UNESCO and Tecnológico de Monterrey launch regional AI in education observatory
UNESCO's Santiago office and Tecnológico de Monterrey signed a formal agreement on March 18 to establish a Regional Observatory on Artificial Intelligence in Education across Latin America and the Caribbean. The partnership aims to close gaps between AI policy and actual classroom implementation.
Esther Kuisch Laroche, director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago, and Jorge Azzario, executive director for international continuing education at Tecnológico de Monterrey, signed the agreement at UNESCO House in Santiago. Tecnológico de Monterrey committed $90,000 to fund the initiative.
What the observatory will do
The observatory will generate evidence, develop standards, and recommend public policies for AI use in education. It addresses a core challenge: ensuring AI adoption strengthens inclusive, ethical, and relevant education systems rather than widening gaps.
"The challenge is not only to incorporate new technologies, but to ensure that their use contributes to more inclusive, ethical and relevant education systems," Kuisch Laroche said.
First-year priorities
Technical teams from both institutions outlined operational plans during a working session following the signing. They identified three main areas:
- Teacher digital competencies and training frameworks
- Ethical standards for AI in education
- Pilot projects in Chile, El Salvador, and Mexico
The agreement formalized months of coordination that began in 2025. Tecnológico de Monterrey, founded in 1943, operates research institutes and AI platforms across Latin America, positioning it to expand the observatory's reach throughout the region.
For educators seeking to understand AI's practical role in classrooms, explore AI for Education resources or the AI Learning Path for Teachers.
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