2020 UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of ICT in Education Prize

Application Deadline: January 8th 2021

The call for nominations for the 2020 edition of the UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the use of ICT in education has been extended to 8 January 2021.

Each year the Prize has a specific theme to be taken into account by nomination proposals.

Theme 2020: The Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance the continuity and quality of learning

Technology innovations fuelled by Artificial Intelligence (AI) have the potential to locate and reach excluded and marginalized groups and provide relevant learning programmes for learners who are in crises and emergencies; accurately analyse difficulties faced by students studying in a language other than their mother tongue and facilitate the learning of foreign languages; and facilitate cost-efficient access to quality learning opportunities for large numbers of learners with physical and cognitive disabilities. Moreover, they can support teachers with a better diagnosis of learning problems and personally adaptive feedback to improve pedagogical responses.

To ensure the quality of learning for the marginalized groups and to keep pace with the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4, UNESCO aims to mobilize its partners to steer the use of AI toward inclusion and equity, and integrate technology innovation as one key pillar of inclusive and crisis-resilient education systems.

In 2020, the Prize will award scalable AI-powered solutions or technology innovations that have proven effective in improving learning outcomes of marginalized groups while ensuring ethical and equitable use of these technologies in education. these technologies in education. Special attention will be given to projects that provide access to education in remote areas or aim to improve the availability and affordability of connectivity for education and learning.

Who can apply?

Individuals, institutions, non-governmental organizations or other entities.

Eligibility criteria

The project should be ongoing for at least for 1 year
The project and its organization should not be affiliated to UNESCO or receive any funding from UNESCO
The technology solutions used by the project should be designed completely for public good or for charitable purposes, meaning that they should not be the free parts of commercial applications or application packages that only offer limited functions free of charge while requesting users to pay for advanced functions

Selection criteria

Relevance to the Thematic Focus: The project is in line with the objectives of the Prize and is relevant to the specific theme of the year
Innovation: The project applies innovative technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enhanced solutions or blends AI and conventional technologies in a new innovative way
Evidence of Impact: The project should provide evidence of improved learning outcomes of the targeted beneficiaries
Potential for Replicability and Scalability: The project should show evidence that it can be replicated in other contexts or have the potential to further optimize and scale its impact
Inclusion and Equity: The project should use AI or innovative technologies to advance inclusion and equity in education, while taking into account marginalized groups, leaners in crises and emergencies contexts and learners with physical or cognitive disabilities

Important

The Prize is not a grant scheme aimed at supporting new projects or organization. The Prize is aimed at recognizing already implemented projects and activities.

All projects should be nominated by a National Commission for UNESCO or a NGO in official partnership with UNESCO. Self-nominations will not be accepted.

2020 documents

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the 2020 UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of ICT in Education Prize

Application Deadline: 18 December 2020 (midnight, Paris time).

The UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the use of ICT in education is now accepting candidatures. The theme of the 2020 edition is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance the continuity and quality of learning.

In the context of the education crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this focus is all the more important. Indeed, the way we use new technologies to respond to the crisis reveals both their potential and the need to support their development – so that they can help to improve learning and inclusivity rather than exacerbate existing inequalities.

Technology innovations fueled by AI have the potential to locate and reach excluded and marginalized groups and provide quality learning programmes for learners in emergency contexts or learners with physical and cognitive disabilities. AI technologies can also help accurately analyze difficulties faced by students studying in a language other than their mother tongue. At the same time, they can support teachers with a better diagnosis of learning problems and personally adaptive feedback to improve pedagogical responses.

Two winners will be selected by the Director-General of UNESCO based on the recommendations of an international Jury, and each winner will receive a reward of USD 25,000 and a diploma.

Requirements:

Any individual, institution, or non-governmental organization (NGO) with an established ongoing project relevant to the specific theme of the year i.e. that use AI-powered solutions to enhance the continuity and quality of learning.

More information on the selection criteria and eligibility.

How to apply?

The applicants should fist request the access to the online platform and then fill in an online form.

See detailed user guide and instructions.

For the application to be considered, it should be nominated by either the National Commission of the UNESCO Member State or an NGO in official partnership with UNESCO.

All applicants are encouraged to get in touch with the NGO or National Commission ahead of the application process. Self-nominations will not be accepted.

Governments of UNESCO Member States as well as NGOs in official partnership with UNESCO are invited to elicit and nominate up to three projects, which are in line with the 2020 theme and meet the selection criteria.

The deadline for nominations is 18 December 2020 (midnight, Paris time).

For more information contact: [email protected](link sends e-mail)

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the 2020 UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of (ICTs) in Education Prize

2020 UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of ICT in Education Prize