ASEAN Foundation Announces AI Ready ASEAN Powered by AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific with SOM-ED Endorsement to Equip More Than 1.7 Million Students with Practical AI Skills

In collaboration with AVPN, with support from Google.org and ADB, the regional programme will further strengthen AI literacy across ASEAN’s education sector

Jakarta, 15 September 2026 – The ASEAN Foundation today received official endorsement of the AI Ready ASEAN Powered by AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific after introducing the initiative
during the Open Session of the 21st ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Education (SOM-ED). In collaboration with AVPN, with support from Google.org and ADB, the programme is aimed at
strengthening AI readiness across the region and will run until the end of 2028, equipping more than 1.7 Million students, K-12 school teachers and university faculty members with practical AI
skills.

Building on the success of AI Ready ASEAN for the last two years, the next phase of the programme, now part of the AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific, will focus on applied AI learning,
equipping educators and students with the skills to integrate AI responsibly into teaching, learning, research, and workforce preparation.
Dr. Piti Srisangnam, Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation, said, “Phase 1 showed us that ASEAN's youth, educators, and communities are ready to engage with AI when given the
right tools and support. With Phase 2, now powered by AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific, we are moving beyond awareness to embedding practical AI skills across our education systems, so that
teachers and students can use AI responsibly and confidently while preparing the region's future workforce.”

Under AI Ready ASEAN Powered by AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific, the ASEAN Foundation will collaborate with qualified and interested Local Implementing Partners (LIPs) from ASEAN
Member States. The LIPs will support the development of locally adapted curricula and the delivery of applied AI training for K-12 teachers, tertiary students, and tertiary faculty members.
Throughout programme implementation, the ASEAN Foundation will work closely with the respective Ministries of Education to ensure that programme delivery aligns with national AI and
education priorities while complementing existing initiatives. This coordination will also help identify relevant national contexts, facilitate engagement with education institutions and
beneficiaries, and strengthen government ownership of the programme.

Beyond training, the ASEAN Foundation will organise regional and national convenings with interested public- and private-sector stakeholders from ASEAN Member States, including
government officials, AI practitioners, academics, civil society, international organisations, media, and beneficiary representatives. These convenings will foster knowledge exchange and generatei nsights to inform evidence-based AI education policies and strategies addressing shared regional needs and gaps. The 4th Regional Convening is scheduled for December 2026 in
Singapore.

“AI literacy is becoming a foundational skill, and educators are at the centre of ensuring learners across Southeast Asia can use the technology responsibly and effectively. Google.org is proud to
continue supporting the ASEAN Foundation as AI Ready ASEAN moves from awareness to applied, in-depth training that will benefit millions of students across the region.” said Marija
Ralic, Head of Google.org APAC, Google.org “Through the AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific, AVPN is committed to helping deliver practical, scalable AI skills training where it is needed most. Working alongside the ASEAN Foundation and LIPs across the region, this programme demonstrates how coordinated regional action can turn AI readiness into a tangible, measurable outcome for teachers, students, and faculty.” said Naina Subberwal Batra, CEO, AVPN AI Ready ASEAN Powered by AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific is closely aligned with regional priorities, including the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Strategic Plan 2026-2030 and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan 2026-2030, and the ASEAN Work Plan on Education 2026–2030, supporting inclusive access to digital learning, workforce competitiveness, lifelong learning, and the responsible use of AI and emerging technologies across the region. Further updates on registration, training schedules, and partnership opportunities will be shared through the programme's dedicated webpage. 

Group Photo (Left to Right): Dr. Aung Kyaw, Director General, Ministry of Education (Myanmar); Dr. Carmela Oracion, Deputy Minister for the Learning Systems Strand, Department of Education (Philippines); Mr. Suthep Kaengsanthia, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education (Thailand); Mrs. Odilia Ung Martins, Director General, Office of Policy, Planning, and Inclusion (Timor-Leste); Dr. Thanh Minh Nguyen, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Education and Training (Vietnam); Ms. Lim Wan Yong (Chair), Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education (Singapore); Dr. Shamsiah Zuraini Kanchanawati Haji Tajuddin, Permanent Secretary (Basic Education), Ministry of Education (Brunei Darussalam); Dr. Bo Chankoulika, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports (Cambodia); Ms. Suharti, Secretary General, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Indonesia); Mr. Sengsaden Bounlavong, Director General, Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Education and Sports (Lao PDR); Ms. Fadzilah Fadzil, Deputy Secretary, Division of Strategic Planning and International Relations, Ministry of Education (Malaysia); and Ms. Rodora T. Babaran, Director of Human Development, ASEAN Secretariat.

Dr. Piti Srisangnam, Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation, at the Open Session of the 21st ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting on Education (SOM-ED)

Scene from the Open Session of the 21st ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting on Education (SOM-ED)

SOURCE/AUTHOR : ASEAN Foundation