In partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey, UNESCO advances the development of a Regional Artificial Intelligence Observatory

A technical team comprising staff from the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago and the UNESCO Office in Mexico took part in the IFE Conference 2026, held from 27 to 29 January 2026 in the city of Monterrey. The Organization's participation was aimed at contributing to the regional agenda on artificial intelligence (AI), promoting regulatory frameworks and technical tools to support Member States in the responsible integration of this technology into education systems.

Amparo Naranjo, Education Programme Specialist, and Jenyree Álvarez, Pedagogical Coordinator for Digital Transformation, both from the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago, together with Rosa Wolpert, UNESCO National Education Officer in Mexico, held strategic meetings with academic authorities and teams from Tecnológico de Monterrey to coordinate joint actions and consolidate sustained collaboration. In this context, progress was made in conceptualizing the Observatory as a regional platform designed to generate evidence, systematize experiences and strengthen capacities in AI applied to education. The aim of this initiative is to support the design of public policies grounded in data and ethical principles, promoting responsible governance of technological innovation.

During the conference discussions, UNESCO's technical team highlighted the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (2023) and the RAM (Readiness Assessment Methodology), tools developed by UNESCO to guide countries in the responsible integration of AI into strategic sectors such as education, as well as the AI competency frameworks for teachers and students, instruments designed to support the development of foundational skills.

"The discussions reaffirmed that strengthening digital and artificial intelligence competencies among teachers and students requires robust professional development systems and sustained regional cooperation," stated the Director of the UNESCO Office in Santiago, Esther Kuisch Laroche. "In this regard, the partnership between UNESCO and Tecnológico de Monterrey reflects a commitment to promoting an inclusive, evidence-based digital transformation in education, aligned with the principles of equity and sustainable development," she added.