Artificial Intelligence is no longer just a futuristic concept knocking at the classroom door, it is actively redefining how we understand knowledge, teaching, and human agency. At this critical juncture, how do we prepare the education leaders who are guiding educators?

This is the central question driving the 1st Asia-Europe Education Next Fellowship (ASEFNextEd1). The Fellowship is an educational leadership initiative that brings together more than 40 academics, education leaders, researchers and teacher trainers from across Asia and Europe. Running from May to November 2026, this year’s Fellowship is centered on the theme, “Re-thinking Intelligence: The Future of Teacher Education”.

Following an active and peer-to-peer dialogue-driven launch, the Fellowship has successfully transitioned from its initial cross-regional dialogue phase into active, hands-on co-creation. Now in its collaboration phase, fellows are working in interdisciplinary teams under the guidance of their Fellowship Leaders to develop policy-relevant white papers that contribute to global discussions on the future of teacher education.

Moving Beyond the Technical: A Shared Vision

Rather than treating AI purely as a technical tool or software add-on in education systems, ASEFNextEd1 positions teacher education institutions as essential stewards of responsible educational transformation.

During the initial Peer-to-Peer Learning & Dialogue Phase, fellows engaged in structured, cross-cultural conversations to build a shared conceptual language around the project’s key theme, “What is Intelligence in the AI Era?”. Then they explored and examined how accelerating digitalisation and sustainability transitions impact professional judgment, equity, and trust in education; therefore, the future of teacher education. By exchanging regional and institutional perspectives, the fellows uncovered common ground and interconnected challenges that transcend geographic boundaries.

Turning Dialogue into Action: The Co-Creation Phase

With a firm foundation of mutual respect, trust and shared purpose established, the fellowship has now moved into its deep collaboration phase. Fellows have been teamed up into eight interdisciplinary, cross-regional teams to begin the independent drafting of policy-relevant white papers.

Guided by a group of senior education leaders (serving as Fellowship Leaders in the project), who aligned on thematic standards during an initial meeting in Cambridge, United Kingdom, these teams are focusing their collective inquiry on five core pillars:

• Human-Centred Intelligence and Pedagogy: Prioritizing care and human judgment over automation.
• The Evolving Role of Teachers: Transitioning from knowledge transmitters to ethical facilitators.
• Ethics, Agency, and Professional Responsibility: Navigating algorithmic influence and data-driven systems responsibly.
• Wellbeing, Sustainability, and the Green Transition: Accounting for ecological and emotional dimensions in learning.
• Cultural Perspectives on Intelligence: Leveraging diverse Asian and European insights for more inclusive educational models.

What Lies Ahead?

The ultimate goal of ASEFNextEd1 is to generate actionable, forward-looking policy knowledge that directly informs teacher education reform and global policy discussions. The insights and white papers co-created by the fellows will serve as a roadmap for institutions and policymakers striving to build more humane, ethical, and adaptive learning environments in the AI era.

Stay tuned as our fellows continue to collaborate across borders, challenge existing paradigms, and actively design the future of teacher education.

Learn more about the Fellowship here: ASEFNextEd1 Fellowship 

Have questions about the Fellowship? Reach out to us at: nexted@asef.org