The 3rd International Exchange Forum for Early to Mid-Career Mathematics Educators, jointly organized by the Faculty of Education at the University of Macau and the Chinese Society of Mathematics Education under the Chinese Mathematical Society was successfully held at the University of Macau from 17 to 19 October 2025. With the theme “AI and Information Technology + Mathematics Education,” the forum brought together experts and scholars from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and overseas to explore innovation in mathematics education, teacher professional development, and educational research in the era of artificial intelligence.

The opening ceremony took place on the morning of 18 October at the theatre of the Student Activity Centre (E31-G001). The officiating guests including Mr. Yong Xian LI, Deputy Director of the General of the Department of Education and Youth Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government, Macao SAR; Prof. Rui Paulo da Silva MARTINS, Vice Rector (Global Affairs), University of Macau; Mr. Tat Choi WONG, Head of Division of Teaching and Research Staff Development, Education and Youth Development Bureau, Macao SAR; Prof. Liping YUAN, Dean of School of Mathematical Sciences, Hebei Normal University and Vice President of the Chinese Society of Mathematics Education, Chinese Mathematical Society; Prof. Lianghuo FAN, Dean and Director of Centre for STEM and AI Education, Faculty of Education and Prof. Cheung Kwok CHEUNG, College Master of Moon Chun Memorial College and Chief Advisor of the Educational Testing and Assessment Research Centre, Faculty of Education of the University of Macau.

Prof. Rui MARTINS, Vice Rector (Global Affairs), University of Macau delivered the first speech. On behalf of the University of Macau, he warmly welcomed guests from different regions and noted that UM has long been committed to promoting international cooperation and interdisciplinary research in education. He emphasized that this forum serves as a high-level platform for academic exchange among mathematics educators and contributes to deepening global collaboration and mutual understanding. He also expressed his hope that the forum would inspire young scholars to explore innovative applications of artificial intelligence in education and to further advance internationalization and intelligent development in the field.

Following that, Prof. Gang TIAN, President of the Mathematics Education Society, Chinese Mathematical Society, delivered a speech in the form of a video. He pointed out that this forum focused on international exchanges in mathematics education in the context of artificial intelligence and information technology, and built an important platform for Chinese and foreign scholars to exchange ideas and cooperate and make progress. He hoped that the participants would actively participate and jointly promote the modernization and internationalization of China’s mathematics education.

Mr. Tat Choi WONG gave his congratulatory speech. He commended the successful organization of the forum and highlighted its significance in promoting educational research and teacher professional growth in Macao. Mr. Wong stated that artificial intelligence is transforming the educational landscape and creating new opportunities for teacher development and curriculum reform. He added that the Education and Youth Development Bureau will continue to strengthen cooperation with universities and research institutions to explore innovative applications of AI technologies in teaching design, learning assessment, and educational research.

Afterwards, Prof. Lianghuo FAN delivered his speech. On behalf of the organizers, he extended a warm welcome to all guests and participants. He pointed out that the rapid development of artificial intelligence and information technology is profoundly reshaping education, requiring mathematics educators to embrace change with an open mindset and encouraged teachers to actively explore the deep integration of AI in teaching and curriculum, cultivating students’ creativity, logical thinking, and data literacy. He also emphasized that the Faculty of Education will continue to advance research on AI-integrated pedagogy, foster international academic collaboration, and contribute to global educational development.

After the three speeches, the officiating guests pressed their palms on the screen, marking the kick-off ceremony of the 3rd International Exchange Forum for Early to Mid-Career Mathematics Educators. The audience responded with warm applause, and the atmosphere was filled with excitement and solemnity. The ceremony symbolized the joint commitment of the education community to advancing innovation and collaboration in mathematics education in the age of artificial intelligence.

The 1st keynote presentation was presented by Prof. Jon R. STAR from Harvard University. He delivered a keynote titled “Revisiting the Origin of, and Reflections on the Future of, Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK),” reviewing the evolution of pedagogical content knowledge and exploring future research directions. Afterwards, Prof. Chunxia QI from Beijing Normal University gave her presentation titled “How to Prepare Future Mathematics Teachers to Meet Educational Challenges,” sharing insights into China’s teacher education reforms and the role of AI literacy in teacher preparation. After the two presentations, a lively question-and-answer session followed, with participants engaging in active discussion.

In the afternoon, the forum featured plenary sessions presentations, in which participants discussed research and practices under different themes: Research on Mathematics Curriculum and Teaching Materials, Research on Mathematics Teachers’ Professional Development, Research on Reform of Mathematics Classroom Teaching, Research on Mathematics Learning Transformation and Assessment. The sessions showcased innovative achievements of early- and mid-career researchers exploring AI-driven mathematics education. Subsequently, a panel discussion titled “Smart Tools, Smarter Minds: AI & EdTech Redefining Math Education” was held. The panelists included Prof. Qiaoping ZHANG from the University of Hong Kong, Prof. Allen LEUNG from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prof. Shuhui LI from East China Normal University, Prof. Zhiqiang YUAN from Hunan Normal University, and Dr. Junming HU from Pui Ching Middle School. The five scholars engaged in an in-depth discussion on the integration and innovation of AI and educational technology in mathematics education, sharing their latest practices and research insights on AI-based teaching applications, educational resource development, and learning assessment. The discussion sparked lively exchanges and received enthusiastic responses, further inspiring participants to reflect on AI-driven educational transformation.

On 19 October, the forum continued with several keynote sessions. Prof. Jiwei HAN from Northeast Normal University, Prof. Oi-Lam NG from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Prof. Lianghuo FAN from the University of Macau delivered inspiring talks on topics. Prof. Han delivered a keynote titled “Development and Implementation a Continuous and Advanced Curriculum on Functions in Secondary Mathematics.” She emphasized that the function curriculum should ensure coherent progression from basic to advanced concepts, drawing on the intrinsic logic of mathematical research, and discussed how this framework can be effectively translated into teaching practice to deepen students’ understanding of functions. Prof. Ng presented “Data-ing and AI Literacy in School Mathematics: A New Frontier for Mathematics Education Research.” She highlighted the interconnection between artificial intelligence and data practices, suggesting that data handling and statistical reasoning should be integrated into mathematics learning within the AI context to foster students’ computational thinking and AI literacy. Prof. Fan gave a talk titled “Will AI revolutionize the development of textbooks? My personal experience and reflections from digital technology to artificial intelligence”. He drew upon his extensive experience in textbook development and international projects to analyze the potential revolutionary impact of generative AI on textbook design, evaluation, and pedagogical innovation; he argued that AI will revolutionize the development of textbooks to a great extent, but it cannot totally replace the human role in the process.

In the closing session, Prof. Fan delivered his closing remarks, summarizing the fruitful outcomes of the three-day forum. He stated that the event successfully promoted academic exchange and collaboration among early- and mid-career educators, opening new horizons for integrating AI with mathematics education. He expressed his hope that continued international cooperation will further advance the intelligent and sustainable development of education. Working together to promote the intelligentization and sustainable development of education, he also announced that the 6th International Conference on Mathematics Textbook Research and Development (ICMT6) will be held at the University of Macau in 2027. The three-day forum concluded successfully in a warm and collegial atmosphere. Over 120 pax participated in the forum. Participants agreed that artificial intelligence presents unprecedented opportunities and challenges for education, and educators should work together with open minds and innovative practices to build a smarter, more personalized, and human-centered future for education.

Prof. Rui MARTINS	Prof. Gang TIAN
Mr. Tat Choi WONG	Prof. Lianghuo FAN
Left: Liping YUAN, Lianghuo FAN, Yongxian LI, Rui MARTINS, Tat Choi WONG and Kwok Cheung CHEUNG	Group Photo
Prof. Jon R. STAR	Prof. Chunxia QI
Topic Study Group
Left: Junming HU, Zhiqiang YUAN, Lianghuo FAN, Shuhui LI, Allen LEUNG and Qiaoping ZHANG	Prof. Jiwei HAN
Prof. Oi-Lam NG	Prof. Lianghuo FAN

 

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Faculty of Education