Russian Education Minister Sergey Kravtsov and heads of delegations from 20 countries, including Venezuela, Niger, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Laos, the Gambia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, signed a declaration on Tuesday on the establishment of a working group on creative professions, the use of AI in education, and the setting up of engineering schools.
The signing ceremony was held within the II International Forum of Ministers of Education "Shaping the Future," which took place on June 10–11 in Russia's city of Kazan.
"Indeed, we need to share experiences. I believe that education is an area where all countries should interact, become friends, and together make our world even better and safer. It is important that all countries listen to each other. We are building the future of equal countries, equal opportunities for our children. And it depends on all of us what that future world will look like," Russian Minister of Education Sergey Kravtsov said, according to the ministry's press statement.
According to the document, the working group was created against the background of the creative industries rapidly developing in the global economy, as well as the increasing impact of AI on various life spheres, speeding up the adoption of new technologies.
Kravtsov noted that cooperation within the group could also include the development of science education, Russian language teaching, and student exchange programs. He also stressed the importance of discussing vocational education.
The declaration establishing the working group takes into account the main provisions of the UNESCO Framework for Culture and Arts Education, adopted in 2024 at the World Conference on Culture and Arts Education in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, adopted at the UNESCO General Conference in 2021.
Moreover, according to Russian Deputy Minister of Education Denis Gribov, the country is currently training a workforce for creative industries in 79 professions. Furthermore, by 2030, Russian government support is expected to increase the share of creative industries in the national economy from 2.2% to 6% and the share of people employed in creative professions from 4.6% to 15%, he added.
The II International Forum of Ministers of Education is organized by the Ministry of Education of Russia, the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan, and the Foundation for the Support of Humanitarian Sciences, "My History."