Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Teachers: Elevate, Support and Invest in the Teaching Profession
| When: | Tuesday, March 31, 2026 - 08:00 - Thursday, April 2, 2026 - 17:00 |
| Timezone: |
Asia/Bangkok
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| Organizers: |
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The Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Teachers will be held from 31 March to 2 April 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand, convening policymakers, teacher representatives, development partners and experts from across the region.
Convened by the UNESCO Bangkok in partnership with Education International Asia-Pacific and in collaboration with UNESCO’s Section for Teacher Development and the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 (TTF), the Forum represents an important regional follow-up to the 2025 World Summit on Teachers and its outcome document, the Santiago Consensus.
Advancing the teaching profession in Asia-Pacific
The Forum takes place at a critical moment for the region. Many education systems continue to face teacher shortages, retention challenges and evolving expectations linked to digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), inclusion, and resilience. Strengthening the status, working conditions and professional development of teachers remains central to achieving SDG 4.
Under the theme “Elevate, Support and Invest in the Teaching Profession,” participants will engage in high-level dialogue and technical exchanges on issues including:
- Teacher workforce development and professionalization;
- Governance, standards and policy frameworks;
- Sustainable financing and partnerships;
- Teacher education and continuous professional development;
- Emerging transformations affecting teaching and learning.
The Forum is expected to contribute to regional reflection on accelerating progress towards teacher-related SDG 4 targets and to inform broader global discussions, including ongoing normative processes concerning the status of teachers.
As the SDG 4 timeline advances, the Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Teachers aims to reinforce regional cooperation and support concrete, context-responsive actions to strengthen the teaching profession across Asia and the Pacific.
