At a time when artificial intelligence and digital innovation are transforming every aspect of society, H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser’s call to place human values at the center of education resonates with urgent clarity.
Opening the 12th World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE 12) in Doha, she reminded the global community that education is not a commodity or privilege rather it is an inalienable right, a foundation for justice, progress, and human dignity.
WISE 12, themed “Humanity.io: Human Values at the Heart of Education,” brought together over 4,000 participants, including ministers, policymakers, educators, and innovators, to discuss how education can remain equitable, relevant, and deeply human in an era of unprecedented technological change.
The summit underscored a crucial point: technology must serve humanity, not the other way around. By integrating moral, cultural, and social values into learning, education can become a “restoration project,” strengthening science and society alike.
This emphasis on values is more than philosophical because it is practical. Initiatives like the WISE Education Index, announced by H H Sheikha Moza, signal a move toward measuring educational quality not solely by academic metrics but also by social and cultural impact.
Similarly, sessions by the Education Above All Foundation showcased tangible ways in which education can empower youth, from supporting displaced students through higher-education pathways to equipping young people with climate-resilient knowledge and leadership skills. These programs exemplify the principle that education must cultivate agency, resilience, and empathy alongside knowledge.
The summit also highlighted the complementary role of arts and storytelling in navigating a technological world. Moroccan-American author Laila Lalami observed that fiction allows us to inhabit another’s consciousness, a vital tool for safeguarding human voices in the age of AI. Likewise, tech visionaries such as Mo Gawdat stressed that while AI can accelerate scientific breakthroughs, its power must be guided by ethical frameworks rooted in human values.
WISE 12 demonstrates that innovation in education is not merely about adopting the latest tools; it is about ensuring those tools serve the broader goals of humanity. By centering education on dignity, justice, and human flourishing, we can harness technology to expand opportunities, strengthen communities, and nurture a generation capable of solving complex global challenges.
As H H Sheikha Moza emphasized, the future of education and indeed of society depends on our commitment to values that transcend technology including truth, justice, and the beauty of human potential. WISE 12 is a timely reminder that, even in an era dominated by AI and digital acceleration, humanity must remain at the heart of learning.
