Capacity development Archives | Page 4 of 327

South Africa and China expand digital education ties

South Africa and China have agreed on measures to deepen cooperation in digital education, technical skills development and student mobility following bilateral talks at the World Digital Education Conference in Hangzhou.

The talks brought together South Africa’s Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, and China’s Vice Minister of Education, Xu Qingsen. According to SAnews, the meeting produced a framework for stronger cooperation in areas including AI, vocational training and industry-linked education pathways.

Planned measures include a structured cooperation framework on AI in education and digital transformation, as well as a Joint Technical Working Group to oversee the rollout of China-South Africa Vocational and Technical Centres across all nine South African provinces.

Both countries also committed to expanding technical and vocational education and training cooperation, aligning programmes with industrial sectors such as AI, robotics, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing. Scholarship programmes are also expected to be more closely linked to South Africa’s industrial priorities, including AI, engineering, green energy and the development of TVET lecturers.

The cooperation will include expanded postgraduate study opportunities and joint research initiatives. Future short-term training programmes are expected to focus on AI governance, digital learning systems, industrial policy and digital public infrastructure, to strengthen institutional capacity across government and the post-school education sector.

Officials also highlighted the goal of linking education more directly with employment. Existing cooperation includes a partnership with Beijing Polytechnic College, where South African TVET students completed specialised training in new energy vehicles and hybrid technologies, with Chinese automaker BYD committing to provide internships and employment opportunities.

Why does it matter?

The cooperation links digital education with industrial policy, skills development and employment pathways, rather than treating AI education as a standalone technology issue. By focusing on vocational centres, scholarships, AI governance and digital public infrastructure, South Africa and China are positioning education cooperation as part of broader workforce and institutional capacity-building for the digital economy.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Poland launches campaign to boost business cybersecurity awareness

Poland’s Ministry of Digital Affairs has launched a campaign to encourage entrepreneurs and management teams to take a more active role in protecting their companies from cyber threats.

The campaign, titled ‘Build your company’s digital security click by click’, is aimed at businesses and senior decision-makers. The ministry says its main goal is to encourage firms to address cybersecurity at both organisational and operational levels.

The campaign stresses that cybersecurity is no longer solely the responsibility of IT departments but is a key part of responsible business management. The ministry points to growing risks such as phishing and ransomware as digital technology becomes central to company operations.

According to the ministry, effective cybersecurity depends on three pillars: knowledge, processes and people. The campaign encourages firms to analyse risks, develop incident response procedures, train employees regularly and use official guidance available through cyber.gov.pl.

A separate focus is placed on medium-sized and large companies subject to requirements under Poland’s national cybersecurity system. The ministry says firms in key sectors should understand obligations related to risk management, incident reporting and the protection of information systems.

The campaign also calls on company leaders to integrate cybersecurity into business strategy, including through security policies, investment in skills and the development of a culture of responsibility across organisations.

Why does it matter?

The campaign reflects a broader shift in cybersecurity policy from technical protection towards organisational responsibility. By targeting business leaders, Poland is emphasising that cyber resilience depends not only on tools, but also on governance, staff training, incident response and compliance with national cybersecurity obligations.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

AI’s economic impact could redefine jobs and productivity trends

AI is increasingly being viewed as a potential general-purpose technology, similar to electricity, computers and the internet, with the capacity to reshape economies over time, according to Bank of Canada External Deputy Governor Michelle Alexopoulos.

Speaking at the Ottawa Economics Association and Canadian Association for Business Economics Spring Policy Conference, Alexopoulos said technological change usually unfolds gradually. Still, some innovations spread across industries and transform the wider economy. AI has developed over the past decades, but recent advances have accelerated adoption among people and businesses.

If AI becomes a general-purpose technology, it could eventually reshape jobs, improve productivity and make businesses more competitive, potentially leading to higher wages, lower costs for consumers and reduced inflationary pressure. Alexopoulos cautioned that forecasts will change as new information becomes available, but said AI’s potential effects on productivity, inflation and the labour market cannot be ignored.

Global uptake is expanding, though unevenly. Investment in AI data centres has risen sharply, particularly in the United States, while constraints such as power generation capacity and skills shortages continue to affect adoption. In Canada, adoption is gaining momentum but remains uneven across sectors, with some businesses saying AI does not yet meet their needs or that workers lack the required skills.

Early signs of modest productivity gains are emerging, as AI may allow economies to produce more goods and services without requiring people to work harder. Because productivity affects estimates of future economic growth, the Bank of Canada sees AI’s potential impact as relevant to monetary policy.

Labour-market effects remain mixed. Alexopoulos noted that some large technology firms have linked recent job cuts to AI, and studies show weaker hiring in highly exposed roles such as entry-level coding and customer service. However, she said the evidence so far does not show large-scale job losses, but rather that AI is transforming work tasks instead of replacing people.

Why does it matter?

AI’s possible emergence as a general-purpose technology could affect productivity, wages, inflation and labour demand over time. The Bank of Canada’s framing matters because it links AI adoption directly to macroeconomic policy, rather than just to business innovation. The central question is whether AI raises productivity broadly enough to support growth and lower costs, or whether uneven adoption deepens gaps between firms, sectors and workers.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our chatbot!

Canada advances sovereign AI data centre strategy with TELUS

The Canadian government and TELUS are advancing plans to develop large-scale sovereign AI infrastructure as part of Ottawa’s broader strategy to strengthen domestic compute capacity and support the country’s AI ecosystem.

The initiative was announced by Evan Solomon (Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario) and focuses on a proposed AI data centre project in British Columbia designed to support researchers, businesses, and academic institutions.

A project that forms part of Canada’s ‘Enabling large-scale sovereign AI data centres’ initiative, which was introduced under Budget 2025. Ottawa stated that sovereign compute infrastructure is increasingly important for maintaining national competitiveness in AI while ensuring Canadian data, intellectual property, and economic value remain within the country.

The government also confirmed that no formal funding commitments have yet been distributed, with discussions currently progressing through non-binding memoranda of understanding with selected industry participants.

Local officials argued that large-scale compute infrastructure has become a strategic economic requirement as governments worldwide race to expand AI processing capabilities. Canada believes it holds competitive advantages due to its colder climate, sustainable energy resources, and network infrastructure, all of which could help attract future AI investment and hyperscale data centre development.

Why does it matter?

The race for sovereign AI infrastructure is rapidly becoming one of the most important geopolitical and economic competitions of the digital era. The Canada-TELUS partnership illustrates how countries are moving beyond AI model development alone and shifting focus towards the physical infrastructure required to sustain future AI ecosystems, including data centres, energy capacity, semiconductors, and domestic compute networks.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Australia launches national AI platform ‘AI.gov.au’

The Department of Industry, Science and Resources has announced the launch of AI.gov.au through the National Artificial Intelligence Centre. The platform is designed to help organisations adopt AI safely and responsibly in line with the National AI Plan.

AI.gov.au provides a central source of guidance, tools and resources to support businesses and not-for-profits. It aims to help users identify AI opportunities, plan implementation, manage risks and build internal capability.

The platform’s development was informed by research and engagement with industry and government, highlighting the need for clear starting points, practical advice and support for AI organisational change. It also supports the AI Safety Institute’s work by improving access to safety guidance.

Initial features focus on small and medium-sized enterprises and include training, case studies and adoption tools, with further updates planned. The initiative reflects efforts to strengthen AI uptake and governance in Australia.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

World Economic Forum analysis explores AI-driven future planning for organisations

A World Economic Forum article argues that organisations need to move beyond static reports and analytical forecasts to become more future-ready in an era marked by rapid technological and geopolitical change.

The article highlights FutureSlam, a foresight method that combines participatory scenario-building, AI-supported reflection and improvisational performance to help organisations experience possible futures rather than analyse them. The authors say many organisations already invest in foresight, but struggle to translate insights into operational decisions because they often remain confined to strategy teams and slide decks.

The approach integrates human imagination with AI-generated scenarios. Participants first develop scenarios themselves, before comparing them with future images generated by an AI system using the same trend material. The authors argue that this comparison can challenge assumptions, confirm parts of participants’ reasoning and introduce perspectives that human groups may avoid.

FutureSlam then uses improvised performance, including simulated news broadcasts and staged scenarios, to make possible futures more tangible. According to the article, the method is designed to make foresight more inclusive, structured and memorable by turning participants into co-creators rather than passive recipients of expert analysis.

The authors suggest that such approaches could help organisations adapt more effectively to technological, geopolitical and societal change by turning foresight into a shared organisational capability rather than a niche strategic exercise.

Why does it matter?

AI is increasingly being used not only to automate tasks, but also to support strategic thinking, scenario-building and organisational learning. The FutureSlam example points to a broader shift in how organisations may prepare for uncertainty: less focus on predicting precise outcomes, and more focus on building the capacity to test assumptions, imagine alternatives and adapt collectively.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Europe pushes for unified capital markets and stronger banking union

European Central Bank Vice-President Luis de Guindos has called for deeper financial integration in Europe, arguing that more unified capital markets and a stronger banking union are needed to support growth, resilience and competitiveness.

Speaking at a joint European Commission and ECB conference on financial integration, de Guindos said Europe has made progress in integrating financial markets, including through stronger cross-border capital flows and reduced differences in some asset prices across member states. However, he warned that fragmentation persists in areas such as corporate lending, equity markets and foreign direct investment.

Cross-border corporate lending within the euro area accounts for only 14% of total corporate lending, while equity market integration has shown signs of decline since 2022, and foreign direct investment within the euro area has fallen to a historical low, according to the speech.

De Guindos said policy priorities should include a genuine single rulebook for capital markets, a more European supervisory framework and support for a tokenised financial ecosystem through the distributed ledger technology pilot regime. He argued that these measures would reduce legal uncertainty, support digital financial innovation and help remove barriers to cross-border capital market integration.

He also called for further banking union reforms, including treating the banking union as a single European jurisdiction, finalising a European deposit insurance scheme and allowing capital and liquidity to move more freely within cross-border banking groups. Such steps, he said, would help reduce fragmentation and strengthen the euro area’s financial system.

The speech also pointed to the need for a more coherent regulatory framework, including simpler and more harmonised rules for banks, closer attention to regulatory gaps between banks and non-bank financial institutions, and the removal of legal and tax barriers that still limit cross-border activity.

Why does it matter?

Financial fragmentation affects how efficiently Europe can channel savings into investment, support innovation and absorb economic shocks. Deeper capital markets make it easier for businesses to access funding across borders, while a stronger banking union could reduce national barriers and improve resilience during periods of stress.

The speech also connects financial integration with digital finance and strategic autonomy. By linking capital market reform with tokenisation, EU-level supervision and banking union, the ECB is framing financial integration as part of Europe’s broader effort to remain competitive in a more fragmented global economy.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our chatbot!

OSCE chairpersonship opens Geneva conference on AI and quantum risks

The Swiss OSCE Chairpersonship has opened a high-level conference in Geneva on how emerging technologies are affecting security, international governance, and co-operation across the OSCE region.

The two-day event, titled ‘Anticipating technologies – for a safe and humane future’, brings together about 200 participants from OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation, alongside representatives from international organisations, academia, the private sector, and civil society.

The conference focuses on the security implications of rapid technological change, including AI and quantum technologies. The discussions are intended to examine how anticipation, dialogue, and cooperation can help reduce misunderstandings, build trust, and strengthen security in a fast-changing technological environment.

Opening the conference, OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Swiss Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis said: ‘Technology will not wait for us. Geopolitics will not slow down. If we want to remain relevant, we must anticipate – not react. This is the responsibility we share across the OSCE region. The OSCE still offers something rare: a space where adversaries can speak, where differences can be managed, and where common ground can still be built.’

The organisation’s Secretary General, Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu, also stressed the need for dialogue as emerging technologies evolve faster than governance frameworks. He said: ‘Today, emerging technologies are evolving faster than the frameworks that govern them. This creates a widening gap between what technology can do and how we manage it. This gap must be addressed through dialogue – our most important stabilizing force in uncertain times – and this is where the OSCE has a vital role to play.’

The programme includes discussions on anticipating technological change and its geopolitical impact, water and energy security in the digital age, and the role of AI in early warning and conflict prevention. The conference also highlights Geneva’s role as a meeting point for science and diplomacy, including through institutions such as CERN, the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator, and the Open Quantum Institute.

The event forms part of the Chairpersonship’s priority to connect scientific and technological anticipation with policy action. It is the second of four international conferences Switzerland is hosting under its chairpersonship, ahead of the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Lugano in December.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

India and France discuss expanding AI and space cooperation

India and France have discussed expanding cooperation in space, AI, applied mathematics and advanced technologies following a bilateral meeting between Indian Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh and French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space Philippe Baptiste.

The talks reviewed the countries’ growing strategic partnership in science, technology and space, with the 2026 Indo-French Year of Innovation identified as an opportunity to deepen collaboration in emerging technology fields.

Both sides discussed stronger links between Indian and French research institutions, including initiatives related to AI, advanced materials and digital sciences. Space cooperation also featured prominently, building on long-standing collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation and France’s Centre National d’études Spatiales through joint missions such as Megha-Tropiques and SARAL, and ongoing work on TRISHNA.

France also expressed interest in expanding cooperation on human spaceflight, microgravity experiments and ocean-related data-sharing initiatives.

Indian officials highlighted the expansion of the country’s space ecosystem following recent reforms, noting that nearly 400 space start-ups are now active in the sector. The discussions also covered opportunities linked to India’s Deep Ocean Mission and future engagement around the International Space Summit planned in Paris in September 2026.

Why does it matter?

The meeting reflects how AI, space, ocean data and advanced research are increasingly being treated as linked areas of strategic technology cooperation. For India and France, the agenda goes beyond scientific exchange: it connects national innovation ecosystems, space-sector reforms, research partnerships and the use of data-intensive technologies for climate, ocean and public-interest applications.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

UNESCO, Lebanon and Télé Liban launch campaign to promote media literacy

Lebanon’s Ministry of Information, UNESCO and Télé Liban have launched a nationwide media and information literacy campaign aimed at raising public awareness of misinformation and encouraging more responsible information sharing.

Funded by UNIFIL, the initiative, titled ‘Share Responsibly: Be Part of the Truth, Not Misinformation’, uses short episodes inspired by daily life in Lebanon to show how misleading information can spread and shape public perception.

The campaign features Yara Bou Monsef in scenarios set in taxis, shops, elevators and other public spaces, illustrating how people encounter and respond to misinformation in everyday situations. Through these examples, the organisers aim to encourage audiences to verify information before sharing it online or offline.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen media and information literacy, promote critical thinking and support more resilient and informed communities.

Why does it matter?

Misinformation campaigns are often discussed in relation to elections, conflict or online platforms, but public resilience also depends on everyday information habits. By using familiar public spaces and locally recognisable scenarios, the campaign frames media literacy as a civic skill rather than only a technical or platform-governance issue.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!