Biography
Mark West works in UNESCO’s Education Sector where he researches and writes about the future of education with a special focus on technology.
He develops projects and publications that help countries understand opportunities and risks for education in an age of rapid technological, social and environmental change.
Mark is the UNESCO lead for the UNESCO-UNICEF Gateways to Public Digital Learning Initiative which helps countries develop digital commons to support education.
Mark has authored numerous publications for UNESCO, including ‘An Ed-Tech Tragedy?' (2023); 'I’d Blush if I Could' (2019), and 'Reading in the Mobile Era' (2014). He has also led the development of institutional and normative guidance about technology and education, most recently, the UNESCO-UNICEF-ITU Charter on Public Digital Learning (2026) and the Rewired Declaration (2022).
Mark is a graduate of Stanford University and a former Fulbright Fellow.
Sessions
- ELA-26 AIT57 Constructing Digital Commons for Education: The UNESCO-UNICEF-ITU Vision 2026-06-05 14:30
- ELA-26 TEA02 AI as a Practical, Context Aware Support Tool for Teachers 2026-06-04 11:45 Chairperson
- ELA-26 AIT25 Beyond the Bandwidth Barrier: AI-Driven Learning for Multiple Contexts with AWS Launch of the book: 'The algorithm in the room: Seeing and confronting AI’s implications for the future of education' 2026-06-04 16:30
- ELA-25 QUA49 Implementing the Dubai Declaration on Open Educational Resources (OER) (EN/FR/PT/SW) 2025-05-09 12:00
- ELA-25 AIP56 UNESCO Approaches to Ensuring Technology Improves Educational Inclusion, Equity and Quality (EN/FR/PT/SW) 2025-05-09 14:30
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ELA-19
EDU02
The Future of Education
“Introducing UNESCO’s New Futures of Education Initiative”
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ELA-18
EMP03
Initiatives for Women Empowerment
“"I'd Blush if I Could": Why Bridging the Digital Gender Divide is so Urgent and Recommendations for Action from the EQUALS Skills Coalition”
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ELA-18
LIT36
Enhancing Literacy in Rural Areas
“Greater Digital Inclusion for Low-skilled and Low-literate People: Best Practices from 14 Case Studies”
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ELA-22
FUT42
Reimagining the Education Future Together
2022-05-13 11:45
“The Futures of Education Report”
- ELA-22 EMP54 UNESCO - Transforming Education Summit 2022 Survey 2022-05-13 14:30
- ELA-22 PLENARY01 New Purpose for Education: An African Agenda 2022-05-12 09:30
- ELA-23 PLENARY03 Closing Debate: “This House Believes that AI Will Do More Harm than Good to Education in Africa” (EN-FR) 2023-05-26 16:30
- ELA-23 TRA31 Gateways to Public Digital Learning 2023-05-25 16:30
- ELA-24 PLENARY03 Friday Plenary: Navigating the Future: Transformative Strategies for Education, Training, and Skills Development in Africa (EN-FR) 2024-05-31 11:45 Chairperson
- ELA-24 INM06 UNESCO-UNICEF Gateways to Public Digital Learning Initiative 2024-05-30 12:00