From May 13 to 14, 2026, a 13-member delegation from the Ministry of Education of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and relevant institutions visited the UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED) and relevant departments of Beijing Normal University, and conducted a field visit to Yaoshang Central Primary School, Fangshan District, Beijing. The visit aimed to carry forward the implementation of the “Sri Lanka Digital Education and Teacher Capacity Development Demonstration Center”, and conduct in-depth exchanges on rural education and learn from China’s practical experiences in rural basic education.
On May 13, the two sides held the “China–Sri Lanka Education Informatization Project Working Meeting”. Dr. Zhao Yuchi, Executive Director of UENSCO INRULED, introduced INRULED’s profile, key initiatives, and practical experience in educational informatization. Mr. Adam Bawa Mohamed Ashraff, Assistant Secretary to the Office of the Cabinet of Ministers of Sri Lanka shared the current status of education informatization in Sri Lanka, the country’s practical needs, and its vision for future cooperation. Dr. Wang Kai, Lecturer at the Faculty of Education at Beijing Normal University, delivered a keynote presentation on “AI-Powered Course Learning and Teaching,” highlighting the application of AI tools in lesson preparation, classroom interaction, and teaching assessment. During the meeting, participants exchanged views on rural education development, AI-enabled instructional design, smart classroom development, teacher training, and capacity building. The two sides also discussed follow-up arrangements, including the establishment of a trilateral coordination mechanism to facilitate continuing cooperation. Ms. Wang Huanhuan, Liaison of the UNESCO Chair on Artificial Intelligence in Education, and Mr. Li Guoyun, Honorary Vice Principal, Wannian Huacheng Branch of Beijing Primary School, also attended the meeting.
In the afternoon, the delegation successively visited the Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality and the Online Education Resource Center at Beijing Normal University, gaining an in-depth understanding of the operational mechanism of China’s national education quality assessment system and its experience in building digital education resources.
On 14 May, the delegation paid a visit to Yaoshang Central Primary School in Fangshan District, Beijing. Mr. Zhao Donggang, Principal of the school, delivered a presentation titled “Practices and Reflections on Building a Beautiful Rural Primary School,” introducing the school's approaches to rural education development, curriculum design, and teacher development. The delegation also visited classrooms and observed a range of distinctive courses, including AI-supported English learning, traditional willow weaving, and AI tour-guide project-based learning. The visit provided first-hand insights into the school’s practices in educational digitalization, quality-oriented education, and the development of students’ comprehensive competencies.
The visit further strengthened mutual understanding and trust between the two sides and laid a solid foundation for future cooperation. INRULED will continue to leverage its network to promote knowledge sharing and practical collaboration in support of the high-quality development of rural education.