESCO Chair on Digital Platforms for Learning Societies, as well as Dr. Zsolt Ződi, member of the UNESCO Hungarian National Commision and senior research fellow at the Institute for Information Society of the National University of Public Service.
The discussions focused on UNESCO’s initiatives related to digital education and artificial intelligence, with particular emphasis on the “Gateways to Public Digital Learning Initiative” programme. Alina Kirillina presented UNESCO’s activities in the fields of AI and digital learning, highlighting the importance of capacity building and content development, as well as the ethical dimensions of AI and the peace-building role of education. The discussion also touched upon international study visits organised by UNESCO and the sharing of good practices in digital education.
Possible intersections between internationally and EU-funded projects were also discussed. The potential future involvement of the Tempus Public Foundation, which works on the internationalisation of higher education, was raised, as well as the internationally recognised PROFFORMANCE+ project, which – with its innovative methodologies for educational development and teacher support – could align well with UNESCO initiatives.
Participants agreed that UNESCO’s and the European Union’s policy agendas on digital education and artificial intelligence mutually reinforce each other, making it particularly important to coordinate the monitoring of related international processes and recommendations.
