Sino-Finnish Smart Education Forum and JoLII 10th Anniversary Ceremony Successfully Held in Beijing

On August 18th, 2025, the Sino-Finnish Smart Education Forum and JoLII 10th Anniversary Ceremony was held at Changping Campus, Beijing Normal University.As one of the important sub-forums of the 2025 Global Smart Education Conference(GSE), this event gathered educational scholars, technology experts, frontline practitioners and educational company representatives from China and Finland to jointly explore the cutting-edge concepts and future prospects of smart education. At the same time, it celebrated the 10th anniversary of JoLII, which was initiated in 2015 as a pioneering platform for international collaboration in educational innovation.

The opening ceremony was hosted by Professor ZHOU Zuoyu (Chair, JoLII Board China, Beijing Normal University) and featured congratulatory messages and remarks from several distinguished guests, including YANG Jun (Vice President and Secretary General, China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE)), Tiina Vihma-Purovaara (Senior Ministerial Adviser of Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland), Olli Suominen (Counsellor of Education and Science of Embassy of Finland in Beijing), LUO Yuejia (President-Elect of Chinese Psychological Society) and CHEN Xing (Vice President of Beijing Normal University).

Following the opening remarks, an Anniversary Celebration Video was shown to commemorate the unforgettable journey. And to honor the contributions made over the past decade, four awards were then presented to recognize the pioneers and great achievers, namely Outstanding Contribution Award, Research Collaboration Award, Innovation Pioneer Award and Exemplary Cooperation Award.

During the keynote speeches, four speakers from different backgrounds delivered insightful presentations on their topics. Professor Hannele Niemi (University of Helsinki) spoke on "Human Agency in Learning in the Era of AI"; Professor LIU Baocun (Beijing Normal University) shared the topic on "International Experience in Improving Teachers' Artificial Intelligence Competence and Its Implications for China"; Professor Jari Lavonen (University of Helsinki) presented his research on "How a Coding and Robotics Project Stimulates Creative and Critical Thinking Among Primary Students"; and Professor YU Shengquan (Beijing Normal University) introduced the "Multi-Model Collaborative Intelligent Tutor" from a different perspective.

Followed the keynotes, a Panel Discussion entitled AI and Digital Technology Impact on Education ensued. The discussion, hosted by Outi Kyrö-Ämmälä (University of Lapland) and Shuanghong Jenny Niu (University of Helsinki), featured insights from six panelists representing prestigious institutions, including Peking University and the University of Lapland, etc., fostering a dynamic dialogue on education's most pressing topics, which range fromthe specific impacts of AI across academic disciplines, toa balanced analysis of its benefits versus risks.

The event closed with joint concluding remarks from Professor WANG Jun(Dean, JoLII China, Beijing Normal University), and Professor Hannele Niemi (University of Helsinki). They both reflected on a decade of collaboration that JoLII has transformed ambitious visions into substantial achievements. Looking forward, they emphasized a shared commitment to empowering every learner with AI and digital tools, ensuring that critical thinking and collaborative spirit will guide and illuminate the next ten years of educational innovation.