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Join a community of education leaders to explore the power of AI to transform education in the Global South

image of book cover and Fernando Reimers

Interactive Webinar Series and Learning Community

Enrollment Deadline: December 19, 11:59 PM, Eastern Time (UTC-5) - Enroll Now

Live Webinars (3 Sessions)
Each webinar is offered twice - 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Eastern Time (UTC-5) - to accommodate multiple time zones. Participants can select their preferred option in the enrollment form. 

  • January 6, 2026
    • Topic: Artificial Intelligence and Curriculum & Learning
  • January 13, 2026
    • Topic: AI in Teacher Development
  • January 20, 2026
    • Topic: AI in School Organization and System Governance

Community

A community site will be used for program enrollees to exchange ideas and access resources. 

Program Overview

Fernando Reimers, Ford Foundation Professor of Practice in International Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, is launching a professional learning community and webinar series anchored in his new, co-authored, open-access book, Artificial Intelligence and Education in the Global South: A Systems Approach. Webinar guests will include co-authors Zainab Azin, Maria-Renee Palomo, and Callysta Thony.

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) presents urgent, complex opportunities and challenges for education systems worldwide—especially in the Global South, home to the majority of the world’s youth and some of the most pressing educational disparities. The book offers a rigorous, nuanced analysis of AI’s potential, its systemic impact, and the ethical, equity, and policy dilemmas it raises. It examines how AI can support educational transformation—not merely marginal improvements—through a multi-level, human-centered, and context-specific approach.

This community will explore the transformative potential of AI in education and bring together education leaders from the Global South to exchange experiences, questions, and ideas for action.

Participants will

  • Attend three one-hour webinars led by Professor Fernando Reimers. Sessions will be interactive and structured to promote dialogue. Each live session will include a brief presentation and breakout discussion groups. 

  • Gain access to an online community platform where participants can exchange ideas, share AI use cases, and raise questions between session. 

This community is designed for education leaders based in the Global South, including principals and other school leaders, district-level leaders, and ministry officials. 

To enroll, please complete the enrollment form, which we estimate will take 5–10 minutes. In addition to basic questions about your professional experience, you will be asked to respond to the following prompts:

  1. Why are you interested in joining a community focused on Artificial Intelligence and Education in the Global South? (limit 100 words)
  2. Please submit 2–3 questions and/or concerns that you have about AI and its implications for education, particularly in the Global South. (required)
  3. Please share an example of how you have used AI in your work. Alternatively, share an idea for how AI could support positive change—or even potentially transform education—in the Global South. (required)

This opportunity is free.

Faculty

Fernando Reimers

Fernando Reimers

Ford Foundation Professor of Practice in International Education
Faculty Co-Chair, Global, International, and Comparative Education Concentration
Faculty Co-Chair, International Education and Policy Management (IEPM) Pathway

Fernando Reimers is the Ford Foundation Professor at Harvard University, USA and Director of the Global Education Innovation Initiative. He is an elected member of the US and the International Academies of Education. His research focuses on 21st-century global education, sustainable development, and responses to educational challenges such as COVID-19.

Fernando Reimers Faculty Profile

Guest Speakers and Co-Authors


Zainab Azim

Zainab Azim is a Teaching Fellow at Harvard Graduate School of Education, USA. Her work bridges AI policy and education in global development. She’s led AI training for STEM educators in LMICs, evaluated AI in Uganda and Canada, and founded the Harvard AI and Education Conference. Former Oval Office Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, USA.
 
Maria-Renée Palomo 

Maria-Renée holds degrees from Harvard University, USA and Sciences Po Paris, France. Born in El Salvador, she spent a decade in France working in public sector consulting. She is assistant director of the Education Lab for Latin America and a teaching assistant at Harvard Graduate School of Education, USA, focusing on AI and education in the Global South.

Callysta Thony

Callysta Thony is a recent graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, USA where she focused on global education policy. Formerly with GovTech Edu Indonesia supporting the Indonesian Ministry of Education. She is interested in exploring how the effective use of technology can address key challenges in education. She was part of the leadership team which initiated the inaugural Harvard AI & Education Conference.

Enrollment is Now Open

The deadline to enroll is December 19, 11:59 PM Eastern Time (UTC-5)

Enroll Now