Following the official global release of the Global Digital Education Development Index (GDEI) at the 2024 World Digital Education Conference, the index has attracted extensive attention from international organizations, leading experts from around the world, and government agencies across multiple countries. In-depth exchanges and discussions have been conducted on the index’s evaluation framework, standards, methodologies, and future applications. Through the convergence of diverse perspectives and collective wisdom, stakeholders have jointly contributed ideas and insights for the long-term development of global digital education.

Over the past year, we have continued to advance the research and refinement of the Global Digital Education Development Index. Building upon multidimensional considerations—including the rationality of evaluation indicators and the comprehensiveness of evidence collection—we have further optimized and improved the index system. At the same time, with the continuous expansion of evidence collection and analysis, the scope of the index has been broadened from 62 to 72 target countries, enabling a more comprehensive depiction of the global digital education landscape.

In response to the rapid development of artificial intelligence and its profound impact on educational transformation worldwide, we have also established a dedicated “AI + Education” indicator framework. Specialized evidence collection and quantitative assessment have been conducted to better capture emerging trends and developments in this field.

To further enhance the scientific rigor and international authority of the GDEI, we have invited additional internationally renowned experts in digital education to join the International Expert Advisory Committee of the Global Digital Education Development Index. Drawing on their profound expertise and extensive experience, these experts have been deeply involved throughout the index development process—from consultation and validation to methodological optimization—providing strong professional support for the continuous improvement of the index.

To encourage broader participation in research and dialogue surrounding the GDEI, we have also established the official Global Digital Education Development Index website. Through this platform, we regularly publish updates on the progress of index development, provide cutting-edge research resources for scholars in the field of digital education, offer practical references for practitioners, and support evidence-based decision-making for policymakers. The website serves as an important bridge connecting stakeholders across the global digital education community.

The Global Digital Education Development Index Report 2025: Towards Digital Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence is a continuation and further development of the Global Digital Education Development Index Report 2024: Global Landscape and China’s Position. Adopting a multidimensional perspective, the report presents the latest developments and emerging trends in global digital education.

Part I focuses on the overall landscape and development trends of global digital education. Part II examines the distinctive strengths and successful experiences of selected countries across different dimensions, providing valuable references for other nations. Part III focuses on China, comprehensively presenting China’s position and latest progress within the global digital education landscape. Part IV provides a dedicated analysis of recent international developments in “AI + Education.” Part V (Appendices I and II) outlines the theoretical framework and methodology of the index, as well as the quantitative assessment methods for the “AI + Education” indicators, including the principles underpinning the indicator system, evidence collection approaches, and data analysis procedures. Part VI (Appendix III) systematically presents key evidence on digital education development among the top 20 ranked countries, including detailed background data, major policy documents, and representative application cases.

We sincerely hope that this report will serve as a guiding light for the future development of global digital education, continuously supporting international exchange, cooperation, and mutual learning in this field. We also hope it will contribute to joint efforts among countries worldwide to advance digital education toward a new stage of higher-quality development.