Teacher training, critical thinking and the protection of rights: these are the priorities outlined by Teodoro Lonfernini at Next Generation AI 2026, the international forum on artificial intelligence in education that brought together 9 ministers and more than 40 delegations on 19 and 20 October.
The Secretary of State for Education and Culture took part at the invitation of Italian minister Giuseppe Valditara. The proceedings opened at Milan’s La Scala and continued in Cernobbio, between Villa d’Este and Villa Erba.
Lonfernini spoke at the ministerial round table on AI policy and regulation in education, as well as at the panel dedicated to applications in technical and vocational training.
In the first discussion, he presented San Marino’s initiatives on digital citizenship and teacher preparation, referencing the Council of Europe’s Digital Citizenship Education Planner and the principles promoted by UNESCO. The goal is to develop the ability to use digital tools in a conscious, responsible and critical way.
“Artificial intelligence confronts us with a transformation that concerns not only technology, but the very way we conceive education, training and the future of new generations. For San Marino, the priority is to accompany this change by putting people at the centre, through teacher preparation, the development of critical thinking and the protection of rights.”
The second panel focused on opportunities for training pathways, employment and the country’s digitalisation, with the involvement of the University of the Republic of San Marino and the prospect of testing new regulatory and educational models.
“The size of our country can be an opportunity to experiment with innovative solutions, build flexible training models and strengthen collaboration between institutions, schools, universities and the world of work. It is equally essential to reinforce international dialogue, because the challenges posed by artificial intelligence demand shared responsibilities and increasingly concrete cooperation,” Lonfernini stated.
On the sidelines of the forum, two bilateral meetings were held with Cyprus and Italy. Accompanied by San Marino’s ambassador to Cyprus, Bojana Gruška, the Secretary of State met with the Cypriot Minister of Education, Sport and Youth, Athena Michaelidou.
During the meeting, both sides expressed their intention to launch a collaboration between their respective higher education systems. The plan involves the engagement of both ministries, the exchange of technical documentation and the identification of potential partner universities, including through reciprocal institutional visits.
With Valditara, meanwhile, Lonfernini discussed the new courses set to be introduced in San Marino’s secondary schools and the possibilities for further strengthening educational cooperation between San Marino and Italy.
