Artificial intelligence is increasingly influencing how educational systems think about teaching, learning, and institutional change.

Governments are introducing AI-related policies, universities are exploring new teaching approaches, and schools are increasingly exposed to digital learning tools.

Alongside these developments, climate disruption, inequality, and changing patterns of human behaviour are also reshaping the educational landscape.

These developments formed the basis of the NEXT Premier Dialogue titled Education Reimagined in the Age of A.I. & Global Disruption, held in Kuala Lumpur on 16 May 2026. The programme was organised by Fulbright Malaysia, the Fulbright Alumni Association of Malaysia (FAAM), and the Harvard Club of Malaysia.

The event brought together academics, practitioners, and educational leaders, including Fulbright Malaysia executive director Aeti Abdullah, FAAM president Associate Professor Dr Norhayati Abdullah, and Harvard Club of Malaysia president Khoo Eu Wen.

The programme featured a keynote address by Prof Fernando Reimers of Harvard University, followed by a forum discussion involving educators and practitioners from different professional backgrounds. The forum session was chaired by Anisha Pradhan of the Harvard Club of Malaysia and moderated by Kelvin Tan, chief executive officer of Project ID.

Educational systems under pressure

Prof Reimers centred his presentation around a question now confronting educational systems across the world: are schools preparing students for present realities, or are they still organised around assumptions inherited from the past?

Artificial intelligence and climate disruption formed the backbone of the discussion because both are already reshaping how societies function and how young people experience daily life.

The conversation moved quickly beyond technology itself. Much of the attention focused on how educational reform can slowly become fragmented, particularly when institutions concentrate on isolated initiatives instead of broader educational direction.

Introducing AI subjects, launching pilot projects, or organising occasional workshops may create the appearance of progress. Long-term transformation, however, depends on whether educational systems themselves are prepared to evolve coherently.

Teacher development became one of the clearest examples discussed during the session. Rapid technological change is placing growing pressure on educators, while professional development often remains limited to short-term exposure.

As noted during the presentation, “a three-hour workshop is not professional development”. Whether teachers are ultimately able to adapt within classrooms still depends heavily on institutional support, preparation, and time.

AI literacy was discussed less as technical training and more as a question of judgement. Understanding how AI systems function remained important, though equal attention was given to how technology shapes decision-making, influences public life, and affects the way information itself is interpreted.

One concept that stood out during the presentation was “dragonfly thinking”, described as the ability to examine problems from multiple perspectives at the same time. The idea reflected a broader concern running throughout the session: technological systems should strengthen human judgement rather than encourage passive dependence on automated outputs.

Climate change formed another major part of the discussion. Flooding, prolonged school closures, and displacement are already interrupting educational continuity across many parts of the world. Figures shared during the session pointed to approximately 250 million students affected by climate-related disruption, with severe impacts continuing in countries such as Pakistan and the Philippines.

AI expansion also carries environmental costs that educational systems cannot ignore. Large-scale data centres supporting AI technologies consume enormous amounts of energy and water. Discussions about educational transformation therefore remained closely tied to environmental pressures already affecting schools and communities.

Inequality remained another major concern throughout the discussion. Advanced AI systems remain concentrated within institutions possessing stronger infrastructure and institutional readiness. Under such conditions, technological expansion may reinforce existing educational gaps, particularly when access and preparedness remain uneven across educational systems.

The human dimensions of learning formed another important part of the presentation. Concerns surrounding declining attention spans and excessive screen dependency were discussed alongside students struggling to sustain meaningful reading or conversation. Human interaction itself was presented as an important part of learning, particularly during the early stages of child development where communication and social maturity continue taking shape.

At the same time, the discussion also recognised practical uses of AI within educational environments. One practical example involved reducing the administrative burdens placed on teachers. Automating routine paperwork may allow educators to devote greater attention to lesson preparation, classroom interaction, and student engagement. The larger question raised throughout the session was whether technological efficiency would continue supporting human development or slowly weaken it over time.

Regional perspectives and classroom realities

The forum discussion shifted the conversation from broad educational transformation toward the realities facing institutions, educators, and students more directly within the region.

Dr Jomphong Mongkhonvanit of Siam University highlighted the uneven pace of AI readiness across educational systems. While many countries are actively introducing AI-related initiatives, implementation still varies significantly between institutions. Singapore was referenced as one example of a more systematic and centralised approach, particularly in terms of quality assurance and institutional coordination.

David Chak of Arus Academy focused more closely on the gap between policy ambition and classroom realities. Public understanding of AI, he noted, still tends to revolve around chatbot technologies despite the growing presence of more advanced agentic systems already influencing professional environments. The discussion also cautioned against allowing corporate technology interests to shape educational priorities too heavily without sufficient engagement from educators working directly with students.

The forum discussion approached AI literacy from a more practical perspective. Familiarity with technology alone was viewed as insufficient without the ability to think carefully, communicate effectively, and engage meaningfully with AI within everyday educational settings.

Fairuz Alia Jamaluddin of UNHCR Malaysia drew attention to groups often left outside mainstream educational discussions, particularly stateless and undocumented children. Her remarks brought the conversation back toward issues involving safety, vulnerability, and educational participation. Children growing up within unstable environments, she explained, often become hesitant to take intellectual or social risks because uncertainty itself is closely tied to insecurity in their daily lives.

Viewed collectively, the forum discussion suggested that educational transformation is no longer simply a technological question. Social trust, institutional capacity, and unequal access to opportunity continue shaping how students experience education long before technology enters the classroom itself.

Malaysia and the future of learning

For Malaysia, the larger challenge may not simply involve how quickly AI enters classrooms, but how thoughtfully educational systems prepare students to engage with technological change while still protecting the human dimensions of learning.

Across both the keynote and forum discussion, the broader concern centred on ensuring that technological progress does not gradually weaken the human relationships and judgement that remain central to education itself. As Prof Reimers remarked during the event, AI may continue advancing rapidly, but it still cannot “look into your eyes”.

-- BERNAMA

Assoc Prof Dr Moniza Waheed is a past president of the Fulbright Alumni Association of Malaysia (FAAM) and a senior lecturer at the Department of Communication, Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia.