Amplifying voices and inspiring change 
through art

15 October 2026 | Commonwealth Secretariat

For Antiguan artist and communications professional Chaneil Imhoff, creativity has always been more than a passion. It has been a way to connect with her culture, advocate for others and inspire change. In 2025, Chaneil entered a competition to design the logo for the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which will be hosted in Antigua and Barbuda in November. The opportunity immediately appealed to her: it was a chance to represent her twin-island home to the Commonwealth and its 2.7 billion people.  

Advancing open solutions for equitable access to knowledge

13 October 2026 | UNESCO

UNESCO has received a grant of nearly USD 4 million from the Gates Foundation to launch “Open Solutions for Equitable Open Access,” a new initiative running from 2026 to 2030. UNESCO's Open Solutions programme works to make knowledge, data, software, and educational resources open to everyone. It exists to close the gaps that decide who takes part in research, and who is left out. Doctors, teachers, and policymakers could use this research to save lives, improve public policy, and support new ideas. But in many parts of the world, they still cannot access it. Fees and paywalls keep this knowledge out of reach.

Young people’s views on AI and education

22 September 2026 | PF Global

Britain's Greatest Education Opportunity Ever is a landmark new report from Sir Anthony Seldon, one of Britain’s leading voices on education and a former headmaster of Brighton College, Wellington College and Epsom College, and Tim Bunting, a Founding Partner at Balderton Capital and former partner at Goldman Sachs. Together, they make the case for why Britain's approach to AI in education is stuck in the starting blocks, and how to get out, including a Ten-Point Action Plan for Government.

Open access policies and mandates around 
the world

15 October 2026 | MDPI Blog

Countries are implementing policies and mandates that are spreading Open Access around the world. It is a movement that aims to make scientific research and data accessible to everyone. What is open access? Simply, open access refers to a publishing model for scholarly research that makes information immediately available to readers at no cost that is free to reuse for scholarly purposes.

Call on for papers for Seventh International Conference on TVET in Caribbean

15 October 2026 | Jamaica Information Service

The call for papers for the Seventh International Conference on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the Caribbean is now open. Educators, researchers, practitioners, policymakers, industry leaders and students are being invited to submit abstracts examining the role of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in building resilience to climate change. Prospective presenters are being reminded that abstracts must be submitted by December 30, 2026.

Sovereign AI cloud to protect Malaysia's 
digital sovereignty, says Fahmi

15 October 2026 | New Straits Time, Malaysia

The government is developing a sovereign AI cloud to ensure the country's classified information remains secure and beyond the reach of foreign laws and policies, said Communications Minister, the Honourable Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil. He said the initiative was crucial to protecting Malaysia's digital sovereignty, particularly in securing sensitive government information, including official documents, that could be at risk if stored on public cloud services.

New report shows learning gains across the Pacific, but continued action needed

8 September 2026 | Islands Business, Fiji

The Pacific Community (SPC) marked International Literacy Day with the launch of the Pacific Islands Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (PILNA) 2025 Regional Report, providing the latest overview of literacy and numeracy levels in the Pacific region. Implemented by SPC’s Educational Quality and Assessment Programme, PILNA is the Pacific’s largest education assessment, spanning 15 participating countries. Conducted at regular intervals since 2012, PILNA measures progress in learning, examines contextual factors that may influence learning outcomes and identifies priorities for strengthening education systems.

How to drive research-led innovation 
in African universities

8 October 2026 | University World News

‘Innovation’ and ‘entrepreneurship’ are often used together, sometimes interchangeably. However, there are important differences. According to UNESCO, innovation is the process of creating, improving, or implementing new ideas, methods, or products to solve problems or enhance efficiency. It drives progress in technology, business and society by transforming concepts into practical solutions, fostering growth, competitiveness, and adaptation to changing needs and challenges. Entrepreneurship is the ability to initiate and run a successful new business. While entrepreneurs often innovate, innovators do not necessarily establish businesses.

African Union and Kingdom of Eswatini conclude PACTED 2026 with renewed commitments to transform Africa’s teaching profession and honour outstanding teachers



13 October 2026 | Africa Union

The African Union Commission (AUC), through its Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, in collaboration with the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini, successfully concluded the Pan-African Conference on Teacher Education (PACTED 2026), held from 5 to 7 October 2026. Delivering remarks during the closing session, the Honourable Owen Nxumalo, Minister of Education and Training of the Kingdom of Eswatini, expressed appreciation to the AUC and participating Member States and partners for their collective commitment to advancing teacher education.

Government identifies skills gaps in five-year learning plan

13 October 2026 | Windhoek Observer, Namibia

The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture has identified gaps in learning outcomes and skills development among the challenges it must address, as it seeks to better prepare young people for employment and improve the relevance of education and training. The Ministry’s 2025–2030 strategic plan commits it to finalising a National Human Resources Development Strategy to address what deputy minister Dino Ballotti described as a “perceived skills mismatch” and youth unemployment. Speaking at the plan’s launch in Windhoek on Monday, Ballotti said the ministry had deliberately acknowledged its shortcomings rather than conceal them.

Nigerian universities to get national AI policy as NUC steps up reforms

13 October 2026 | PM News, Nigeria

The Federal Government has urged Nigerian universities to adopt AI and digital technology while improving accountability, leadership and compliance with education regulations. The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, made the call on Tuesday at the opening of a two day retreat organised by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and vice chancellors of Nigerian universities in Abuja. Ahmad said universities must adapt to changes in global education, including the use of AI, digital learning, data analysis and modern research methods, to remain competitive.

NOUN VC urges ODL institutions to embrace assistive technologies for inclusive education

15 October 2026 | NOUN News, Nigeria

The Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Uduma Oji Uduma, has urged open and distance learning (ODL) institutions across West Africa to integrate assistive technologies into teaching, learning and learner support services. This, according to the Vice-Chancellor, was aimed at promoting inclusive education.

From AI to agriculture: Rethinking skills for 
the future

14 October 2026 | Commonwealth of Learning

In a giant exhibition hall in Shanghai, a young competitor flies a drone against the clock while judges watch every move. Thousands of kilometres away, in a small village in Kenya, a young woman farmer checks her mobile phone for advice on how to protect her crops from pests. While these scenarios reflect two very different realities, they both highlight the growing importance of skills in a rapidly changing world.

Ending child marriage takes all of us

11 October 2026 | Commonwealth of Learning

In Jessore, Bangladesh, a 22-year-old mother of three, pulled out of school at 13 to be married, now struggles to help her own children with their homework. In Punjab, Pakistan, a 15-year-old girl facing an arranged marriage by her parents confides in a friend and seeks help from a local women’s rights organisation. These are real stories that represent only a small fraction of the experiences of millions of women and girls around the world today. Every year, on 11 October, the International Day of the Girl Child recognises the rights, opportunities and potential of girls around the world. This year’s theme makes a global call to end child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) and increase investment in girls’ rights. 

#TechTrends: Developing public infrastructure for verifiable credentials

16 October 2026 | Commonwealth of Learning

We now know that shifts in technology and new developments in AI have serious ramifications for education, especially post-secondary education. Credentials, including micro-credentials, are here to stay, and it is important to have mechanisms that allow all, including certificate-awarding institutions and employers, to verify these credentials, easily, quickly, and credibly. This is exactly what a system of digital public infrastructure for verifiable credentials does.