WORLDDIDAC Asia 2025: A Dialogue with Dr. C. Rodrigo Sáez Muñoz, Secretary General – Director General of the WORLDDIDAC Association.

The 11th WORLDDIDAC Asia Exhibition centers on two pivotal themes: “The Integration of Science and Education” and “The Integration of Industry and Education.” This platform seeks to explore how education and industry can collaborate for mutual growth and innovation. It also aims to provide exhibitors with the opportunity to showcase engaging and impactful solutions while encouraging educational leaders to embrace diverse perspectives and new approaches. Through insightful discussions and in-depth exploration, meaningful solutions will emerge to advance partnerships between education and industry.

In this conversation, Dr. Sáez Muñoz explores key questions shaping WORLDDIDAC Asia 2025:

• How does the organizer interpret the unique character and educational landscape of the host city?
• What mindset is essential for driving innovation in the education industry?
• How can an educational exhibition reflect future learning trends?
• Most importantly, how will these insights be brought to life at WORLDDIDAC Asia?

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Extracting Urban Charm: Organizing Thematic Context

The “Fascinating Integration of Education and Technology” serves as the central theme for three days of exploration in Hangzhou, a city uniquely positioned to inspire this dialogue. According to Dr. Sáez Muñoz, “Hangzhou is an ideal setting for discussing the intersection of education and technology. The city’s strong urban temperament for scientific and technological innovation, supported by its numerous leading technology companies, provides a solid foundation for exploration. Additionally, as a renowned cultural and technological hub, Hangzhou exemplifies the seamless integration of technology into public infrastructure and educational contexts, offering invaluable inspiration.”

As one of China’s most dynamic cities, Hangzhou combines a rich cultural heritage with cutting-edge modernity. Renowned for its focus on scientific and technological innovation, the Hangzhou Municipal Government has set ambitious goals for 2025. These include becoming a global leader in scientific discovery, technological invention, and industrial innovation, as well as advancing foundational and applied research in frontier fields. This strategic vision underscores Hangzhou’s commitment to establishing itself as a premier hub for scientific progress.

Hangzhou’s strengths extend beyond innovation to its leadership in STEM education. With a proven track record of educational excellence and relentless pursuit of innovation, the city has become a global leader in this field. The establishment of key educational initiatives and the success of various educational expos highlight its significant contributions to advancing STEM education in China and beyond. These initiatives have not only propelled Hangzhou’s educational ecosystem forward but have also positioned the city as a key contributor to global sustainable development goals, offering innovative solutions and thought leadership.

As the world looks to the future of education and technology, Hangzhou stands out as a beacon of progress. Its ability to merge education with innovation inspires a global audience, setting the stage for meaningful advancements in learning. Let us anticipate Hangzhou’s continued leadership in these areas, contributing further to the development of global education and serving as a model for integrating education and technology.

Focusing on Hot Topics: Deep Thinking and Dialogue

WORLDDIDAC Asia has consistently demonstrated a sharp focus on vital global education issues. Among these, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a pivotal topic in the past two years. Educators and industry leaders are grappling with the transformative potential and disruptive impact of AI on education systems worldwide. “This year’s forum will feature a dedicated ‘AI Day,’ bringing together leading experts from around the globe to convene in Hangzhou,” explains Dr. Sáez Muñoz. He acknowledges the profound influence of AI on the education sector, noting, “AI is significantly reshaping the entire industry, and many of us are still in the process of adapting to its implications. WORLDDIDAC Asia aspires to go beyond showcasing products—it is a platform for exchanging innovative ideas and creating new possibilities for educators and learners alike. The exhibition is not only about presenting existing solutions and expanding choices for educators,” Dr. Sáez Muñoz emphasizes. “It is also about introducing new learning content and tools that redefine the teaching and learning experience. This is the vision we aim to bring to life at WORLDDIDAC Asia.” By addressing hot topics like AI through thoughtful dialogue and collaboration, WORLDDIDAC Asia fosters an environment where forward-thinking education solutions can flourish, ensuring that participants leave with actionable insights and innovative tools to navigate the evolving landscape of education.

Precise Cooperation and Co-Creation: Leading Emerging Trends

How do trending topics evolve into tangible opportunities and sustainable growth? At WORLDDIDAC Asia, this transformation is explored across diverse domains, including campus spaces, learning environments, educational products, workplaces, and industrial applications. These explorations move from conceptual ideas to practical implementation, creating new scenarios, categories, and application methods.

Dr. Sáez Muñoz explains that the integration of education and technology lies at the core of WORLDDIDAC Asia, ensuring the exhibition remains both experimental and impactful. “We are focused on fostering innovation within specific fields, such as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Project-Based Learning, where we see significant potential for meaningful progress,” he states.

To achieve this, WORLDDIDAC Asia adopts a deliberate and selective approach when curating its exhibitors. Brands are chosen based on their alignment with the exhibition’s central theme and their commitment to advancing education itself. “We are not driven by scale alone,” Dr. Sáez Muñoz emphasizes. “Instead, we focus on quality, ensuring that we allocate space to showcase the most impactful and innovative content in a meaningful way.”  

The strength of the exhibition lies in its precision and targeted business engagement rather than on sheer size. The STEAM special section has emerged as a highlight of the event, offering hands-on experiences that integrate science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. Participants, especially younger audiences, can engage with dynamic exhibits such as 3D printing, maker spaces, woodworking, and pottery, fostering a deeper connection between digital tools, artistic creativity, and scientific principles.

“Behind digital art, for instance, are sophisticated algorithms,” Dr. Sáez Muñoz notes. “We believe that as younger generations engage in such experiences, the intersection of science, art, and business will reveal exciting new opportunities. Over the next two to three years, we aim to expand on these dimensions, introducing innovative and distinctive content to the audience in Shanghai.”

By prioritizing cooperation and co-creation, WORLDDIDAC Asia serves as a platform for actionable trends and forward-thinking solutions, positioning itself as a leader in bridging education, technology, and industry. This thoughtful curation ensures the event not only reflects the present but also inspires the future of global education.

Respecting Educational Value and Facilitating Effective Business Transformation

For education to remain impactful and enduring, it must be deeply integrated into daily life. As Dr. Sáez Muñoz aptly states, “Implementation is a priority for us. Only when education is meaningfully applied can it be both healthy and sustainable. Teachers and educational providers face considerable challenges in today’s market, and we are actively reflecting on how the exhibition can better support commercial transformation.” At the heart of this approach is a framework that ensures education remains relevant, practical, and inclusive. The following principles guide this vision:

• Integration of Education and Everyday Life: 

Education should seamlessly connect with daily experiences, extending beyond traditional school curriculums to encompass practical, real-world applications. Its ultimate goal is to develop students’ comprehension and critical thinking abilities qualities—including knowledge, skills, emotions, attitudes, and values—through continuous practice in everyday contexts. Education is most impactful when it fosters lifelong habits and equips learners to navigate their personal and professional lives effectively.

• Practicality of Education: 

A central value of education lies in its ability to solve real-world problems and improve overall quality of life. For instance, STEM education emphasizes the integrated use of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to address complex challenges. By translating learned knowledge into actionable skills, education enables individuals to realize personal fulfillment as well as broader societal contributions.

• Adaptability of Education: 

In a rapidly evolving world, education must be agile and responsive to emerging challenges. Adaptability requires curricula and methodologies to evolve alongside societal and economic demands. This involves timely updates to educational content, the introduction of new knowledge and skills, and the preparation of learners to meet the needs of future industries and communities.

• Sustainability of Education: 

Education must emphasize long-term impact by encouraging lifelong learning. It should inspire learners to continually explore, adapt, and grow in response to a changing world. Sustainable education equips individuals to remain relevant throughout their lives while fostering continuous personal and professional development.

• Transformability of Education: 

True education transforms knowledge into action and theory into practice. This transformation is essential for implementation, as it activates learners’ intrinsic motivation to apply their learning to real-life scenarios. Through this process, education becomes a catalyst for self-improvement and social progress.

• Equity of Education: 

Inclusivity and equality are fundamental to good education. Every individual, regardless of gender, race, or socioeconomic background, should have access to quality education. Ensuring equitable opportunities allows all learners to realize their full potential and contribute meaningfully to society.

Be Part of Asia’s Education Transformation

The integration of science, education, and industry is the central focus of the 11th WORLDDIDAC Asia, highlighting a critical area for ongoing exploration. This theme aims to foster mutual prosperity between education and industry by driving innovation, collaboration, and real-world application. The exhibition offers a platform for exhibitors to showcase transformative, forward-thinking solutions while empowering educational decision-makers to engage with diverse perspectives and broaden their strategic outlook. Through research, dialogue, and hands-on experiences, WORLDDIDAC Asia explores how education can remain relevant, sustainable, and impactful in an ever-evolving world.

In alignment with SDG 4 — “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” the event aspires to:

• Advance equitable access to quality education for learners of all backgrounds.
• Promote lifelong learning through innovative tools, technologies, and frameworks.
• Strengthen the connection between education and industry to equip learners with practical, future-ready skills.
• Foster sustainability in education systems to support global progress toward economic and social development.

By uniting science, technology, education, and industry under one vision, WORLDDIDAC Asia contributes to achieving SDG 4 while positioning itself as a platform that drives actionable solutions, inspires collaboration, and accelerates progress in global education systems.

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This conversation is also available on the WeChat platform.

For more details and to participate in the event, visit the official WORLDDIDAC Asia 2025 event page.

Register by May 1st to take advantage of the Early Bird Rate and secure prime visibility at the event.