Ei-iE

Future of work in education

The future of education depends on strengthening the teaching profession, enhancing its status, and improving conditions to ensure that every student has a qualified teacher. The expertise of teachers must be recognised. Teachers must be the ones leading the development and future of education.

Technology and artificial intelligence are currently changing education as we know it. COVID-19 has accelerated the pace of change, forcing classrooms to move online for extended periods of time. While technology has the potential to support teaching and learning, it also poses major challenges, such as the critical digital divide and increased inequity, the commercialisation of education, issues of data privacy and cyberbullying, to name just a few.

Simply introducing education technology does not lead to enhanced learning. The teaching profession has a critical role to play in evaluating and deciding on the appropriate technology for teaching and learning.

As proven by the COVID-19 crisis, relationships between teachers and students and school communities are critical to student development and cannot be replaced by screens. We advocate for a human and student-centred approach to the use of technology and artificial intelligence in education.

Our work in this area

  1. Publications

    Teaching, AI, and the Human Core of Education : The Future Worth Defending

    Armand Doucet
    28 June 2026

    For teachers, their unions, and the policymakers who shape the conditions in which they work, the question is no longer whether AI will shape education, but how that shaping will be governed. The purpose of this report is to take stock of that reality: to identify what has changed, what...

    Teaching, AI, and the Human Core of Education : The Future Worth Defending See resources 1
  2. News 26 June 2026

    Education unions convene global meeting to put teachers and students at the centre of AI in education

    Education unions from across the world will convene in Madrid on 29–30 June 2026 for the first in-person meeting of Education International’s AI and Technology Network, marking a decisive step to ensure that the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in education is shaped in the public interest—by educators, for learners.

    Education unions convene global meeting to put teachers and students at the centre of AI in education
  3. Worlds of Education 26 June 2026

    AI and cognitive offloading: supporting teachers to shape AI’s impact on learning

    Leslie Loble

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is unlocking both opportunities and challenges for education, with teachers on the front line of this paradox navigating questions of how to best use AI for learning and knowledge gain.

    AI and cognitive offloading: supporting teachers to shape AI’s impact on learning
  4. Publications

    Report on Education International’s Global Conference on Artificial Intelligence

    28 May 2026

    Education International brought together more than 200 union leaders, educators and experts from every region for its first Global Conference on Artificial Intelligence “Shaping our Future: Education Unions Leading for a Human-Centred AI”, moderated by Phil McRae (ATA/CTF‑FCE), held in Brussels on 4–5 December. In addition to the on-site participation,...

    Report on Education International’s Global Conference on Artificial Intelligence See resources 1
  5. News 12 May 2026

    ComNet Europe: Union communicators align to advance public education, democracy and workers’ rights

    Education union communicators from across Europe came together through the Education International (EI) ComNet Europe to sharpen a shared narrative: public education must be defended and funded, democracy must be protected, and Artificial Intelligence y in schools must be shaped by educators - not imposed on them.

    ComNet Europe: Union communicators align to advance public education, democracy and workers’ rights
  6. News 9 December 2025

    Trust cannot be automated: education unions shape the AI future

    Around the world, artificial intelligence is being rapidly integrated into education systems. Governments and technology companies promise efficiency, “personalised learning” and data-driven decisions. But for teachers and their unions, AI raises far more fundamental questions: Who controls education? What happens to professional autonomy, democratic accountability, equity and labour rights when...

    Trust cannot be automated: education unions shape the AI future
  7. News 8 December 2025

    Education International’s Executive Board meets to address global education issues

    Education International (EI) leaders gathered for the 71st Executive Board meeting to address global education issues and chart the course for the organization. The meeting reaffirmed the global solidarity of affiliates around the world and a strong commitment to quality education around the world.

    Education International’s Executive Board meets to address global education issues
  8. Worlds of Education 5 December 2025

    Using Artificial Intelligence: Takeaways from TALIS 2024

    Ruochen Li

    Education systems around the world are asking if and how to incorporate artificial intelligence into teaching and learning. At the forefront of this conversation are teachers, who must not only monitor their students’ usage of artificial intelligence, but also decide whether to use it themselves.

    Using Artificial Intelligence: Takeaways from TALIS 2024
  9. Worlds of Education 2 December 2025

    Education Voices | Using collective bargaining to regulate the use of technology and artificial intelligence in higher education

    Eric Rader

    This testimony was collected as part of the research project entitled “In the eye of the storm: Higher education in an age of crises” conducted by Howard Stevenson, Maria Antonietta Vega Castillo, Melanie Bhend, and Vasiliki-Eleni Selechopoulou for Education International. The research report and executive summary are available here .

    Education Voices | Using collective bargaining to regulate the use of technology and artificial intelligence in higher education
  10. News 6 November 2025

    United Nations Secretary-General calls on governments to invest in education and act to end the global teacher shortage

    António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), highlighted the essential role of education as the foundation of social progress and called on governments and the international community to invest in education and implement the recommendations of the UN High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession to end the global teacher...

    United Nations Secretary-General calls on governments to invest in education and act to end the global teacher shortage
  11. News 10 October 2025

    Education International launches network and resource centre to support the health and well-being of education workers

    On World Mental Health Day, Education International launched two new initiatives dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of teachers and education support personnel around the world. The network and resource centre will allow education unions to share best practices in order to foster healthier, more supportive environments for education...

    Education International launches network and resource centre to support the health and well-being of education workers
  12. Worlds of Education 7 October 2025

    Novice teachers under pressure: Insights from TALIS 2024

    Heewoon Bae

    Reports of teacher shortages in many countries around the world raise questions about teachers’ well-being and job satisfaction. Which teachers are thriving? Which ones are struggling? What might make teachers more likely to leave the profession? What could support teachers to stay? Data from the fourth cycle of the Teaching...

    Novice teachers under pressure: Insights from TALIS 2024
  13. News 7 October 2025

    New TALIS data: Report confirms need to act on global teacher shortage and working conditions

    New data reveals a stark reality: One in five teachers under 30 years of age plan to leave the profession within the next five years. In some education systems, this figure rises to half of young teachers. This finding from the 2024 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), launched today,...

    New TALIS data: Report confirms need to act on global teacher shortage and working conditions
  14. Worlds of Education 29 September 2025

    Education voices | Collective union action in defence of collegial governance

    Sinéad Kennedy

    This testimony was collected as part of the research project entitled “In the eye of the storm: Higher education in an age of crises” conducted by Howard Stevenson, Maria Antonietta Vega Castillo, Melanie Bhend, and Vasiliki-Eleni Selechopoulou for Education International. The research report and executive summary are available here .

    Education voices | Collective union action in defence of collegial governance
  15. News 23 September 2025

    Human-centred AI: EI's global conference charts the future of education

    While tech companies race to embed Artificial Intelligence (AI) in schools and campuses worldwide, the voices of educators have been largely sidelined. Education International's conference, Shaping Our Future: Education Unions Leading for a Human-Centred AI, puts educators back at the centre. The 4-5 December Brussels conference will bring together union...

    Human-centred AI: EI's global conference charts the future of education
  16. News 23 July 2025

    United States: Union-powered National Academy for AI Instruction aims to put teachers in the driver’s seat on technology in the classroom

    Founded by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and its affiliate the United Federation of Teachers in partnership with Microsoft, Open AI, and Anthropic, the National Academy for AI Instruction will provide access to free training and curriculum on artificial intelligence (AI) for all 1.8 million members of the AFT.

    United States: Union-powered National Academy for AI Instruction aims to put teachers in the driver’s seat on technology in the classroom
  17. News 15 July 2025

    Ethiopia and Nepal: Go Public! campaign showing strong results with solidarity and strategic advocacy

    In a world where education systems are increasingly under threat from austerity measures and privatization, EI’s Go Public! campaign has emerged as a powerful force for change, as demonstrated during a recent EI Development Cooperation (DC) Café gathering union leaders and partners.

    Ethiopia and Nepal: Go Public! campaign showing strong results with solidarity and strategic advocacy