Experts in education and information and communication technologies (ICT) met in Kronberg (Germany) on 23 June to examine ways of harnessing the potential of these technologies for knowledge acquisition and sharing.

The meeting was based on the premise that knowledge is a key driver of social and economic development, including notions of cultural identity, empowerment, inclusion and human security and dignity, and that the construction of knowledge societies must therefore become a priority.

“Knowledge societies are not yet a fact, at least not in much of the world,” said Abdul Waheed Khan, the UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information. “We need to look at how we can make such societies a reality for all. We need to translate the vision into concrete actions.”

Participants included representatives from government, civil society, academia and the private sector. During the daylong seminar they addressed eight key subjects, including :

• The impact of emerging technology on models of learning;
  
• Teachers’ future roles;
  
• Future models of assessment;
  
• The future of classical education systems;
  
• The concept of universal “knowledge norms”;
  
• The role of the information technology private sector in learning;
  
• The future of e-education;
  
• And the impact of technology on the evolution of knowledge societies.

The meeting was organized by UNESCO and the German National Commission for UNESCO and sponsored by BASF.