Kaltura (Nasdaq: KLTR), the AI Video Experience Cloud, today announced that the Kaltura Class Genie has been selected as the winner of the “e-Learning Innovation of the Year” award in the 7th annual EdTech Breakthrough Awards. The EdTech Breakthrough Awards honor startups, established companies, and innovators who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and a commitment to progress in educational technology.
The Kaltura Class Genie is an AI learning agent that creates hyper-personalized learning experiences for students, leading to better educational outcomes. Launched in 2024, the Class Genie represents a revolutionary leap in e-learning, marking a shift from traditional, one-size-fits-all education to dynamic, AI-driven collaboration between students and teachers that is tailored to every learner’s unique needs.
Class Genie has already reversed a long-standing challenge: students being unable to take advantage of materials they were unaware of. Based on Kaltura’s Class Genie testing, an astounding 92% of the content accessed through the Genie was from sources that students had never seen before, representing a dramatic increase in engagement and discovery, especially of long-tail content that holds educational value but would otherwise remain buried in institutional archives.
Class Genie creates individualized immersive learning resources tailored to personal needs based on each student’s preferences, engagement patterns, and past interactions, drawing exclusively from their institution’s trusted knowledge base. It integrates seamlessly with institutional content repositories – from course libraries to campus-wide archives – enabling students to ask questions through a chat interface and receive instant, context-aware support in the form of direct answers, interactive flashcards, key video clips from relevant lecture moments, and clearly cited source materials.
“We built Class Genie to help students where they are in their education journeys. By offering personalized, timely support and keeping students engaged while empowering educators with more effective and impactful teaching tools, we are creating the future for schooling,” said Eynav (Navi) Azaria, Chief Product and Engineering Officer at Kaltura. “Being recognized with this award is a strong validation of our vision and momentum in creating truly individualized learning experiences.”
Kaltura has been a leader in educational technology for years, powering learning experiences for hundreds of institutions worldwide and more than 9M students and faculty members, including more than 50% of US R1 universities and Ivy League schools. A pioneer in remote and virtual learning, Kaltura has created industry-leading e-learning solutions that played a key role in the digital transformation education has undergone in the past decade. Even before the launch of its AI-powered Class Genie, Kaltura’s all-in-one video platform for education has been enriching the digital education experience for students, improving learning outcomes, increasing adoption for staff and saving costs for IT departments. With powerful tools for lecture capture, virtual classrooms, LMS Video integration, and robust accessibility capabilities, Kaltura’s platform creates engaging, inclusive, and scalable learning experiences across every academic touchpoint.
The EdTech Breakthrough Awards evaluate the global educational technology industry each year to recognize and highlight the breakthrough EdTech solutions and companies. This year’s program attracted more than 2,700 nominations from countries all over the world.
About Kaltura Kaltura’s mission is to create and power AI-infused hyper-personalized video experiences that boost customer and employee engagement and success. Kaltura’s AI Video Experience Cloud includes a platform for enterprise and TV content management and a wide array of Gen AI-infused video-first products, including Video Portals, LMS and CMS Video Extensions, Virtual Events and Webinars, Virtual Classrooms, and TV Streaming Applications. Kaltura engages millions of end-users at home, at work, and at school, boosting both customer and employee experiences, including marketing, sales, and customer success; teaching, learning, training and certification; communication and collaboration; entertainment and monetization. For more information, visit www.corp.kaltura.com.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is using sovereignty sentiments in Alberta as a kind of implied threat to get a better deal for the province.
In a letter to Mark Carney in the run-up to the recent first ministers conference in Saskatoon, Smith told the prime minister that failure to build additional pipelines for Alberta oil would “send an unwelcome signal to Albertans concerned about Ottawa’s commitment to national unity.”
Accordingly, it’s worth asking: what would happen if Alberta did vote to leave?
Two historical touch points are the 1995 sovereignty referendum in Québec and the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom in 2016. In different ways, both examples drive home one inevitable point: in the event of a vote to pursue sovereignty, the future of Alberta would have to be negotiated one painful and uncertain step at a time.
International lawlessness
Sovereignty is an assertion of independent governmental authority, notably including a monopoly over the legitimate use of force over a defined people and territory. Unlike provinces in a country like Canada, sovereign countries co-operate with each other if — and only if — it’s in their interests to do so.
Some proponents of separatism have argued that an independent Alberta could rely on international law to secure continued access to tidewater through Canada. The idea seems to form the basis of Smith’s assertions that one nation cannot “landlock” another under international law. But that’s not the case.
What’s more, international law — even if it does apply in theory — doesn’t always hold in practice. That’s because between countries, formal anarchy prevails: no one has the responsibility to enforce international law on their own. If one country breaks international law, it’s up to other countries to respond. If that doesn’t happen, then it just doesn’t happen.
Simply put, if Alberta were to leave Canada, it would lose all enforceable rights and protections offered by the Canadian Constitution and enforced by the institutions and courts. In their place, Alberta would get exactly — and only — what it can bargain for.
The Québec example
The Québec independence saga has in many ways clarified and refined the path to potential secession for provinces in Canada, and hints at what can happen in the aftermath of a sovereignty referendum.
In the wake of the near miss that was the 1995 referendum — when those wanting to remain in Canada defeated those who voted to separate with the narrowest of margins — Jean Chretien’s Liberal government took rapid steps to respond.
Another course of action, known as Plan B, defined the path to secession.
The federal government asked the Supreme Court of Canada for a clarification on the legality of sovereignty. It then passed the Clarity Act, which enshrined into law Ottawa’s understanding of the court’s answer. The reference and act both made clear that any secession attempt could be triggered only by a “clear majority” on a “clear question.”
The act also illuminated the stakes of secession. The preamble of the legislation, for instance, spells out that provincial sovereignty would mean the end of guaranteed Canadian citizenship for departing provincial residents.
The act also lays out some of the points to be negotiated in the event of secession, “including the division of assets and liabilities, any changes to the borders of the province, the rights, interests and territorial claims of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada, and the protection of minority rights.”
Simply put, everything would be on the table if Albertans opted to separate.
You Brexit, you bought it
Brexit provides an example of just how painful that process can be. After voting to leave the European Union, the U.K. found itself bogged down in a difficult negotiation process that continues to this day.
The U.K. is dealing with these challenges even though it was already a sovereign state. Alberta is not. Everything between a sovereign Alberta and its neighbours would be subject to difficult negotiations, both in the initial days of an independent Albertan state and any subsequent discussions.
Alberta would have little leverage
Once independent, Alberta would be a landlocked, oil-exporting nation.
It would be negotiating with Canada — and the United States, its neighbour to the south — over every aspect of its new relationship.
Its borders with other provinces and territories would need be negotiated, as would the status of marginalized populations and Indigenous Peoples within Alberta. The status of lands subject to treaty — in other words, most of the province — would have to be negotiated.
After all, if Canada is divisible, so is Alberta. A new republic has no automatic claims to territory with respect to Indigenous Peoples and treaty lands.
Once borders were settled, Alberta would have little leverage and would need a lot of help as a country of about 4.5 million negotiating with neighbours of 35 million in Canada and 350 million in the U.S. Who would be its allies?
Nothing would be guaranteed, not Alberta’s admission to the United Nations, the establishment of an Albertan currency and exchange rates, national and continental defence, the management of shared borders and citizenship rules or the terms of cross-border trade and investment.
Access to Canadian ports would be at Canada’s discretion, negotiated on terms Canada considered in its interests. Alberta could no more force a pipeline through Canada than through the United States.
Puerto Rico North?
Of course, a republic of Alberta would be free to pursue deeper relations with the American republic to its south. The U.S president, however, has already made clear what would be the likely terms for free trade: accession.
Here, too, there would be no guarantees. Alberta could just as easily become an American territory, with limited representation, as it could a 51st state. “Puerto Rico North” is as possible as “Alaska South.”
Gone too would be any claims to share collective goods. Alberta’s neighbours would have no incentive, for instance, to help with the inevitable post-oil clean-up, estimated in the hundreds of billions of dollars.
Simply put, if Alberta were to vote to leave Canada, it would truly be on its own.
Stewart Prest does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The site of Victoria Park’s lost bandstand and its buried past can be explored like never before through an immersive new digital artwork.
Experienced through personal devices, The Storm Cone is a unique sound and augmented reality artwork which has arrived in Portsmouth.
This breathtaking work by artist Laura Daly features newly commissioned music composed by Lucy Pankhurst and eight sound works by Daly. Visitors can ‘move around’ a life-size augmented reality bandstand at the city’s lost bandstand site in the centre of Victoria Park.
Using The Storm Cone free app on a phone or tablet, visitors will experience the last musical performance of an interwar brass band and trace the journeys of the departed musicians through the eight sound works.
The Storm Cone was originally commissioned by the University of Salford Art Collection and Metal, revealing the lost bandstands of Peel Park, Salford and Chalkwell Park, Southend in 2021.
It has now been transported to the city as part of Portsmouth City Council’s restoration and revitalisation of Victoria Park as the ‘People’s Park’, made possible by a £2.4m grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Council Leader Cllr Steve Pitt said:
“The bandstand was an original feature of Victoria Park when it opened in 1878 as the first public park for the people of Portsmouth. Bandstands were hugely popular attractions in Victorian Britain, but like many others, Portsmouth’s was lost sometime before the outbreak of the Second World War.
“This new art and sound experience is a truly unique way of uncovering Victoria Park’s lost bandstand and learning about their cultural significance to life at the time.”
The Storm Cone was recently a finalist for the prestigious international Lumen Art Prize. It charts a story of loss, celebration, human strength and fragility.
It tells of the break-up and reshaping of communities during the interwar years and is named after Rudyard Kipling’s 1932 poem The Storm Cone, which has been interpreted as a forewarning for the Second World War.
The Storm Cone can be experienced in Portsmouth until 30 September, using the free app which will guide users to the artwork. Headphones are recommended for the best experience.
The Storm Cone was commissioned by Salford University Collection and Metal, with financial support from the National Lottery through Arts Council England, and additional support from Salford School of Arts, Media & Creative Technology, PN Daly Limited and Zinc and Copper Roofing Limited. Laura Daly is supported by The Artists Agency.
Laura Daly and curator Lindsay Taylor will be in conversation on Tuesday 16 September, 2-3pm, at The Green House Community Hub in Victoria Park. Get Tickets.
Headline: FEMA, SBA and the State of Oklahoma are Assisting Oklahomans at One-Day Event in Cleveland County
FEMA, SBA and the State of Oklahoma are Assisting Oklahomans at One-Day Event in Cleveland County
OKLAHOMA CITY –In coordination with the State of Oklahoma, FEMA and the U
S
Small Business Administration (SBA) will be offering face-to-face help Thursday, June 5, at a community pop-up event in Cleveland County
Homeowners and renters in Cleveland, Creek, Lincoln, Logan, Oklahoma, Pawnee, and Payne counties affected by the March 14-21 wildfires and straight-line winds may be eligible for FEMA assistance for losses not covered by insurance
Staff will be available at:CLEVELAND COUNTYLittle Axe Middle School(Located in the school cafeteria)2000 168th Avenue NENorman, OK 73026 Hours: Thursday, June 5, 9 a
m
– 6 p
m
Survivors do not have to visit a community site in order to register for FEMA Assistance
To apply, homeowners and renters can:Go online to DisasterAssistance
gov
Download the FEMA App for mobile devices Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 between 6 a
m
and 10 p
m
Help is available in most languages
To view an accessible video about how to apply visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube
For the latest information about Oklahoma’s recovery, visit fema
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) has become the new host institution for the Arc Universities Group (AUG) – a partnership delivering innovation, sustainability and inclusive growth across the Oxford-Cambridge corridor.
ARU takes over from Cranfield University, which helped steer the group through its formative first six years.
AUG is part of the Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board and brings together higher education institutions, industry leaders, training providers, and government bodies in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire.
It is estimated that this region holds the potential to deliver a further £78billion in additional economic output and more than 400,000 new high-skilled jobs by 2050, and AUG is developing a regional Skills and Talent Strategy to help unlock its full potential, focusing on technological innovation, environmental sustainability, and creative and cultural industries.
Professor Aled Jones, Director of ARU’s Global Sustainability Institute, will lead the environmental sustainability focus area of the new strategy, working with investors, employers and policymakers to find practical solutions to workforce challenges around sustainable growth.
“We’re delighted to take on the hosting of AUG. It aligns perfectly with the work we’re doing across the wider region – connecting Essex and East Anglia with the innovation clusters of the Oxford-Cambridge corridor.
“We’re committed to helping shape a skills agenda that supports inclusive growth and ensures communities across the Arc benefit from its success.”
Professor Roderick Watkins, Vice Chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)
The Arc Universities Group consists of ARU, Cranfield University, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Oxford Brookes University, University of Northampton, University of Hertfordshire, University of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire New University and the Open University.
The Manchester Culture Awards are back for 2025 with nominations opening this week for the prestigious awards that recognise the city’s cultural and creative highlights over the last year, as well as some of the city’s top talent working in the arts.
The awards were launched in 2018 by the city council to acknowledge Manchester’s rapidly growing reputation for culture and the arts, with the annual awards recognising the very best of culture, creativity, and the arts in the city from the grassroots up.
More than 350 nominations were received last year recognising individuals, events, and organisations big and small that together help make Manchester the vibrant and exciting place for culture and the arts it is.
Nominations for this year’s awards open this week on Wednesday 4 June, with nominations accepted across eleven different categories including Young Creative of the Year, Best Event, and Best Performance, alongside other awards that shine a spotlight on some of the important themes of our times such as climate change, equality and social justice, and health and wellbeing.
This year will also once again see a special award made in partnership with the Manchester Evening News. The Cultural Welcome Award will be presented to an organisation or venue that provides a great welcome to everyone – whether as audience members, visitors, or participants.
Nominees for each of the awards must either be based in the city of Manchester or have a strong track record of delivering activity for the benefit of people who live in or visit the city, or that benefits the local economy. Nominations are welcome from the professional, amateur and community sector, as well as members of the public.
All nominations must reflect activity that has taken place between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, apart from the Cultural Welcome Award, which recognises achievement over a number of years.
To be recognised for a Manchester Culture Award, nominees must be involved in one or more of the following: visual art, music, theatre, performance, dance, film and broadcast media, literature, digital art, photography, craft, or heritage arts.
The award categories are:
Bright Spark: Young Creative of the Year
A young person (aged 13–25) who is inspiring future generations of Mancunians and others through their creativity or is supporting others to be creative.
Excellence in Creative Health and Wellbeing
Fantastic creative activity that helped people feel better in their body and/or mind.
Champions of Equality and Social Justice
Making change and creating opportunities for equality and diversity to thrive.
Our Planet: Action on Climate Change
Taking action to positively benefit the environment and support climate change, or raising awareness and encouraging others to act.
Igniting Creativity: Culture, Education and Talent Development
Doing great work supporting others to develop their learning, creativity, skills and talents.
Making it Happen: Best Business Partnership
A partnership that supports culture and helps it flourish in Manchester.
The Best Event
A brilliant creative or cultural event that deserves recognition.
The Best Performance
A standout performance, in any art form, that was amazing and captivated the audience.
The Best Exhibition
An arts or heritage exhibition that inspired and left a lasting impact on visitors.
Independent Creative Award
A person working independently in the creative sector who is inspiring and innovating through their artform and projects
The Cultural Welcome Award – in association with the Manchester Evening News
An organisation or venue that provides a great welcome to everyone; whether as audience members, visitors, or participants
A number of Special Recognition Awards for significant contributions to culture over a number of years will also be made on the night. Previous recipients of Special Recognition Awards include poet Lemn Sissay, former Halle Music Director Sir Mark Elder, former Director of HOME Dave Moutrey OBE, poet performance artist dramatist and writer SuAndi OBE, and DJ Paulette.
Councillor Garry Bridges, Deputy Leader, Manchester City Council, said: “Culture and creativity is a massive part of what makes Manchester the vibrant and exciting place that it is and makes a major contribution to the city’s economy – which is one of the fastest growing in Europe.
“The incredible number of nominations we’ve had every year since the awards first began shows what an appetite for culture and the arts there is in the city. And with such a richly diverse talent pool of artists and creatives living and working here it’s no surprise that we’re a city that embraces culture and the arts.
“The creative scene in Manchester is amazing and we can’t wait to see what this year’s nominations bring.”
Nominations open on Wednesday 4 June and close at midnight on Friday 4 July.
Judging will take place over the summer ahead of this year’s awards ceremony which will be held at the Hilton Hotel Deansgate on Saturday 22 November.
On May 29, 2025, a delegation from Sultan Qaboos University paid an official visit to HSE. The meeting was held on Pokrovsky Boulevard and was dedicated to the development of partnership in science and education. The delegation was led by the Rector of Sultan Qaboos University, His Highness Dr. Fahd Al Said. During the visit, an agreement on cooperation and exchange between the universities was signed.
The parties discussed possible formats of cooperation: academic and student exchanges, joint research, teaching Arabic to HSE students, and joint publications in international scientific journals. The participants noted their interest in establishing direct contacts between the research teams of the two universities.
HSE Rector Nikita Anisimov noted that interest in the Middle East countries, including the Sultanate of Oman, is growing, and stressed the importance of dialogue with universities in the region. According to him, Russian higher education today is focused on technological development in both engineering and humanitarian fields, and HSE is actively involved in implementing the priorities outlined by the Russian Government for the next decade. The Rector specifically emphasized that Russian society faces several key challenges, one of which is overcoming the technological gap. HSE contributes to solving these problems by creating in-demand scientific and applied developments.
Rector of Sultan Qaboos University His Highness Fahd Al Said spoke about the history and key areas of work of the university, noting its strong positions in international rankings, high competition for admission and active research activities. He expressed hope that HSE students will also be able to study in Oman, and proposed to identify specific steps for developing the partnership within two months.
The parties expressed confidence that educational and scientific cooperation will strengthen ties between the states.
Sultan Qaboos University was founded in 1986 and is one of two public universities in the Sultanate of Oman. The university is ranked 1st in the country and 362nd in the world according to QS 2025. It offers programs in arts and social sciences, economics, political science, education, law, medicine and natural sciences, and many other areas. Most of the educational programs at Sultan Qaboos University are taught in English.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Violence, insecurity and hunger are devastating people’s lives in South Darfur, Sudan, according to a new report released today by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
The report, Voices from South Darfur, illustrates in vivid testimony how the impact of pervasive violence, a healthcare system in ruins and an inadequate international response have all combined to push people’s coping strategies to their limits.
“The voices and stories of people reflect the suffering, abuse and cruelty felt throughout communities in South Darfur, but also people’s endurance and compassion,” says Ozan Agbas, MSF emergency manager for Sudan.
“With civilian protection collapsed and humanitarian aid still inadequate, people in South Darfur demand to be listened to, demand attention, and demand action,” says Agbas.
South Darfur experienced intense urban warfare in 2023, which destroyed hospitals and critical infrastructure. The humanitarian presence, substantial before the outbreak of civil war in April that year, disintegrated as fighting took hold. Although ground fighting in South Darfur has ceased for now, insecurity remains, as people are subject to appalling violence on roads and farmland, and in markets and their own homes. Reports of arbitrary detention, theft and looting are also commonplace. Air strikes and drone strikes continue to hit South Darfur and other parts of the country.
Sexual violence is widespread with MSF providing care to 659 survivors from January 2024 to March 2025. Fifty-six per cent of survivors were assaulted by non-civilians.
One woman from South Darfur living in a displacement camp told MSF, “When the women try to go outside the camp to farm… they will beat me, they will torture me… There is no way to go out… My aunt’s daughter, she was raped by six men just six days ago… I feel insecure, because if I go out, I will be raped.”
659
659
survivors of sexual violence
10,000
10,
children younger than five years old with acute malnutrition
People describe the fear and anxiety of their children, and their own feelings of helplessness, indignity and of being trapped.
“Our farms are completely destroyed – we have nothing. My husband was killed four months ago. We have nothing now,” an internally displaced woman told MSF in Beleil locality. “For three days, I haven’t eaten anything… I don’t know what will happen to me on the way home. I am afraid, because those people who killed my husband, maybe they will do the same to me.”
The violence has shattered the healthcare system, and adequate care is simply not available for people due to a range of compounding issues: facilities have been destroyed, damaged or abandoned; healthcare workers have fled or are no longer receiving salaries; supplies are absent or interrupted; and people struggle to afford transport to reach what remains of the healthcare system.
Insecurity is intertwined with hunger, as the threat of violence has cut off access to farmland and incomes. Between January 2024 and March 2025 MSF supported programmes in South Darfur that treated over 10,000 children younger than five years old with acute malnutrition and provided nutrition treatment to thousands of malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls.
The malnutrition crisis is expected to deteriorate even further with the imminent arrival of the rainy and lean seasons. Amid soaring costs of food, families are forced to subsist on one meal a day – sometimes not even that.
“I just depend on what I can find, day to day,” says a woman in Al-Salam displacement camp. “If I get something, we will eat. If I don’t get something, we won’t. This is my life.”
Since the war started, the response from international organisations and UN agencies has been sparse, inconsistent and slow to arrive in South Darfur, as a woman in Nyala explained in November 2024: “We heard that international organisations help people, but they never bring anything for us.”
There have been some recent signs of improvement, with UN agencies increasingly finding ways to bring humanitarian supplies to South Darfur. NGOs are gradually scaling up their presence and activities. However, due to severe access constraints, UN agencies are still not on the ground in South Darfur to lead and coordinate the response, more than two years into the conflict, and NGOs are moving slowly and with caution.
Communities are working in solidarity to overcome the effects of violence. Neighbours support one another, sharing their food. Groups of young people clear away rubble and unexploded ordnance, and purchase medicines for displaced people living in their neighbourhood. Teachers work for free in looted buildings. MSF has supported local initiatives to help run community kitchens, provide meals for school children and support health posts run by volunteers. Health facilities and water systems have been rehabilitated, and MSF ran a programme that provided food to 6,000 families in multiple locations across the state.
In the maternity ward at the Nyala Teaching hospital, South Darfur, Sudan, September 2024.Abdoalsalam Abdallah/MSF
These programmes demonstrate it is possible to support local initiatives and improve services when determination, creativity and a willingness to take risks combine.
“Local organisations in Darfur have the knowledge and expertise to provide essential services. Giving these frontline responders supplies, funding and decision-making power will make a substantial contribution to saving lives,” says Agbas.
The testimonies and medical data in Voices from South Darfur were generated through our activities between January 2024 and March 2025.
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VICTORIA, Seychelles, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has announced a partnership with the University of Zurich, the world’s top #3 university (according to Coindesk’s 2021/22 rankings) for blockchain education. The exchange will sponsor the 6th edition of International Summer School—Deep Dive into Blockchain 2025 program at the University of Zurich Blockchain Center (UZH BCC), offering scholarships and career opportunities to blockchain-curious students. This marks a new chapter in Bitget’s commitment to blockchain education and youth empowerment.
The scholarship initiative, part of Bitget’s broader $10M Blockchain4Youth (B4Y) program, aims to make high-impact blockchain education more accessible to bright, motivated students, presenting them with wider opportunities. Deep Dive into Blockchain (DDiB) is the University of Zurich’s flagship international summer school, hosted by the Faculty of Business, Economics, and Informatics in collaboration with the Global Student Experience and organized by the UZH Blockchain Center under the academic leadership of its chairman, Prof. Dr Claudio J. Tessone. The three-week program offers an immersive, interdisciplinary exploration of blockchain from academic, technological, legal, and economic perspectives.
“We are delighted to partner with Bitget for Deep Dive into Blockchain. Their support empowers the next generation of blockchain professionals by making education all around the globe more accessible. This collaboration reflects our shared vision of fostering innovation, diversity, and global talent in the Web3 space,”— Dr Claudio J. Tessone, Professor of Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies, University of Zurich, and Director of Deep Dive into Blockchain.
In an ecosystem often defined by its complexity and speed, education remains the most enduring bridge between innovation and understanding. Built on these beliefs, Bitget is funding scholarships for up to 10 students who meet both the academic and financial criteria set by UZH. More than just a subsidy, the Bitget Blockchain4Youth Scholarship is a belief that the future of blockchain should be built by the most capable minds, not just the most privileged.
Each scholarship will fully cover tuition, accommodation, transportation within Zurich, access to academic materials and site visits, as well as participation in intercultural programs and events. This comprehensive support structure is designed to empower students to focus not on logistics but on learning, and to walk away not only with a certificate but with a deeper perspective.
“As someone who entered this industry from outside the traditional mold, I know what access and opportunity can unlock. This scholarship isn’t just about learning blockchain—it’s about equipping future leaders with the tools to question, to build, and to leave the space better than they found it. That’s the kind of legacy we want to help shape,” said Vugar Usi Zade, COO at Bitget.
“As much as the world needs more developers, lawyers, or economists, it needs more cross-disciplinary thinkers who understand the full societal impact of blockchain,”he added.
The 2025 program will also feature a masterclass by Bitget COO, Vugar Usi Zade, offering students firsthand insight from one of the industry’s leading operators. This academic-industry dialogue enables the long-term strategic partnership between Bitget and UZH, anchored in mutual goals of innovation, education, and responsible development.
With this partnership, Bitget isn’t just funding education. It’s shaping the future of the industry.
For more details and updates, visit the official program page here.
About Bitget
Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 100 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, token swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more. Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.
Risk Warning:Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.
Headline: WTO upgrades e-Learning platform to enhance user experience and learning outcomes
This upgrade marks a major step forward in expanding access to WTO e-Learning courses. Forming part of the technical assistance programmes delivered by the WTO Secretariat to build trade capacity in developing and least-developed members and observers, these courses are also freely accessible to the wider public across all sectors.
“We are excited to launch the upgraded platform, which reflects our continued commitment to accessible and high-quality trade-related learning,” said Roberto Fiorentino, Head of the WTO e-Learning Unit. “The improvements will enable users to navigate more easily the e-Learning platform, manage their learning more effectively, and engage more deeply with the WTO’s online training.”
Key upgrades to the platform include:
A redesigned user interface featuring intuitive navigation, improved accessibility features and simplified access to the course catalogue, certificates and support resources.
A refined course catalogue with advanced search and filtering options, making it easier to find courses by language, level, topic, training path and duration.
Greater flexibility in assessments, including extended time limits, retake opportunities for final exams, and enhanced dashboard tools for tracking progress.
Strengthened community engagement through updated discussion forums and mobile app notifications to foster collaboration among participants.
Simplified access to learning reports, empowering learners to easily monitor their progress.
A newly developed Help Centre offering comprehensive guidance on technical requirements, registration, eligibility, certification criteria and more.
Enhanced data protection through advanced security measures to safeguard user information and ensure a safe digital learning environment.
The WTO e-Learning platform currently offers 176 free courses covering various WTO agreements and trade-related issues, with additional courses under development. With over 13,000 government officials from developing and least-developed WTO members and observers enrolled in these courses, along with more than 9,000 e-learners from academia, the private sector and other professional communities, the upgraded e-Learning platform is designed to be more user-centric and responsive, ensuring that it meets the evolving needs of its diverse user base.
The human cost of disasters includes lost livelihoods, homes, and cultural ties to landscapes. Where livelihoods are already fragile and being eroded, a disaster-induced displacement of even a few days can damage economic opportunities for years to come. So, the human dimension of recovery remains central to discussions as delegates convened for a second day in several preparatory events for the 8th Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR), namely: the World Resilient Recovery Conference, the Third Stakeholder Forum on DRR, and the Global Early Warning for All Multistakeholder Forum (EW4All).
The GPDRR official programme was launched with a high-level roundtable event at lunchtime and a formal opening ceremony in the afternoon, followed by an official reception.
Official programme
Opening
Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, and head of UNDRR, opened the event highlighting the exceptional urgency and importance of delivering on the Sendai Framework. He underscored how communities were coming together and the need to learn from their initiatives, imagination, and resourcefulness, and called for commitment from all actors.
Recalling the recent loss of a Swiss village to a glacier landslide, Amina J. Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, commented that “early warning saves lives but cannot save glaciers from disappearing.” She stressed that disasters and their cascading effects annually cost up to USD 3.2 trillion and noted that record-breaking disasters make entire regions uninsurable. She called for risk-informed development across all sectors; scaled-up public and private investments in resilience; and national financial frameworks that align with adaptation needs.
Ignazio Cassis, Minister, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland, observed that, “Risk today is everywhere. Fires are where wetlands were centuries ago.” Noting that the GPDRR2025 is the last Global Platform before the 2030 deadline, he urged that countries deliver on the Sendai Framework, apply science and artificial intelligence, and adopt risk mitigation metrics to mobilize and foster resources.
Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General.
After a musical performance on the Hang Drum and a choreographed presentation by Sendai4Youth, Patricia Danzi, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, opened the Eighth Session of the GPDRR.
Enhancing national DRR governance by 2030—A dialogue among national platforms for DRR
In opening remarks to this high-level event, Kishore observed that the risk landscape platform is becoming increasingly complex. He recommended strengthening national DRR platforms and embedding risk reduction into national policies and frameworks; ensuring sustainable and predictable finance with policies matching sustainable long-term plans; and having a common risk assessment framework to support national entities with proper data and analytics.
Speaking on behalf of the host country, Franziska Schmid, Swiss National Platform for Natural Hazards (PLANAT), described the work of PLANAT and highlighted challenges, including overlapping reporting mechanisms and strategies among national government entities focused on resilience. She stressed the importance of addressing duplication, developing appropriate tools, such as hazard maps and building permits, and ensuring crisis management provisions are actually functional.
Discussions then followed in a roundtable format, moderated by Paola Albrito, UNDRR. Albrito invited delegates to: describe the demonstrated impact of their National Platforms for DRR, share lessons learned, identify remaining gaps in DRR governance, and highlight ways and opportunities to boost Sendai Framework implementation by 2030.
View of the room during the Dialogue Among National Platforms for DRR.
In their interventions, many called for collaboration among regional and country partners. Speakers included the Deputy Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tajikistan, as well as many ministers and high-level government representatives. They highlighted lessons and challenges, including: enhancing preparedness through strengthening and modernizing approaches; improving planning and promoting concrete analyses from real-life situations at the grassroots; and mobilizing adequate financing and developing technical expertise to adequately prepare communities.
The Stakeholder Forum continued its deliberations throughout the day, concluding in the afternoon with reflections by supporters and participants of the Stakeholder Engagement Mechanism.
Spotlight session—Early warning for all
Moderator Rebecca Murphy, Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR), invited the UNDRR Stakeholder Forum and the Multi-Stakeholder EW4All communities to combine efforts in crafting action points for the 2025 Global Platform on DRR.
In the keynote, Gavin White, Risk-informed Early Action Partnership (REAP), summarized common themes in Early Warning, noting that: preparing for disasters is about inclusiveness, honest communication and trusting the person who is providing the guidance; and early warning systems (EWS) can act as a bridge overcoming the silo approaches among different DRR stakeholders. Panelists suggested that: while no system can predict with 100% certainty what shape hazards will take, it is crucial to build trust and understand local contexts; response planners should establish appropriate actions to follow early warnings; emergency systems must be tailored to communities’ experiences so that people can distinguish between different disasters and respond uniquely to each threat; both elderly and youth can inform EWS and response planning; and conflict zones require unique solutions that consider the fragility and power dynamics within communities.
Bridging the gap: Critical media’s role in strengthening alerts and enhancing disaster preparedness
Giacomo Mazzone, Media Saving Lives, moderated the session. Matthieu Rawolle, EBU Media Intelligence Service, shared examples of how terrestrial radio networks remained uninterrupted and accessible during disasters, and are used to inform the public and facilitate emergency response, especially when mobile phone and internet services are interrupted. He concluded that radio is an essential communication medium in times of crisis and requires investment.
Raditya Jati, Deputy Minister of System and Strategy, National Disaster Management Authority, Indonesia, emphasized the need for media to go beyond reporting on casualties and housing collapse, and to incorporate education for people to prepare for disasters.
Event rooms remained full throughout the day.
Noting that UNDRR is the first UN agency that recognized media’s role in crises, Natalia Ilieva, Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, described the Media Saving Lives collaboration between the World Broadcasting Unions and UNDRR that focuses on shifting media perspectives from reactive to proactive reporting, showing the real causes for disasters and instructing people on how to avoid harm. Grégoire Ndjaka, African Broadcasting Union, highlighted the reach of radio in Africa extending to places without electricity supply. Orengiye Fyneface, African Broadcasting Union, discussed trust challenges with journalism as a disaster information source in Africa, pointing to bureaucratic hurdles that prevent journalists from reaching scientists.
Shaping a sustainable tomorrow: Aligning the Sendai Midterm Review with the Pact for the Future
Abraham Bugre, University of Regina, moderated this session. In her opening remarks, Toni-Shae Freckleton, UNDRR, called for transitioning from short-term responses to long-term prevention. She stated that the Pact for the Future embeds DRR and resilience building.
Juan Carlos Uribe Vega, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) highlighted gaps in understanding localization and the importance of local-level governance. Jekulin Lipi Saikia, GNDR, called for a focus on listening to and working with communities, improving financial access, and increasing citizen science. Amber Fletcher, University of Regina, emphasized the role of community-driven actions, citizen science, and community engagement in reaching the diverse range of local voices. In the ensuing discussion, attendees identified communication disconnection, lack of funding, and localization among the persistent gaps between global networks and local realities.
Closing session
Tanjir Hossain, UNDRR Stakeholder Engagement Mechanism (SEM), moderated the closing session. Jamie Cummings, SEM, recalled her own experience of disaster when Hurricane Helene struck her hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. Describing how volunteers had operated a traditional Appalachian mule brigade to transport life-saving medications to mountain communities after roads were destroyed, she reflected that, “communities who know the land most, hold the solutions.” Martin Schuldes, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), stressed that “the substance and spirit” of the conference must translate into concrete action.
Jilhane El Gaouzi, African Union Commission, urged all concerned to “be realistic and speed up implementation,” given that only five years remain until the Sendai Framework deadline.
View of the panel during the Closing Session of the Stakeholder Forum.
World Resilient Recovery Conference
At the opening of this one-day event, Mutale Nalumongo, Vice-President, Zambia, highlighted Zambia’s promotion of climate-resilient agriculture through promotion of drought-tolerant crop varieties, access to weather-based insurance and investment in EWS, including advisories to farmers. Following further opening remarks by speakers, two plenaries and several thematic sessions took place during the day.
Plenary 1—Taking stock of current recovery practices
Carolina Fuentes Castellanos, Director, Santiago Network Secretariat, moderated the session.
Sujit Mohanty, UNDRR, noted the high costs of reconstruction and the difficulties of countries that are perpetually in a state of recovery from one disaster after another, pointing to the need to address institutional fragmentation.
Renato Umali Solidum, Jr., Department of Science and Technology, Philippines, advocated for greater cohesion between DRR and climate action as being “two sides of the same coin.” He called for transparent grant-based governance to reach at-risk commuities and address both slow-onset and sudden disasters.
Leon Lundy, Minister of State Office, The Bahamas, highlighted the launch of The Bahamas’ National Disaster Risk Management Authority. He drew attention to the 2022 Act mandating public body disaster plans, including continuity plans, restoration timelines, and staff redeployment protocols to ensure essential services can be maintained or rapidly restored after a disaster.
Krishna Swaroop Vatsa, National Disaster Management Authority, India, highlighted allocation of 30% of the Authority’s funds for recovery and reconstruction, which are released through an assessment-based process.
Fuentes Castellanos offered countries the Secretariat’s support for structuring technical assistance requests.
Plenary 2—From commitment to action: Leadership for resilient recovery
Shivangi Chavda, GNDR, moderated the session.
Guangzhe Chen, World Bank, described the World Bank’s recent transition to supporting infrastructure resilience efforts. He invited countries to access the Bank’s preparedness and response toolkit to strengthen their disaster reduction policies, citing recent examples from Malawi, Albania, and Madagascar.
On financial instruments, panelists explored ways to distribute more rapid financial support, including through multi-dimensional approaches.
On displacement following disasters, Rania Sharshr, International Organization for Migration (IOM), emphasized that one of the greatest needs of governments is access to reliable and accurate data on how displaced people have been impacted, and guidance on how to integrate these people into existing communities.
The session concluded with the presentation of the Resilient Recovery Framework by Abhilash Panda, UNDRR.
Thematic sessions
Further sessions took place through the day. Besides the three sessions reported here, delegates took part in other Stakeholder Forum sessions on governance mechanisms, unlocking financial potential, housing reconstruction, and multi-hazard EWS.
Restoring livelihood: Solutions for disaster-induced displacement and resilient recovery
Mona Folkesson, UN Development Coordination Office (DCO), moderated the session.
Emad Adly, Arab Network for Environment and Development, highlighted water scarcity as a key issue for the region and local-level coordination as a key challenge. Alexandra Bilak, Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), cited experience from the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake in Nepal to show how livelihood erosion influences the severity of displacement.
Ibrahim Osman Farah, Vice President, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia, described livelihood restoration during return and resettlement of internally displaced persons, through ensuring cultural access to land, water, schools, and income-generating opportunities as long-term resilience-based approaches.
Tasneem Siddiqui, University of Dhaka, recounted how students were a driving force for the university’s Refugee and Migration Research Unit, which now has formed Adaptation Committees in many local areas and supports implementation of national policies on livelihood diversification and skills training. She urged treating displacement not as a humanitarian issue, but as a human rights one.
Aslam Perwaiz, Executive Director, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, emphasized skill development with local communities and SMEs to create livelihood options for displaced communities.
Driving resilience: The critical role of private sector’s operational readiness for resilient recovery
Moderator, Cedrick Moriggi, Corporate Chief Resilience Officer Network, emphasized connecting the corporate world with the UNDRR world. Ommid Saberi, International Finance Corporation, recommended investing in the “economics of families,” or small businesses, saying even small government incentives can mobilize large funds from the private sector. Dorothee Baumann-Pauly, University of Geneva, said human rights are the enablers for resilience. Jonathan Rake, Swiss Re Solutions, highlighted the need for the private sector to engage locally and to develop and combine social programmes with parametric solutions. Chris Ulatt, Octopus, said upfront investment to boost resilience is the right move, but observed that few investors will remain for the duration of an investment. Kerry Hinds, Department of Emergency Management, Barbados, described an audit tool to ascertain risks and priorities for public-private partnerships, noting the tool helps standardize and trigger business continuity protocols for disaster risk management.
Turning experience into action: learning from large-scale disasters
Dilanthi Amaratunga, Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System, moderated the session.
Banak Joshua Dei Wal, South Sudan’s DRR Focal Point, highlighted the need to work together and identify risks for Sendai Framework implementation to be effective.
Saini Yang, Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR), emphasized that China’s National Flood Prevention System has proven effective, with more than an 80% decrease in flood mortality rates over the last 20 years.
Guy Gryspeert, Honeywell, defined resilience as the capability of preventing a crisis by having awareness and planning in place.
Ali Hamza Pehlivan, Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), Türkiye, highlighted the usefulness of their National Disaster Response Plan during the 2023 earthquake. Makiko Ohashi, Cabinet Office of Japan, noted the utility of planning on the assumption that a mega-disaster may occur at any time and of reviewing DDR plans in the aftermath of disasters.
Participants engage in discussions between sessions throughout the day.
Global Early Warning for All (EW4All) Multistakeholder Forum
After thematic sessions during the day, EW4All concluded its discussions. Gavin White, Risk-Informed Early Action Partnership, moderated the closing session. Panelists highlighted the importance of focusing on preparedness and developing trust, the need to shift perspectives toward a systemic approach to EWS, and the need to increase private funding.
In closing remarks, Andrea Hermenejildo, Deputy Secretary General for Risk Management, Ecuador, stressed EWS is not only a technical issue, but also involves social justice. Paola Albrito, Director, UNDRR, emphasized that EW4All is both needed and achievable. Noting the central role of local communities, she underlined that resilience is built with communities.
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union, underlined that scaling-up EWS requires partnerships and breaking silos across economic sectors, UN agencies and industries.
Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), stressed that inclusive action and investment in EW4All is essential.
Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), stated that having EWS in just 108 countries is neither sufficient nor acceptable, and called for closing this “justice gap” by providing EWS worldwide and accelerating the transformation needed to protect every person on Earth.
Violence, insecurity and hunger are devastating people’s lives in South Darfur, Sudan, according to a new report released today by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
The report, Voices from South Darfur, illustrates in vivid testimony how the impact of pervasive violence, a healthcare system in ruins and an inadequate international response have all combined to push people’s coping strategies to their limits.
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
About 230 social infrastructure facilities are being built in the capital using municipal and extra-budgetary funds. Among them are educational, medical, sports and cultural institutions. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.
“Currently, 149 educational and 45 sports facilities, more than 20 buildings for medical organizations and 12 for cultural institutions are being built in the capital using all sources of financing. Of the total number of social facilities under construction, 193 are being built by investors. Among them are 128 educational facilities, 42 sports complexes, 15 health and wellness institutions and eight cultural and educational facilities. In particular, in total, more than 78 thousand school and preschool places will be created in the capital at the expense of the city and investors, and clinics and medical centers will be able to accept about four thousand patients per shift,” said Vladimir Efimov.
Modern buildings appear next to new residential developments and also complement the social infrastructure of historically established areas of the city.
“Developers are actively involved in creating comfortable and modern social infrastructure: they are building kindergartens, schools, medical centers and sports complexes along with housing. In the future, the educational facilities they build will provide the capital with an additional 68 thousand school and preschool places. For example, in the Yuzhnoye Medvedkovo district, a kindergarten is being built on the territory of a new residential area on Polyarnaya Street. The area of the building will be about 4.4 thousand square meters, it is designed for 220 pupils,” added the Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Department of Urban Development Policy of the City of Moscow
Permits for the construction of all facilities were issued by the capital’s State Construction Supervision Committee. According to the head of the department Anton Slobodchikova, the committee supervises 209 buildings of various social purposes. As part of control and supervision activities, inspectors check the compliance of the erected structures and materials used with the requirements of the design documentation. Specialists of the subordinate Center for Expertise, Research and Testing in Construction carry out instrumental control, including finishing work. This guarantees the quality and safety of schools and kindergartens during their further operation.
Investors also pay great attention to the development of sports infrastructure. Thus, in the Severnoye Butovo district, a sports and recreation complex with a football field and tennis courts will appear. Its total area will be more than 10 thousand square meters. The facility will appear near the Butovsky forest park at the address: Sadki communal zone, Polyany street, building 12, plot 2.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect
The number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in New Zealand increased by a third between 2006 and 2022, according to research from the University of Auckland.
The prevalence of multiple sclerosis in New Zealand has sharply risen since 2006, especially in some communities, according to a University of Auckland study.
Lead author Dr Natalia Boven, a postdoctoral fellow from the University’s COMPASS Research Centre, says the study found the MS prevalence rate had climbed to 96.6 per 100,000 people as of June 2022, an increase from 72.4 per 100,000 in 2006.
“And notably, while European New Zealanders are being diagnosed with MS at a higher rate (132.4 per 100,000), we found MS increased substantially for Māori, Pacific peoples and Asian ethnic groups over the same period,” she says.
Boven says Māori rates rose from 15.0 per 100,000 to 33.1 per 100,000 in 2022, the Pacific rate rose to 9.2 per 100,000 and the Asian ethnic group rate increased to 16.0 per 100,000.
“And of concern is the data shows people living in more deprived areas were less likely to be diagnosed with MS,” says Boven. “This pattern was more pronounced for Māori and Pacific peoples, which suggests they may face barriers accessing services to receive a MS diagnosis.”
As a social scientist, she says more research is needed to find out whether this is the case, and what the barriers might be, as an early diagnosis can make all the difference in terms of delaying disease progression and therefore improving quality of life.
Experts agree that multiple sclerosis is a manageable and treatable condition in most cases, especially with early diagnosis.
Recently published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, the study was backed by Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand (MSNZ).
National manager Amanda Rose says patients regularly report the biggest barriers to diagnosis are a lack of MS awareness in the community, and critical shortages of specialist services which can delay diagnosis from a couple of weeks to as long as several years in some instances.
“Too many New Zealanders face delays in being diagnosed with MS due to limited access to specialist neurologist appointments and MRI scans,” says Rose.
“The longstanding shortage of neurologists in Aotearoa has created long waiting lists for many people with neurological conditions, including MS. We’ve been advocating for over ten years to increase our number of neurologists, with little to no progress.”
The study used the Stats NZ Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) and included anonymous data from hospitalisations, disability support, pharmaceutical dispensing of MS treatments and needs assessments.
To build on the study’s findings and support targeted advocacy for those with the condition, Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand has now contracted University researchers at COMPASS to expand their scope.
They will again be using IDI data to explore the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of people living with MS in Aotearoa; including geographic distribution, education, income, and employment history, access to disability support, allied healthcare, and income support.
Identifying multiple sclerosis in linked administrative health data in Aotearoa New Zealand by Natalia Boven, Deborah Mason, Barry Milne, Anna Ranta, Andrew Sporle, Lisa Underwood, Julie Winter-Smith, and Vanessa Selak is published in the 28 March edition of the New Zealand Medical Journal.
A new micro-credential developed by Open Polytechnic, New Zealand’s specialist online learning provider, in conjunction with Spark, offers businesses and individuals the opportunity to understand and utilise Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The Introduction to Generative AI micro-credential, now open for enrolment, provides ākonga (learners) with an introductory understanding of how generative artificial intelligence can drive efficiency and innovation in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Topics covered in the micro-credential include practical guidelines for getting the most out of generative AI, the ethical use of AI, and Māori data sovereignty.
“Open Polytechnic is a world leader in online and distance education with significant expertise in educational technology,” says Open Polytechnic Executive Director Alan Cadwallader.
“We are pleased to be able to combine our expertise with a company like Spark NZ to provide opportunities for busy adult learners to upskill in AI and learn more about the latest advancements.”
“By completing this micro-credential, ākonga will learn how to integrate generative AI tools into their workflows, enhance communication, and leverage these technologies to streamline operations and enhance overall performance. This highly relevant micro-credential will also teach ākonga about the ethical implications and limitations of generative AI uniquely applied in an Aotearoa New Zealand context.”
Once ākonga (learners) have completed this micro-credential, they will have a basic understanding of Generative Artificial Intelligence to support their productivity, in both personal and work contexts, and know how to assess the generated content for accuracy, quality, and relevance.
This micro-credential is relevant for people in different industries including media and entertainment, advertising, education, healthcare, and finance.
Open Polytechnic has been pleased to work with Spark in the development of this NZQA accredited micro-credential.
Spark is on its own AI journey, with a focus on upskilling its people through Te Awe, a skills acceleration programme within Spark that is building the “hard to access” specialist digital skills needed in today’s world.
“As the use of AI accelerates, we want to ensure that the skills shift we are experiencing does not further entrench existing inequities within the technology sector and our community. When we created Te Awe, our ambition was to eventually extend offering the digital skills and opportunities to learn them, to those groups who currently have low participation rates in the tech sector, to ensure we are intentionally growing a more inclusive high-tech workforce pipeline for the future,” says Heather Polglase, Spark People and Culture Director.
“We are excited to build on Spark’s Te Awe foundations and take that next step now with the creation of an NZQA accredited Generative AI micro-credential. We have taken our learnings from Te Awe and collaborated with Open Polytechnic, as a business division of Te Pūkenga, to create a nationally recognised micro-credential, that will equip more New Zealanders with the skills and knowledge to co-create and engage with AI meaningfully.”
Spark will be sponsoring micro-credentials for 30 digi-coaches (digital teachers) from around the country, who are a part of a Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and Digital Inclusion Alliance Aotearoa programme to support digital literacy in local communities. These digi-coaches will work in public libraries and community venues to help upskill digital literacy skills for local citizens.
“We’re excited to be one of the first to engage with this new GenAI micro-credential”, said Laurence Zwimpfer, Operations Director for the Digital Inclusion Alliance Aotearoa.
“We have invited 30 jobseekers on our Digi-Coach programme to complete this course as part of their 13-week training, which includes work placements in libraries and other community organisations. We believe this will give them a real advantage in securing jobs and helping the communities and organisations that they work with to better understand and use GenAI tools.”
Ākonga who complete the micro-credential receive a digital badge that can then be shared on social media or mentioned on a work-related CV.
The Level 3 micro-credential can be completed online in 40 learning hours, with two intakes each month, making it ideal for personal or professional development.
If you are a business or individual that is interested in utilising AI technology, then go to theOpen Polytechnic website. Terms and conditions apply.
At a glance
Open Polytechnic
Introduction to Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) micro-credential
Level: 3
Credits: 4
Total learning hours: 40 – study online at your own pace, up to 16 weeks to complete
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Chan Yung and a reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (June 4):
Question:
This year, the 15th National Games (NG) and the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NGD and NSOG) will be co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) how the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) will collaborate with relevant government departments and organisations to publicise NG, NGD and NSOG;
(2) of the plans of the CSTB and the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to step efforts to attract Mainland and overseas visitors to Hong Kong for watching the tournaments of NG, NGD and NSOG; and
(3) given that the 2025 Legislative Council General Election will be held immediately after the NG, how the Government will integrate the publicity efforts of the NG and the Legislative Council General Election so that the two mega events can mutually foster with each other; what is the current progress and timetable of the relevant work?
Reply:
President,
The NG, NGD and NSOG, to be co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao for the first time, will be held from November 9 to 21, 2025 and from December 8 to 15, 2025 respectively. The CSTB is committed to enhancing public awareness of and interest in the NG, NGD and NSOG through multi-channel publicity, including the use of traditional media, social media, city dress-up, roving exhibitions, as well as collaborations with community organisations, sports associations and schools.
Our publicity strategies are rolled out in three stages. The first stage started in end-2024 to enhance public awareness of the NG, NGD and NSOG. The second stage, running from January to July this year, aims to foster a welcoming atmosphere for the Games in Hong Kong, including the launch of those photo-taking spots featuring the mascots Xiyangyang and Lerongrong. The third stage will start from August this year to significantly boost the popularity and participation of the NG, NGD and NSOG, including the organisation of the 100-day countdown, torch relay and the Sport For All Day, as well as other enhanced promotional efforts like city-dress-up initiatives.
Our reply to Hon Chan Yung’s question is as follows:
(1) The CSTB is working with various relevant government bureaux/departments and organisations to carry out publicity. Highlights include:
(i) launching publicity campaign jointly with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department for the athlete selection sessions for the mass participation events of the NG, NGD and NSOG under the theme of “I want to join the National Games” (「我要上全運」), and taking the opportunity to promote the two mass participation events organised by Hong Kong, namely Bowling and Para Dance Sport;
(ii) launching Announcements in the Public Interest and special programmes through the Information Services Department (ISD) and Radio Television Hong Kong respectively, covering local athletes, Mainland competition events and preparations of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao for the Games. The ISD also assisted in publicity in the Mainland and overseas, including promotion through social media and digital platforms in the Mainland as well as advertisements in overseas media;
(iii) joining hands with the Home Affairs Department and the Education Bureau to conduct community engagement activities in all 18 districts across the territory and diversified promotional activities in schools, with a view to widely publicising the events both in the community and in schools;
(iv) beautifying the cityscape in areas around the competition venues in collaboration with the Highways Department to infuse the community with elements of the NG, NGD and NSOG. Besides, we co-organised the Architectural Installation Design Competition for the 2025 National Games in Hong Kong with the Hong Kong Institute of Architects; and
(v) collaborating with various organisations and groups, including the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, the China Hong Kong Paralympic Committee, the Hong Kong Sports Institute, related national sports associations and the HKTB, to include elements of the NG, NGD and NSOG in their events.
(2) Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will deploy the same ticketing platform. The Guangdong Provincial Executive Committees for the NG, NGD and NSOG is actively working on the ticketing policies and the system setup. Upon confirmation of the ticketing arrangements, the CSTB will collaborate with the tourism industry to design various tourism products, with a view to attracting Mainland and overseas spectators and visitors. As for the Mainland market, the HKTB will target at sports enthusiasts by carrying out publicity work on related social media and other forms of media.
(3) On December 7 this year, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) will hold the 8th Legislative Council General Election. Given the relevance of this election to the successful and robust implementation of the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong” and good governance and long-term stability of the HKSAR, the Government attaches great importance to the successful organisation of this election, the NG, NGD and NSOG, and is determined to carry out related publicity and promotion works well, striving to achieve extensive publicity effect. Currently, relevant Government bureaux and departments are actively considering the co-ordination arrangements for taking forward the publicity of these two major events, and will announce any specific arrangement at a later stage.
Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday announced that the Monsoon Session of Parliament will be held from July 21 to August 12, 2025.
Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are scheduled to convene at 11 a.m. on the opening day. The session is expected to witness heated debates, particularly in the wake of recent demands by the Opposition for an immediate special session of Parliament.
On June 3, sixteen opposition parties jointly addressed a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling for an urgent discussion on the recent terror attack in Pahalgam and the government’s subsequent retaliatory military operation, named Operation Sindoor. The operation targeted terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
In response, the government has asserted that all relevant matters, including those raised by the Opposition, can be addressed during the Monsoon Session itself. This move is seen as an attempt to channel all legislative and political deliberations into the scheduled session rather than convening a separate one.
The announcement follows a productive Budget Session earlier this year, held in two phases from January 31 to April 4. During that session, Parliament passed a number of important legislations. One such bill was the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025, which aims to strengthen the governance of waqf properties through better stakeholder engagement, improved registration processes, and the use of scientific methods. The bill also repealed the Mussalman Wakf Act of 1923.
Another key development was the passage of the Tribhuvan Sahkari University Bill, 2025. This legislation enables the establishment of a dedicated university focused on the cooperative sector, aimed at providing education, training, and research to support and expand India’s cooperative movement.
Additionally, the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, was passed to modernize and simplify India’s immigration laws. It streamlines processes for visa issuance, registration of foreigners, and entry-exit protocols for international travelers, marking a comprehensive overhaul of the legal framework surrounding immigration.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Lam San-keung and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Liu Chun-san, in the Legislative Council today (June 4):
Question:
It is learnt that at present, there are stops at the Tai Lam Tunnel Bus-Bus Interchange (the Interchange) for most of the bus routes running from the Yuen Long and Tin Shui Wai areas to various places on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon via the Tai Lam Tunnel (TLT) to facilitate transfer to other bus routes. There are views that with the gradual completion of a number of development projects in Yuen Long, the passenger and bus flows at the Interchange are expected to increase continuously, causing traffic bottleneck and congestion problems. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has estimated the number of bus routes using the Interchange in the next five years;
(2) whether it has studied converting the toll plaza of TLT into a major transport node to facilitate transfer to various modes of public transport for travelling to and from various districts; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) whether it has plans to construct a large car park (with motorcycle parking spaces) and cycle parking area in the vicinity of the Interchange to facilitate transfer to public transport, thereby reducing the vehicular flow of TLT?
Reply:
President,
In respect of the questions raised by Hon Lam San-keung about the Tai Lam Tunnel Bus-Bus-Interchanges (TLTBBIs), having consulted the Transport Department (TD), my reply is as follows.
(1) There are over 50 franchised bus routes observing the TLTBBIs. In the coming two years, two more franchised bus routes are expected to be introduced, and they will also observe the TLTBBIs for the convenience of passengers. TD and franchised bus operators will continue to closely monitor the actual usage of the TLTBBIs arising from changes in population in North West New Territories, and review the arrangements in a timely manner to meet the travelling needs of passengers. ​ (2) and (3) The Government has all along been promoting the provision of park-and-ride facilities at suitable railway stations or nearby locations to encourage drivers to park their vehicles and switch to public transport, thereby reducing the flow of vehicles entering congested areas. Currently, there are approximately 590 parking spaces outside the Kam Sheung Road MTR Station near the TLTBBIs, offering park-and-ride discounts. There are also motorcycle and bicycle parking spaces next to the Station. Also, private car and motorcycle parking spaces are available near the TLTBBIs, facilitating the residents of Yuen Long and the North District in transferring to public transport for travel to urban areas of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.
The proposed development of a large-scale transport hub, parking facilities and bicycle parking as mentioned in the question requires comprehensive consideration of multiple factors, including seamless public transport transfers, connectivity to nearby roads and cycling networks, and whether there are other development opportunities that make the proposal more cost-effective and financially sustainable. As part of the Traffic and Transport Strategy Study, the Government is exploring the concept of a new generation of Transport Interchange Hub (TIH) under the “single site, multiple use” principle. This initiative aims to suitably provide park-and-ride facilities, bicycle parking spaces and storage facilities for electric mobility devices at TIHs. The TD is looking into suitable locations, including New Development Areas, for implementing the TIHs.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Benson Luk and a reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (June 4):
Question:
In May last year, the Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council proposed that Hong Kong should establish the concept of “Tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong”, and in November of the same year, he advised that Hong Kong’s shoreline tourism resources should be put to good use. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether, according to the Government’s estimation, the “Round-the-Island Trail” developed on Hong Kong Island can be completed in 2031 as scheduled; how the Government will study with the MTR Corporation Limited the enhancement of the design of the ventilation building of the Airport Railway Extended Overrun Tunnel project, so as to minimise the impact on the waterfront promenade on Hong Kong Island and the Central Harbourfront Event Space, as well as the relevant design proposal and construction schedule;
(2) given that a number of sections of the waterfront promenade in Kowloon are not connected (including the Yau Ma Tei Public Cargo Working Area, the Green Island Cement Pier, the Fishtail Rock in Hoi Sham Park and the waterfront gas facility off Grand Waterfront, etc), whether the authorities have plans to connect the entire shoreline of Kowloon in different modes; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) whether it has formulated mega event programmes for the proposed waterfront promenades and those under construction, and of the measures in place to facilitate the industry to set up long-term catering premises at such promenades?
Reply:
President,
Hong Kong possesses abundant coastal resources, and Victoria Harbour and the harbourfront are world-famous. In consultation with the Transport and Logistics Bureau and the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the reply to various parts of the question is as follows:
(1) Regarding the construction of a 60-kilometre-long “Round-the-Island Trail” on the Hong Kong Island, 85 per cent has been connected thus far. It is estimated that 90 per cent would be connected by end-2027. The remaining 10 per cent, with a length of about six km and mainly including sections such as Shau Kei Wan to Heng Fa Chuen and Brick Hill to Mills & Chung Path, involves works that require relatively more technical considerations and are more complicated (such as slope improvement), which we will strive to substantially complete by end-2031.
The Airport Railway Extended Overrun Tunnel project refers to a proposal to construct a tunnel of around 500 metres long beneath Lung Wo Road to the east of the Hong Kong Station in Central for trains to turn back so as to enhance the train carrying capacities and operation efficiency of the existing railway lines. Facilities under the project will mostly be constructed underground, while the ventilation cum emergency access building will be constructed aboveground, with a site area of about 1 200 square metres. The Government and the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) are proactively optimising the project, including the overall design of the concerned facilities, with a view to minimising the footprint and height of the ventilation cum emergency access building, and also minimising the works area needed during construction. The target is to ensure that the permanent and temporary facilities of the concerned project would not need to, as far as practicable, occupy the existing Central Harbourfront Event Space (CHES), site area of which is some 36 000 sqm, or to minimise the overlapping area between the concerned project and the CHES. The Government and the MTRCL will report the latest progress and the construction timetable of the project to the stakeholders in the second half of the year.
(2) For the Victoria Harbourfront in Kowloon from Cheung Sha Wan to Lei Yue Mun, the developable waterfront has a length of about 21 km, which excludes the about 6km-long waterfront areas currently occupied by existing facilities. After years of efforts by the Government and various sectors, about 65 per cent of the harbourfront has been connected at present, including sections in Tai Kok Tsui, the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD), Tsim Sha Tsui, Cha Kwo Ling, etc. By end-2028, with the addition of sections along the harbourfront in Kai Tak as well as at the former freight yard pier site in Hung Hom, nearly 80 per cent will be connected. The remaining 20 per cent of the waterfront, such as Yau Tong Bay Comprehensive Development Area and some other harbourfront sections in Kai Tak, will be developed along with private development projects at the respective locations.
We will maintain our efforts regarding the aforementioned 6-km waterfront areas in the south of the Kowloon peninsula currently occupied by existing facilities. Subject to technical feasibility, we will improve harbourfront connectivity through other means. For example, we are constructing a pedestrian walkway along the inland boundary of the New Yau Ma Tei Public Cargo Working Area to link up the WKCD and the Tai Kok Tsui harbourfront. Upon completion next year, the pedestrian walkway will be opened to the public. As for the harbourfront connectivity of other locations, we will commence the Study on East Kowloon Harbourfront Trail in the near future, riding on the opportunities brought about by the newly amended Protection of the Harbour Ordinance (Cap. 531), and exploring to further connect harbourfront sections in Hung Hom and To Kwa Wan that are not yet accessible, including those locations mentioned in the question raised by the Member. Besides, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) has initiated the To Kwa Wan Harbourfront Study, which is a holistic planning covering the hinterland of To Kwa Wan, waterfront spaces and the adjacent water body, in order to explore improving the connectivity between the hinterland and the harbourfront, in addition to utilising harbourfront resources. We will co-ordinate and join forces with the URA on these fronts.
(3) Many venues within the Victoria Harbourfront are suitable for hosting mega events and activities of various types. For instance, the CHES has been a venue frequently used for hosting a considerable number of signature events over the years; the WKCD has more than 20 indoor and outdoor venues, attracting different types of large-scale events; the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and the Avenue of Stars are also venues where leisure and entertainment activities are frequently held, such as music, film and arts and cultural events. The 15th National Games will be held in November this year, of which a number of competition events will take place in Hong Kong. Amongst them, the Triathlon event will be staged at the Central harbourfront and Victoria Harbour, which would allow spectators to watch the event while experiencing the natural beauty and vibrancy of Victoria Harbour.
Regarding food and beverages facilities at the harbourfront, we set up smart specialty vending facilities with distinctive exterior designs for photo-taking at the harbourfront in Wan Chai, Kwun Tong and Cha Kwo Ling last year, offering light snacks, drinks and gadgets. We are partnering with WestK Enterprise Limited in recent months to invite interested operators, through expression of interest, to set up refreshment stalls at four harbourfront locations with relatively more frequent flow of visitors in Central, Wan Chai, North Point and Tsim Sha Tsui within this year. Furthermore, we will revitalise the former freight yard pier site in Hung Hom into a special event space and open it for public use in the first quarter of next year. In the longer term, we have already released the preliminary land use proposal on the long-term development of the former pier site in Hung Hom and the sites around Hung Hom Station earlier; and we are also carrying out a study on the use of the topside development of the Exhibition Centre Station in Wan Chai North. Both projects will involve introducing food and beverages, retail and entertainment facilities of sizeable scale at the harbourfront, and continue to make good use of harbourfront resources to create new highlights for Hong Kong.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ12: Application of artificial intelligence in primary and secondary school teaching Question:
The Steering Committee for Teaching in Basic Education under the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China (MOE) has recently published the “Guidelines for artificial intelligence (AI) general education in primary and secondary schools (2025)” and the “Guidelines for the use of generative AI in primary and secondary schools (2025)”, with the aim of regulating and promoting AI education across all key stages. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it will follow the practice of MOE in formulating guidelines for AI education and the use of generative AI in primary and secondary schools, so as to build a comprehensive AI general education system and set clear regulations for the use of generative AI in primary and secondary education for various learning stages;
(2) in order to prevent students from becoming over-reliant on generative AI to the detriment of their independent thinking skills, whether the authorities will draw up guidelines on the use of generative AI for different learning stages, so as to provide teachers and parents with reference material for supervising students and their children’s use of generative AI;
(3) in order to effectively safeguard the privacy and data security of students, whether the authorities will require schools to adopt the Artificial Intelligence: Model Personal Data Protection Framework published by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, so as to provide primary and secondary school teachers and administrative staff with clear guidelines on the use of AI;
(4) in order to support teachers in providing teaching and learning support plans tailored to students of different levels and abilities, whether the authorities will produce a large language model for all primary and secondary schools across the territory that can be used for teaching and learning purposes, as well as developing vertical applications; and
(5) whether the authorities will draw up guidelines and provide technical support for primary and secondary schools to enhance their application of AI in school affairs, thereby encouraging the use of generative AI technologies to optimise school administration?
Reply:
President,
To align with the national strategy of building a leading country in education, keeping pace with global development trends, and nurturing talent for the advancement of innovation and technology (I&T) in Hong Kong, the Education Bureau (EDB) is stepping up its efforts to promote digital education, including the application and education of artificial intelligence (AI). The EDB established the Steering Committee on Strategic Development of Digital Education in early 2025, making reference to the latest developments on the Mainland and relevant policies and experiences from other places, to provide recommendations on the goals, strategies and future directions for the implementation of digital education in Hong Kong. The EDB will organise the first Digital Education Week in July combining the International Summit on the Use of AI in Learning and Teaching Languages and Other Subjects and the Hong Kong Education City’s annual event Learning & Teaching Expo, to promote in-depth exploration and application of AI and frontier technology.
Our consolidated reply to the written question raised by Professor the Hon William Wong is as follows:
Through ongoing curriculum and guide renewal, enriching learning and teaching resources, strengthening teacher training, optimising education ancillary infrastructure and promoting cross-sector collaboration, the EDB assists schools in harnessing AI and other I&T to enhance the digital literacy and the competence of both teachers and students on AI. The EDB places emphasis on developing students’ values, attitudes, knowledge and skills, enabling them to use digital technology (including generative AI) effectively and ethically.
Curriculum and guides
At present, almost all publicly-funded primary and secondary schools have implemented enriched coding education and AI education at the upper primary level and the junior secondary level respectively. The Module on AI for Junior Secondary Level covers topics such as AI basics, AI ethics, societal impact and future of work, which enables teachers and students to learn about the appropriate application scenarios of AI, as well as relevant security topics including personal data privacy and data security. The EDB launched the updated “Information Literacy for Hong Kong Students” Learning Framework in 2024, with a new literacy area “recognise the ethical issues arising from the application of emerging and advanced information technologies” which includes subjects relating to laws and regulations, academic integrity and excessive dependence arising from I&T such as AI technologies, with an aim to develop students to become ethical users of information technology (IT).
In addition, the EDB has, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Police Force and the Journalism Education Foundation, launched the learning and teaching resources on Cyber Security and Technology Crime Information and Media and Information Literacy respectively, which include contents to strengthen the protection of personal privacy, enhance students’ ability to discern the authenticity of information and promote the proper use of social media. These resources can guide students in the proper use of AI and nurture positive values and attitudes towards the application of innovative technologies.
We have always encouraged schools to make reference to good practices when applying IT and I&T (such as AI). The Artificial Intelligence: Model Personal Data Protection Framework issued by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong (PCPD), provides useful references on safeguarding personal data privacy and cyber security issues.
The EDB will make reference to the latest developments and experiences from local, the country and other places, update and optimise the curriculum and guides, adhere to the use of AI for good, and while improving efficiency and effectiveness, maintain the security of AI and technology education, and guard against challenges and risks related to laws and regulations, ethics, authenticity of information, and privacy protection.
Training
The EDB has continuously enhanced teacher training, these include the provision of AI-related professional development programmes with contents covering topics like the development of AI, the planning of applying AI in teaching and learning, the application of AI tools in different subjects, the safeguarding of data security, as well as the prevention of students from become over-reliant on generative AI to the detriment of their independent thinking skills. The training programmes are conducted in both online and offline modes to benefit a greater number of teachers. In addition, the EDB has co-organised a number of teacher training programmes with the PCPD, enabling schools to understand how to address data security risks and handle data breaches, as well as enhancing school personnel’s awareness of data security.
In addition, we have continued to launch relevant parent training to help parents cultivate children’s good habit in using IT in their daily life, including the proper use of generative AI for learning.
Education ancillary infrastructure
To optimise education ancillary infrastructure, the Quality Education Fund (QEF) has allocated $500 million for the implementation of the e-Learning Ancillary Facilities Programme to develop quality e-learning ancillary facilities that meet the local learning and teaching needs through co-operation among schools, tertiary institutions, education and professional bodies, and business sectors. A total of over 20 projects have been funded under the Programme and have commenced in the beginning of the 2023/24 school year. The learning platforms and resources developed under these projects deploy I&T such as big data and AI to enhance learning and teaching effectiveness in a wide array of subjects/areas. As at end-March 2025, around 400 schools participated in the collaborative development projects, involving around 31 000 students. It is expected that the deliverables of the projects will be successively released in mid-2025 and uploaded to the Hong Kong Education City for subscription by schools. The QEF will also sponsor publicly-funded schools to use the deliverables of the projects to facilitate the sustainable development of the projects.
The EDB will continue to optimise the platform of Hong Kong Education City, make reference and utilise existing high-quality learning and teaching platforms, large language models and programmes in local, the country or other places, encourage the sharing of high-quality resources across sectors and schools, and explore how to further support learning and teaching in Hong Kong in a cost-effective manner.
Looking forward, under the leadership of the Steering Committee on Strategic Development of Digital Education, the EDB will continue to review the implementation and development of related support strategies on improving students’ digital literacy and skills, strengthening relevant professional training for teachers, enhancing collaboration with different stakeholders and continuously optimising digital education ancillary infrastructure, to meet the needs of school development and student learning in the era of AI. Issued at HKT 14:16
BROSSARD, Quebec, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diagnos Inc. (“DIAGNOS” or the “Corporation”) (TSX Venture: ADK, OTCQB: DGNOF, FWB: 4D4A), a pioneer in early detection of critical health issues using advanced technology based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), is thrilled to announce that Dr. Tomas J. Philipson has joined the Corporation’s Advisory Board.
Dr. Tomas J. Philipson is considered an expert in US economic policy, particularly health care policy and appears often on major media outlets, including Forbes, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNN, BBC, CBS, ABC, CNBC, Fox News, Fox Business, Newsmax, Yahoo Finance, American Voice, Bloomberg, and CSPAN.
He currently serves as Managing Partner of the VC firm MEDA Ventures, serves on several corporate boards, and has co-founded several companies, including Precision Health Economics LLC, with an exit in 2015 (currently owned by Blackstone).
His government service includes a full-time position as vice chairman and acting chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers 2017-20. He previously served as a senior economic adviser to the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a senior economic advisor to the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Dr. Philipson was appointed to the Key Indicator Commission by the Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2012. He was a scientific advisor to the House of Representatives initiative 21st Century Cures in 2015 and The Biden Cancer Initiative in 2017. He served as a healthcare advisor to Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign.
He received numerous worldwide research awards while he was a chaired professor at the University of Chicago. He is a two-time winner of the Arrow Award of The International Health Economics Association, the highest honor in health economics. Other awards include the Garfield Award for Economic Research, the Prêmio Haralambos Simeonidis from the Brazilian Economic Association, and the Milken Institute’s Distinguished Economic Research Award.
He received a B.A. in mathematics from Uppsala University in Sweden, an MA in Mathematics from Claremont Graduate School, and an MA and Ph.D. in Economics from the Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania.
“We are honored to welcome Dr. Philipson to our Advisor Board,” said André Larente, President and CEO of DIAGNOS. “His extensive experience at the highest levels of government and business savvy brings a vital perspective to today’s policy challenges, from healthcare innovation to long-term economic competitiveness.”
Mr. Larente added, “DIAGNOS has built an AI platform to analyze retina images, these images are taken by thousands of optometrists worldwide. According to the VisionWatch data, the US saw approximately 111 million routine eye exams and 60 million medical eye exams in 2020. DIAGNOS, along with its partners, can address this growing market.” DIAGNOS recently opened its US office in south Florida to support its prospects and clients.
About DIAGNOS DIAGNOS is a publicly traded Canadian corporation dedicated to early detection of critical eye-related health problems. By leveraging Artificial Intelligence, DIAGNOS aims to provide more information to healthcare clinicians to enhance diagnostic accuracy, streamline workflows, and improve patient outcomes on a global scale.
This news release contains forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in these statements. DIAGNOS disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Today (Wednesday 4 June) at The Highland Council’s meeting of the Education Committee, High Life Highland Chief Executive, Steve Walsh will provide a progress report on performance during the operating period to 31 March 2025, including information on HLH’s contributions to The Highland Council Corporate Plan 2022-27 and other achievements and accolades received throughout 2024/25 with a focus on the delivery of the music tuition service.
Education Committee Chair, Cllr John Finlayson said: “High Life Highland contribute an integral part in ‘making life better’ for the communities it serves, supporting people of all ages across the Highlands through delivery of services including leisure facilities, libraries, archives, community centres, sport, outdoor activities, adult learning, music tuition, visitor attractions and youth work.
“We always looking forward to bringing performance reports to the Education Committee and are heartened to see from the report that in-person customer visits to HLH services in 2024/25 were almost 5 million, a 9% increase on the previous year and the report on the music tuition service and the wonderful contributions that music brings to both children and adults across Highland.
“It has never been more important for communities to be part of recreational pursuits and the work of the dedicated High Life Highland team to continue to pivot operating models and positively engage more and more people to get involved in activities that promote self-esteem and improve wellbeing is fantastic, and I thank all the team for the important role that each and everyone plays in keeping Highland a happier, healthier, musically talented and more inviting place for both residents and visitors to enjoy.”
The full report can be found here (Item13) and be viewed live on Wednesday 4 June by clicking this link.
The Highland Council welcomes the positive Education Scotland report following an inspection visit to Millburn Academy, Inverness.
Following the inspection, Millburn Academy received the following quality indicators:
Leadership of change – Good
Learning, teaching and assessment – Good
Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion – Good
Raising attainment and achievement – Good
Education Committee Chair, Cllr John Finlayson said: “The recent inspection at Millburn Academy from Education Scotland received a very positive report, reflecting the professionalism, dedication and commitment of the caring staff at the setting to create an inclusive, safe and nurturing ethos for all pupils attending.
“The report found significant strengths in aspects of the staff and young peoples’ positive relationships. This is a strength of the school and impacts positively on the experiences of young people. Staff have worked very effectively to ensure a safe and respectful climate for learning, with supportive and highly skilled leadership that enable the school to deliver high quality education supported to meet pupils’ individual needs.
“I’d like to congratulate the staff at Millburn Academy for their continued dedication and very good inspection report.”
Key messages from the report:
The headteacher’s strategic well focussed leadership. She is guiding the school community through change sensitively and effectively.
Staff are working together very well to drive developments in learning and teaching, which is improving classroom experiences for learners. Young people are benefiting from classroom routines and learning in positive, welcoming learning environments.
The wide variety of rich achievements. Young people appreciate the range of ways in which they can demonstrate important skills and knowledge and are now able to celebrate and record these regularly.
Young people are enthusiastic about the motivating range of experiences that enhance their learning of Gaelic. This is resulting in young people achieving strong outcomes in Gaelic.
Ensure that Gaelic is integrated into the school’s strategic planning leading to year-on-year improvements and the possibility of an increasing number of Gaelic speakers.
Oxford’s leisure centres are offering two days of free swimming lessons, family fun swims and inflatable sessions during a Big Splash Weekend, taking place on 7th and 8th June 2025.
The weekend of free activities will be hosted at:
Hinksey Outdoor Pool
Ferry Leisure Centre
Barton Leisure Centre
A key feature of the Big Splash event is a programme of free taster swimming lessons delivered by the centres’ fully-trained teaching team. These sessions are a great way for people of all ages to try swimming before signing up to a course.
To book a session at the Big Splash Weekend, please visit Oxford City Leisure.
“Learning to swim is such a vital life skill, and as we head into the summer months, more people will be heading out on holidays, involving a trip to the beach or a swim in a hotel pool. It’s vital that anyone entering any body of water is armed with the skills needed to stay safe. Our taster sessions are the perfect ‘try before you buy’ option for new learners of all ages.
We’re also offering free family swim sessions in the pool on Saturday and Sunday, plus a chance to try our super-fun inflatable obstacle course. Check out the centres’ websites for booking details, and get ready to enjoy the Big Splash Weekend!”
– Rob Jennings, Contract Manager for the centres
“Swimming isn’t just a fantastic way to stay active and healthy – it’s an important life skill, especially as we head into the summer. While under 17s can swim for free all year round (in designated sessions), the Big Splash Weekend is a great opportunity for Oxford families to try out the swimming lessons for free, enjoy the facilities and build confidence in the water. I encourage everyone to make the most of it!”
– Cllr Chewe Munkonge, Cabinet Member for a Healthy, Fairer Oxford and Small Business Champion
Hinksey Outdoor Pool, Ferry Leisure Centre, Leys Pools & Leisure Centre, Barton Leisure Centre and Oxford Ice Rink are operated by More Leisure Community Trust in partnership with Serco Leisure, on behalf of Oxford City Council.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar’s (FL-27)
strong>Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Maria Salazar (R-FL) joined Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) in introducing the bipartisan Commission to Study Acts of Antisemitism in the United States Act, legislation that creates a national commission to investigate the rise in antisemitic violence and provide actionable recommendations to Congress and the President.
“Since the brutal Hamas terrorist attack on innocent Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents have skyrocketed, resulting in an overall increase of 900% over the past 10 years, including recent violent, hate-fueled attacks that have shocked communities across the country,” said Rep. Salazar. “The U.S. must identify and report these acts of hate against the Jewish community to put an end to them immediately.”
“Whether it’s the brutal attack in Boulder, the murder of two Israeli Embassy staffers outside a Jewish museum in D.C., or the 80 percent spike in campus antisemitic incidents, the threat is real and growing,” said Rep. Miller-Meeks. “This commission will get to the root of the problem and help us take the strong, serious action needed to protect Jewish Americans and restore order and accountability.”
“Antisemitism was already surging before October 7th, but since then, it has exploded—especially in the digital realm,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz.” As we’ve unfortunately witnessed, hatred that starts online does not stay online. This bipartisan, bicameral commission, backed by leading voices in the Jewish community, will help shape smart, actionable policies to confront this alarming trend head-on.”
Background:
Antisemitic violence and harassment have surged across the United States since October 7, 2023, with several recent cases highlighting the alarming rise in hate. In Boulder, Colorado, an illegal immigrant from Egypt, used a makeshift flamethrower to attack peaceful marchers calling for the release of hostages, injuring eight people. In Washington, D.C., a separate incident saw two young Israeli Embassy staffers murdered outside the Capital Jewish Museum by a radical Hamas supporter shouting “Free Palestine.” Across college campuses, antisemitic incidents have spiked by more than 80 percent, with students reporting threats, vandalism, harassment, and physical assaults.
The Commission to Study Acts of Antisemitism will bring together Jewish leaders, law enforcement, civil society experts, and impacted communities to investigate these acts of hate, identify their root causes, and deliver a formal report to Congress and the President with concrete policy recommendations. The commission will also strengthen national data collection and improve accountability for antisemitic incidents.
WILMINGTON, Del., June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mental health is an urgent concern for students across South Africa, especially in underserved communities with limited access to care.
The initiative starts with UKZN students and will help shape how mental health support is expanded across the region.
“AI is now playing a vital role in improving access to mental health support,” said Paul Chang, CEO of Brand Engagement Network. “This collaboration shows how our iSKYE platform delivers meaningful help in areas where traditional care is out of reach.”
BEN’s AI-powered platform offers personalized mental health support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It enables ongoing check-ins, emotional support, and curated mental health resources, especially for individuals without access to traditional therapy.
The solution is designed to scale across diverse populations, particularly in remote or under-resourced communities.
Unlike scripted bots, BEN’s AI adapts to each individual, offering emotionally aware conversations, personalized guidance, and anonymized insights that help institutions better target support while maintaining full privacy protections.
“We are honoured to work with the University of KwaZulu-Natal on this mission-driven initiative,” said Lefentse Nokaneng, CEO and Founder of Valio Technologies. “Together, we’re redefining how institutions support mental wellness at scale—using AI to build trust and access.”
The co-development effort is already underway, with a launch at UKZN planned for later this year.
Insights from this rollout will help shape future expansions, ensuring the program stays responsive to students and communities across the region.
About Brand Engagement Network (BEN) Brand Engagement Network Inc. (NASDAQ: BNAI) innovates in AI-powered customer engagement, delivering safe, intelligent, and scalable solutions. Its proprietary Engagement Language Model (ELM™) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architecture enable highly personalized interactions supported by customers’ curated data in closed-loop environments. BEN develops AI-driven engagement solutions for the life sciences, automotive, and retail industries, featuring AI-powered avatars for outbound campaigns, inbound customer service, and real-time recommendations. With a global AI research and development team, BEN provides secure cloud-based or on-premises deployments, granting complete control of the technology stack and ensuring compliance with GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, and SOC 2 Type 1 standards. The company holds 21 patents, with 28 pending, demonstrating its commitment to advancing AI-driven consumer engagement. For more information, visit www.beninc.ai.
About Valio Technologies Valio (Technologies Pty Ltd) is a Pan-African technology company specializing in the development of disruptive enterprise blockchain, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), and Artificial Intelligence solutions tailored for developing markets. With a strategic focus on key sectors such as healthcare, automotive, mining, and supply chain management, our mission is to lead Africa into the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Valio is dedicated to transforming these sectors by harnessing innovation to foster sustainable development and economic growth across the continent. For more information, visit www.valiotechnologies.com.
About the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) The University of KwaZulu-Natal is a leading research and teaching institution in South Africa, committed to academic excellence and community engagement. With campuses across the province of KwaZulu-Natal, UKZN focuses on advancing inclusive development and sustainable well-being through innovation, education, and partnership. For more information, visit www.ukzn.ac.za.
Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this communication are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of federal securities laws. They are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect, among other things, BEN’s current expectations, assumptions, plans, strategies, and anticipated results. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements, which are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance.
There are a number of risks, uncertainties and conditions that may cause BEN’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the risk factors described in Part I, Item 1A of Risk Factors in BEN’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the other risk factors identified from time to time in the BEN’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Filings with the SEC are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
Many of these circumstances are beyond BEN’s ability to control or predict. These forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions on BEN’s part. These forward-looking statements may include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “should,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “could,” “would,” or similar expressions. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on BEN’s behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements that appear throughout this communication. Furthermore, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, which are based on the information currently available to the Company and speak only as of the date they are made. BEN disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements.
Media Contact Amy Rouyer P: 503-367-7596 E: amy@beninc.ai
Investor Relations Susan Xu P: 778-323-0959 E: sxu@allianceadvisors.com
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
The Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade of SPbPU together with the international logistics company “Aurora Logistics” held a student case championship. Participants were looking for practical solutions for the formation of an effective transport and logistics model for the development of hydrocarbon deposits on the shelf.
The championship started in early April, when the teams received tasks from the company. For one and a half months, 25 teams from 14 cities in Russia, Belarus and Uzbekistan prepared solutions to defend them in the final. The event was held in a mixed format: in person, online and remotely.
The guys worked on effective transport and logistics solutions for the development of offshore hydrocarbon deposits. Difficult climatic conditions, environmental risks and the need to minimize costs dictate the search for breakthrough solutions. The participants presented projects that combine digital technologies, environmental responsibility and economic efficiency.
For our institute, it is important to organize and hold events together with the economic sector. It is the case championship format that puts participants in a real situation of finding solutions in conditions of time shortage and uncertainty with some data. The key here is the presence of tasks from partner companies and the competitive element, plus online materials and webinars with experts. All this involves students in the process, motivates, and provides practical experience, – noted Vladimir Shchepinin, Director of the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade.
The jury included representatives of Aurora Logistics: Deputy General Director for Offshore Project Logistics Alexander Kornalevsky and Head of the HR Department Olga Abramova, as well as Director of the Higher School of Industrial Management Olga Kalinina, Professors Mikhail Afanasyev and Alexander Ilyinsky, Associate Professors Anna Timofeeva, Natalya Alekseeva, Lyudmila Medvedeva and Dmitry Metkin, Senior Lecturer Vyacheslav Melokhin and Assistant Konstantin Sharlai.
The first place was taken by Elizaveta Dasayeva, Karina Malyukova, Yulia Eroshenko and Maria Vshivkova, representing the G. I. Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University.
Second place was awarded to students of the Higher School of Industrial Management of SPbPU Anastasia Malashchitskaya, Egor Korolev, Denis Krutov and Alexander Khomyakov.
Third place was shared between two teams. These are students of the Belarusian State Economic University Ekaterina Meshkova, Maria Zakharchuk, Olga Shutova, Ksenia Sarkan. And students of the Higher School of Industrial Management of SPbPU Artur Prokhorov, Diana Svitkova, Alexandra Karkhanova and Nikolai Kazmin.
The students were awarded winners’ diplomas, certificates, special diplomas for individual nominations and valuable gifts from Aurora Logistics.
This championship is the result of a strategic partnership between the Higher School of Industrial Management and the company “Aurora Logistics”, fixed in a cooperation agreement. It is extremely important for us that students solve real cases, not abstract problems. This is how our model of practice-oriented education works: through interaction with the industry, we prepare specialists who are ready to immediately get involved in work on complex projects, be it the Arctic or other points of economic growth, – emphasized the director of the Higher School of Industrial Management Olga Kalinina.
The students immersed themselves in the specifics of developing offshore hydrocarbon deposits and showed themselves to a potential employer. Special thanks to the members of the organizing committee: the head of the HR department of Aurora Logistics Olga Abramova and associate professor of the higher school Anna Timofeeva, – noted the main organizer of the championship, academic director of educational programs in oil and gas management Mikhail Afanasyev.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.
The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.
Tbilisi: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Mr. Alejandro Hajdenberg conducted discussions for the 2025 Article IV consultation with Georgia from May 21 to June 4, 2025, in Tbilisi. At the end of the visit, Mr. Hajdenberg issued the following statement:
Georgia’s economy has been remarkably resilient despite heightened domestic and geopolitical uncertainty. Growth approached double digits in 2024, is projected at 7.2 percent this year, and is expected to converge to its long-term trend of 5 percent. Inflation has ticked up but remains close to its 3 percent target. Meanwhile, foreign exchange reserves have recovered from last year’s lows and continued fiscal discipline has contributed to a further decline in public debt. However, risks to the outlook are elevated and challenges persist due to still high structural unemployment and income inequality. In this context, the National Bank of Georgia (NBG) should prioritize building additional reserve buffers while monitoring potential financial sector risks. Strengthening NBG’s governance and independence remains central to macroeconomic stability. Fiscal reforms should aim to raise additional revenues to finance development priorities, improve spending efficiency, and contain fiscal risks. Structural reforms should focus on sustaining strong growth and making it more inclusive, including by enhancing labor market opportunities and outcomes.
Recent economic developments, outlook, and risks
Economic activity has remained robust. Real GDP grew by 9.4 percent in 2024 despite domestic political tensions. Growth was driven by consumption, marking a shift from previous years when investment and net exports were the main contributors. Tourism rebounded to pre-Covid levels, while the information and communications technology (ICT) and transport sectors remained key drivers of growth, continuing to benefit from high skilled migrants and transit trade. The unemployment rate continued to decline, albeit remaining structurally high. With strong momentum continuing in the first four months of 2025, growth is projected to moderate slightly to 7.2 percent for this year before converging to its medium-term potential rate of 5 percent.
Inflation has returned to target after undershooting for two years. Headline inflation averaged 1.8 percent over 2023 and 2024 but rose to 3.5 percent year-on-year in May 2025, mainly due to increasing food prices. Core inflation, however, remains subdued, with the NBG keeping the policy rate unchanged at 8 percent since May 2024. Inflation is projected to average 3.4 percent in 2025 and to converge to the NBG’s 3 percent target in 2026 along with easing domestic demand.
The current account deficit narrowed in 2024 to 4.4 percent of GDP, with a similar projection for 2025, but reserve coverage remains below adequate levels. The improvement in 2024 was driven by lower imports, partly reflecting lower oil prices. Foreign direct investment (FDI) declined for the second straight year, in part reflecting the absence of new large greenfield projects. Gross international reserves have fallen from a peak of $5.4 billion in August 2023 to $4.5 billion as of April 2025––equal to 80 percent of the Fund’s Assessment of Reserve Adequacy (ARA) metric. Recent favorable inflows have allowed the NBG to offset the sizeable foreign exchange sales made before the October parliamentary elections.
The fiscal deficit held steady at 2.4 percent of GDP in 2024, despite it being an election year, and is expected to remain unchanged in 2025. Robust tax revenues––supported by strong growth, tax policy measures in the financial and gambling sectors, and improved revenue administration––have helped finance social and capital spending. Amid stronger-than-expected economic activity, the 2025 budget target of 2.5 percent of GDP deficit is well within reach. Public debt, at 36 percent of GDP, has returned to pre-pandemic levels, with an increasing share denominated in local currency. The USD 500 million Eurobond maturing in April 2026 is expected to be rolled over smoothly.
While uncertainty remains exceptionally high, risks to the outlook appear broadly balanced. The direct impact from tariffs imposed by the U.S. is limited as the U.S. accounts for only 2 percent of total exports—mainly ferroalloys, which are exempt. However, the indirect effects of heightened global trade tensions could be more significant. Weaker investor confidence and slower trading partner growth pose negative risks, but Georgia could benefit from lower oil prices and sustained trade diversion through its territory. A resolution of the war in Ukraine could unwind some gains linked to migration and transit trade but increased regional stability and reconstruction in Ukraine could be offsetting positive factors. Persistent domestic political uncertainty and sanctions affecting Georgia could dampen FDI, discourage tourism, and further pressure the lari. Healthy fiscal and financial sector buffers mitigate these risks.
Monetary and exchange policies
The NBG should maintain a broadly neutral policy stance while remaining flexible and data driven to ensure inflation expectations remain anchored. Although wage and employment growth have moderated and business confidence has weakened, heightened global uncertainty warrants caution in considering further policy rate cuts, particularly as the recent increase in domestic food prices may not prove transitory. Should inflationary pressures persist, a tightening of the policy stance may be warranted.
Exchange rate flexibility, opportunistic reserve accumulation, and monetary policy communication should be enhanced. Efforts to rebuild reserve buffers should be sustained while allowing the exchange rate to act as a shock absorber. The NBG should continue to strengthen monetary policy transmission, effectiveness, transparency, and credibility. Communication of monetary policy should be strengthened by clarifying the NBG’s assessment of the balance of risks and how this informs policy decisions.
Strengthening NBG governance and independence remains central to macroeconomic stability. The filling of the board vacancies and the governor position is a welcome first step. Efforts should now focus on amending the NBG law to: (i) ensure a non-executive majority on the NBG’s oversight board, (ii) limit the possibility of discretionary financial transfers to the government, and (iii) clarify and further strengthen [the NBG succession framework and] board member qualification criteria. Moving from a presidential to a collegial decision-making model is also advisable.
Fiscal policy
With public debt at sound levels, maintaining a broadly neutral policy stance over the medium term is appropriate. A fiscal deficit of 2.3–2.5 percent of GDP would help stabilize the debt-to-GDP ratio near its current level. The shift toward domestic debt should proceed carefully, avoiding crowding out the private sector and monitoring borrowing costs and risks linked to a stronger sovereign-bank nexus. While good progress has been made, further tax policy and administration reforms that broaden the tax base and streamline tax expenditures—supported by a stronger medium-term revenue strategy—are needed to secure revenue for spending priorities.
There is considerable scope to enhance spending efficiency and further strengthen public investment management (PIM). Despite elevated levels of public investment, infrastructure quality remains below that of many emerging market peers, highlighting the need for more effective implementation of PIM processes, building on recent years’ improvements. Spending on education and health could be more efficient, to achieve better outcomes at similar expenditure levels. Spending reviews could help in this regard. Social assistance is relatively generous but targeting could be improved to prioritize the most vulnerable households.
Sustained efforts are needed to manage fiscal risks and increase fiscal transparency. The authorities have taken significant steps in enhancing the Ministry of Finance’s financial oversight of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and maintaining this momentum will be important. Efforts should focus on legislation that would separate the state’s shareholder, regulatory, and policy functions beyond the energy sector, where implementation has recently taken place, and strengthen the corporate governance of SOEs. The authorities should address gaps in the coverage of fiscal reporting, particularly from non-market SOEs with significant fiscal risks.
Financial sector
Continued vigilance and reforms will help address long-standing and emerging financial sector risks. The banking system remains well capitalized and profitable, and the implementation of the IMF’s 2021 Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) recommendations is nearly complete. Key priorities going forward include enhancing the consolidated supervision of financial groups—particularly non-bank subsidiaries and cross-border activities, operationalizing a fully-fledged bank resolution framework, and improving competition in financial services. The NBG continues to implement its long-term dedollarization policy to support financial stability, and recently raised the FX loan threshold for unhedged borrowers further to GEL 750,000. Nevertheless, the share of unhedged foreign currency bank loans is still high, and the deposit dedollarization trend was interrupted amid heightened political uncertainty. Banks—especially smaller ones—have faced lari funding pressures, and the cost of funding has risen, potentially weighing on profitability. Consumer loans have grown rapidly, while riskier nonbank financing—including foreign currency bond issuances by real estate developers—has increased considerably. Neither risk is assessed to be systemic at this stage, but continued close monitoring is warranted.
Structural reforms
Structural reforms are needed to sustain high growth and make it more inclusive and job rich. Potential growth remains constrained by structurally high long-term and youth unemployment, low educational attainment, infrastructure bottlenecks in the transport and logistics sectors, and low sectoral productivity, especially in agriculture. An aging population, outward migration, and informality pose challenges for the labor market, along with persistent income inequality. Better targeting of agricultural support, improving teacher quality, and expanding vocational training would help raise rural labor force participation and facilitate the integration of workers into the formal economy. Remittances and return migration could be better leveraged to boost productive investments and knowledge transfers from returning migrants. Continued investment in transport and logistics infrastructure, as well as coordination with regional partners to harmonize fees and procedures, are important to support long-term competitiveness. Finally, the authorities should enhance judicial independence and strengthen the autonomy of the Anti-Corruption Bureau to improve the business environment.
The mission team would like to thank the Georgian authorities and other counterparts for their close collaboration, candid and informative discussions, and warm hospitality.
Table 1. Georgia: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators, 2024–28
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Case study
DASA-Funded Tech ‘DUCHESS’ Takes the Crown in AI Interviewing
DASA funding helped DIEM Analytics develop a robust tool for interviewing military personnel at scale
DUCHESS was developed before the generative AI boom, giving DIEM Analytics strategic advantage in the evolving AI landscape
Through multiple DASA and Dstl funded projects, the innovation evolved from an automated feedback collection tool to a sophisticated interviewing system
DIEM Analytics has successfully transitioned from defence consulting to creating cutting-edge AI solutions with international impact
From Interview Challenge to AI Innovation
Obtaining lessons learned and feedback is a vital aspect of any military activity. However, this can be a time-consuming process if done through traditional one-on-one in-person interviews.
For instance, when naval vessels return from a deployment, only senior officers might be interviewed about lessons learned, leaving hundreds of valuable perspectives lost. But what if there was a way to capture insights from everyone on board, without the resource burden of conducting hundreds of individual interviews?
DIEM Analytics’ DUCHESS system, developed with DASA funding, can do just that, transforming how defence organisations learn from experience.
DASA’s Early Investment in DIEM Analytics
Founded in 2011 as a consulting company by former Ministry of Defence staff, DIEM Analytics set out to explore whether AI could conduct the kind of dynamic interviews that normally required human expertise. Not just static surveys, but conversations that could listen to responses and generate intelligent follow-up questions and gather rich insights at scale.
Through DASA’s “People in Defence” Themed Competition in 2019, DIEM Analytics secured their first round of funding to develop the first iteration of DUCHESS, an automated interviewing tool – years before ChatGPT and the generative AI boom.
“We were a bit ahead of our time,” notes Dr. Jaya-Ratnam. “When we first started, talking to AI was quite an unusual experience. Now people are more used to talking to a device, and there’s a bit more understanding in the market that these things are actually really useful.”
How DUCHESS Works
DUCHESS uses natural language processing (NLP) technology and carefully designed defence-based interview methodology. The system begins with a set of initial open-ended questions tailored to the specific feedback scenario – whether its lessons learned from a deployment or insights during organisational transformation.
What sets DUCHESS apart from simple surveys is its ability to analyse responses in real-time and generate relevant follow-up questions, mimicking the natural flow of a human interview. The dynamic follow-on questions have been proven to generate an average of 63% more data than just using a static question set.
DUCHESS in action
Evolution Through Testing and Adaptation
DUCHESS’ journey wasn’t straightforward. Phase 1 funding enabled the team to test their concept at scale with Royal Navy sailors returning from deployment. The positive response from this project led to phase 2 funding, where the system was deployed in a headquarters undergoing transformation.
“For phase 2, we improved the questioning, and we enhanced the visualisations as well,” explains Dr. Jaya-Ratnam. “How we display interview data is really important, and the different use cases mean that the visual analysis is unique for each of these.”
The system can identify key themes, sentiment patterns, and causal relationships between interview answers. These insights are then presented through customisable visualisations, allowing decision-makers to quickly grasp complex feedback from hundreds of interviews.
Further Development and International Adoption
When COVID-19 hit in 2020, just as phase 2 concluded, the team faced a critical barrier; their system relied on people physically sitting in front of a laptop to conduct the interview. However, with defence personnel at the time working remotely, they needed a new approach.
“We made the decision to privately fund a cloud-hosted version,” says Dr. Jaya-Ratnam. The team invested approximately £50,000 of their own money and significant effort to adapt their technology to the new reality.
The investment paid off. Despite being a micro-SME with just four core team members, DIEM Analytics began securing international contracts.
“The first commercial user was the NATO Joint Analysis Lesson Learnt Centre,” says Dr. Jaya-Ratnam. “After, we secured a contract with the Canadian Air Warfare Centre which became a regular user of DUCHESS.”
Other users included the Royal Navy, the National Physical Laboratory, and the UK’s Naval Engineering Science and Technology Centre (NEST). The Maritime Warfare Centre also requested a version for offline usage, broadening its applications further.
In recognition of their innovation, the Royal Navy nominated DIEM for AI Innovation of the Year with Digital Leaders for two consecutive years, with the company placing in the top three in the second year (2021).
Embracing the AI Revolution
When OpenAI and ChatGPT transformed the AI landscape in 2022, DIEM Analytics was perfectly positioned to capitalise on the breakthrough. Having already developed their own interview technology, they understood both the potential and limitations of these new tools.
“We built our Version 2 of DUCHESS on OpenAI,” explains Dr. Jaya-Ratnam. “Version 2 is more conversational and engaging for users, and slicker in its work.”
The team designed their system to be compatible with other large language models (LLMs) giving them flexibility for future AI developments. “We have built the system so you could switch in other LLMs, so we’re not completely wedded to OpenAI,” notes Dr. Jaya-Ratnam.
Beyond Duchess: A Portfolio of Innovation
DASA’s support for DIEM Analytics extends beyond DUCHESS. MaLFIE (Machine Learning Fuzzy-logic Integration for Explainability) was developed to address a Navy challenge from a 2018 hackathon, to not only detect anomalies at sea but explain and prioritise them. With DASA funding, MaLFIE went from concept to implementation at the National Maritime Information Centre within two years.
Another innovation, Red Mirror, submitted through a Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) competition Intelligent Ship, received three rounds of funding. This technology predicts what an enemy asset will do next, using low-shot learning (when algorithms learn to make accurate predictions with limited training data) to rapidly build a mirror of adversary AI. To support this development, DIEM Analytics created their own drone simulation system called DR SO.
“We have developed a sophisticated app that is similar to a commercial game,” says Dr. Jaya-Ratnam of DR SO. This technology recently secured a contract with a major prime contractor.
A third DASA-funded innovation, Red’s Shoes, is an algorithm originally developed for the hedge fund industry that has been adapted to predict adversary commander behaviour. After proving the concept in a NATO exercise, it has been deployed with NATO’s SHAPE Team.
The Future: Scaling Innovation
Today, DIEM Analytics is positioning itself for broader commercial success. “We are working out how we will push DUCHESS as a commercial offering at scale,” explains Dr. Jaya-Ratnam. “We want to make it a purely SaaS offering.”
The team is conducting market testing to identify the most promising sectors, including construction health and safety, venture capital interview processes, and pharmaceuticals.
With DASA’s initial investment serving as the foundation supporting several innovative technologies, DIEM Analytics has transformed from a defence consultancy into a unique AI company with international reach. Their story demonstrates how targeted government support for early-stage technologies can position UK companies for success in the rapidly evolving AI landscape before that landscape was fully visible.
“DASA funding gave us the ability to establish reference use-cases and mature the underlying technology. This became a solid foundation on which to invest our own money to create a commercial application that UK and international defence organisations, as well as commercial organisations, have used. We now have DUCHESS version 2.0 and are moving into sectors such as commercial maritime and wellbeing. Thanks to COVID our growth was slower than we wanted, but DASA gave us the leg up we needed.”
Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Ekaterina Voznyak, Alexandra Komissarova, Evgeny Korolev and Nadezhda Akulova
On June 2, the Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering and the Union of Restorers of Saint Petersburg signed a cooperation agreement. The document was signed by Evgeny Korolev, Vice-Rector for Research, and Alexandra Komissarova, Deputy Director General of the Union of Restorers of Saint Petersburg.
The activities of the Union of Restorers of St. Petersburg are aimed at preserving and restoring the architectural heritage of the Northern capital. It unites professionals in the field of complex restoration, suppliers of materials, and design organizations.
The parties intend to cooperate in the field of science and education, popularization of cultural heritage sites, protection, preservation and popularization of historical sites and buildings, historical and cultural monuments; promote the development of the restoration industry as a complex of exclusive types of work to preserve architectural and cultural heritage; develop volunteerism.
Following the signing ceremony, the parties outlined further steps aimed at training highly qualified professionals. Together with Evgeny Korolev and Alexandra Komissarova, the constructive dialogue was attended by the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture Ekaterina Voznyak, Advisor to the General Director of the Union of Restorers of St. Petersburg Lidiya Vernik, Associate Professor of the Department of Architectural and Urban Heritage Nadezhda Akulova.
“We can tell about the possibilities of the SPbGASU educational programs to the members of the Union of Restorers so that they can send their employees to relevant training programs in order to improve their qualifications and develop the restoration industry of St. Petersburg. It also seems interesting to cooperate in the formation of educational programs aimed at improving the training of professional personnel involved in organizing and carrying out work on the preservation of architectural monuments. Organizations that are part of the Union of Restorers have extensive experience in restoration work, they are also valuable and interesting from the point of view of opportunities to replenish the teaching staff. Thus, we will act as a coordinator and accumulator of information on the joint activities of our organizations,” said Alexandra Komissarova.
“The University is ready for joint activities. Those who are engaged in practical restoration and those who develop restoration science and teach future professionals must cooperate,” emphasized Evgeny Korolev.
“The agreement was signed within the framework of the general strategy for the development of the university in the field of architectural restoration, as well as the activities of the Scientific and Educational Laboratory for the Restoration and Renovation of Architectural Heritage (NOL RAS). Our university and the Department of Architectural and Urban Heritage closely interact with the union, and now this interaction will reach a new level,” said Nadezhda Akulova, Associate Professor of the Department of Architectural and Urban Heritage.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.