#Mexico #Mexico City #Tsinghua University #Global MOOC #UNAM

2025 Global MOOC and Online Education Conference in Mexico

The recent 2025 Global MOOC and Online Education Conference was held at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) from December 2 to 4, attracting a diverse group of educators, policymakers, and technology innovators. The central theme of the conference, "Breaking Boundaries and Reshaping Futures: Open and Intelligent Global Education," emphasized the critical role of open education in fostering an equitable and inclusive academic landscape.

The opening ceremony featured speeches from notable figures such as Li Luming, the President of Tsinghua University and the head of the Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance, Patricia Dávila Aranda, the Secretary General of UNAM, and Asha Kanwar, the Chair of the IITE of UNESCO. The inclusion of a recorded address by Stefania Giannini, UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Education, added to the event's significance.

President Li expressed his appreciation for the distinguished guests and highlighted the Alliance's work over the past year in enhancing quality, equity, community engagement, and wisdom within the realm of online education. He proudly announced two new members of the Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance: the National University of Vietnam in Hanoi and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. His remarks encouraged institutions to navigate the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and their traditional roles amid evolving educational paradigms.

The discussions centered on practical strategies for universities, particularly in leveraging AI technologies to dissolve disciplinary boundaries and redefine institutional roles. Li called for global collaboration to create a more resilient and inclusive learning ecosystem capable of transcending temporal and spatial limitations. This would, he suggested, pave the way for a future where educators and learners engage in a more dynamic and cooperative environment.

Stefania Giannini praised the Alliance for advancing global equity and inclusion in education and emphasized the necessity of international collaboration to ensure transformative learning experiences for all students. Patricia Dávila echoed this sentiment, expressing hopes that the conference would serve as a catalyst for universities striving to build more intelligent, inclusive, and human-centered educational ecosystems.

The culmination of the conference was marked by the release of the Global Higher Education Digital Development Report (2025) and the Global Higher Education Digital Development Index (2025), co-published by Li, Dávila, Kanwar, and Anabel de la Rosa Gómez, the coordinator of UNAM's Open University and Digital Education.

A pivotal moment during the conference was the introduction of the "Mexico City Declaration," which advocated for innovative concepts such as “Smart MOOCs” — a term introduced globally for the first time. A series of smart MOOCs were launched, including Tsinghua University's course on Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, showcasing the conference's commitment to advancing pedagogical methodologies.

Alongside the conference proceedings, the Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance's Board of Directors convened, led by Peng Gang, Vice President of Tsinghua University. He announced that the University of Vietnam, Hanoi, would co-host the 2026 Global MOOC and Online Education Conference, expanding the geographical reach and impact of the Alliance's mission.

Gathering over 180 representatives from 76 universities, online platforms, international organizations, and governmental agencies across 34 countries and regions, the conference indeed marked a significant step toward a more interconnected and innovative future in education, where collaboration, equity, and the use of intelligent technologies come together to reshape how learning is perceived and delivered around the globe.