UNESCO strengthens educational innovation capacities among officials from Ministries of Education in Latin America and the Caribbean

The closing milestone of the course "Digital Talent for Educational Transformation and Innovation" was held virtually on 19 February 2026 and became a space for exchange and reflection on project proposals related to education policies associated with the use of digital technologies in education, developed by the participants themselves as part of the training process

The first phase of the training lasted 10 weeks and was carried out within the actions of the Regional Alliance for Educational Transformation and Innovation (ARTIE) and the project "Developing Digital Talent for Social and Labour Inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean", supported by Huawei Technologies.

The course brought together 65 participants from the 33 Ministries of Education in Latin America and the Caribbean, along with 10 education specialists from UNESCO offices in the region. A total of five modules were delivered through webinars covering topics such as governance and leadership, sustainability and data management in digital policies, with contributions from international experts.

Valtencir Mendes, Head of Education at the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago, noted on the occasion: "Educational transformation requires consistency, collaboration and a shared vision. This tool strengthens cooperation among the Ministries of Education of Latin America and the Caribbean."

During the closing session of this first phase, participants presented the final projects on education and digital policies that they had designed as part of their coursework. The projects addressed pressing educational challenges in each country and covered areas such as digital teacher training, digital education curricula, governance and technological infrastructure.

During the session, participants who presented their initiatives received feedback from international experts, including Adeleh Mojtahed (ITU); Ana Laura Martínez Tessore (Cetic.br | NIC.br); Beatriz Pont (IIEP-UNESCO); Edith Paz Mendoza (Tecmilenio, Tecnológico de Monterrey); Héctor Ceballos (IFE, Tecnológico de Monterrey); Michela Pagano (UNESCO HQ); Ramón Iriarte (UNESCO HQ); and Vannina Trentin (IIEP-UNESCO in LAC). The exchange also highlighted the synergies underpinning this initiative to advance the strengthening of digital competencies in the region.

Among the projects presented, UNESCO highlighted the initiative by Hyacinth Bramble-Browne, who designed a plan to strengthen students' competencies in Mathematics on the island of Montserrat, where results in quality assessment tests fall below Caribbean averages.

In the coming months, the training pathway will continue with a deepening phase focused on inclusion within the context of educational innovation and transformation. During the second semester, participants will undertake a second specialization focusing on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

Furthermore, in the second half of 2026, the same training programme will be delivered for teachers and education professionals; and three educational institutions in Mexico will receive technical assistance to implement a pilot management model aimed at establishing centres of excellence, using digital talent as a driving force. This initiative will be implemented by the UNESCO Office in Mexico.

Voices from the region