SUTD inaugural AI in Education Symposium 2026

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly capable of answering questions, generating code, solving problems, and creating designs, an important question emerges: What remains essential for students to learn and do for themselves?

This question took centre stage at the AI in Education (AIEd) Symposium 2026 hosted at SUTD. Co-organised by Professor Xiaoli Li (Head of ISTD), and Professor Dario Poletti (Head of the SMT Cluster), the symposium brought together educators, researchers, and thought leaders for the morning session, “Reimagining Education in the Age of AI,” to explore how AI is transforming teaching, learning, and the future of higher education.

The symposium opened with insights from Ms Lee Lin Yee, Divisional Director of Educational Technology at Singapore’s Ministry of Education, who shared Singapore’s approach to AI in education, emphasising that while technology can enhance learning, it cannot replace strong educational foundations.

In her keynote address, Professor Rose Luckin, Professor Emerita at University College London and a leading expert in AI and education, challenged educators to rethink STEM higher education through her vision of the “exceptional learner” and the development of human intelligence alongside AI.

Professor Yow Wei Quin (Head of the HASS Cluster and Programme Director of the DAI programme), shared perspectives on learning as a social process, highlighting the importance of critical thinking, cognitive effort, durable memory, and discerning trustworthy knowledge in an AI-enabled world.

The discussions culminated in a panel session examining how educators can leverage AI meaningfully while preserving the judgement, creativity, effort, and human connections that underpin deep learning.

The symposium also welcomed Professor Cao Jiannong, Vice President for Education at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). As a leader of PolyU’s Education 4.0 initiatives, which promote more personalised and student-centred learning, Professor Cao’s visit provided an opportunity for further exchanges on innovation and the future of higher education.

The event reinforced a timely message: the future of education is not only about teaching students to use AI, but also about equipping them with the knowledge, judgement, creativity, and human intelligence needed to use it wisely.

On behalf of the ISTD Pillar, we extend our sincere appreciation to all speakers and panellists for their valuable contributions. We also thank Professor Dario Poletti, Dr Omar Ortiz, Dr Oka Kurniawan, Nachamma Sockalingam, and our administrative colleagues across SMT and ISTD for their dedication and support in making this meaningful conversation possible.