“Artificial Intelligence in education is inevitable, but the choice is ours — whether we will be leaders in this process or not… ESFTUG chooses leadership!”
With this message, the Educators and Scientists Free Trade Union of Georgia (ESFTUG) took part in the European Conference “Artificial Intelligence and Education,” held in Copenhagen on October 7–8.
The European Conference — “Artificial Intelligence and Education: Union Strategies for Advocacy and Collective Bargaining” — was attended by 66 representatives from education trade unions of 20 European countries.The event was part of the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) project “Balancing Artificial Intelligence in Education.”
ESFTUG is a partner organization in this ETUCE project together with education unions from Denmark, Finland, Ireland, and Portugal.
ESFTUG’s Example on the European Platform
At the initiative of ETUCE Director Jelmer Evers, during the session “From Passive Users to Active Shapers – Strengthening Union Advocacy on Artificial Intelligence in Education,” ESFTUG was presented as an example of the best teacher organization, support for professional development, and provision for teachers’ needs.At the European conference, the Georgian delegation, in addition to presenting ESFTUG’s activities for the protection of the labor, social-economic, legal, and professional rights of employees in educational institutions, introduced colleagues to the work of ESFTUG’s two structural directions for teacher support:1️. ESFTUG Center for Professional Development of Employees in Educational Institutions – established in 2014, it supports teachers’ professional growth so that members can acquire competencies required by reforms and innovations.
2️. ESFTUG Advisory Council of Professional Teachers – founded in 2022, its goal, along with improving teachers’ qualifications, is to ensure their active participation in discussions on professional needs and in developing proposals, which further strengthens ESFTUG’s competent and effective engagement in social dialogue.
ESFTUG’s Position on AI in Education
In relation to the theme of the conference, ESFTUG noted:“Our aim is to be leaders in balancing Artificial Intelligence and to help teachers become active and competent actors in this process.”
To ensure that teachers do not lag behind the ongoing processes of Artificial Intelligence in education, ESFTUG has already started active work.It was emphasized that since February 2025, a training cycle has begun, the first stage of which aims to develop teachers’ knowledge and practical skills in using AI in the learning process.
Since February of this year, 54 trainings have been conducted, involving 1,890 teachers from 235 schools, including schools in ethnic minority regions, and the training course continues in an intensive mode.
During the presentation, it was underlined that Artificial Intelligence is changing both the education system and the format of trade union work.
For this reason, ESFTUG is actively working to ensure that teachers become equal participants in these changes, while with the support of European and international organizations, ESFTUG develops advocacy at the national level within the format of social dialogue.
Conference Sessions
The programme of the Copenhagen conference was divided into three sessions:
Session 1 – Artificial Intelligence and Education: Overview of the situation; Opportunities and risks of AI; Improving teachers’ working conditions.Session 2 – From Passive Users to Active Shapers: Strengthening union advocacy; Participation in regulation and policy formation; Critical use of AI tools.Session 3 – Artificial Intelligence at the Negotiation Table: Teachers’ rights in the context of AI; The need for union unity to shape the future of education.
Through expert presentations and group discussions, representatives of European education trade unions (ETUCE) identified common challenges and defined union priorities for future activities, which are part of the ETUCE project.Conference participants also developed drafts of policy and guiding principles on AI in education, including perspectives for teacher organization and mobilization.
One of ESFTUG’s main priorities will be active participation in shaping national policies, support for schools in practical implementation of AI, and strengthening international partnerships beyond the ETUCE project framework.
Shared European Message
Leaders of education trade unions of the European region unanimously agreed that:“Artificial Intelligence is no longer only a technological topic — it is a social, professional, and ethical issue that affects every teacher, every classroom, and the entire future of education.”
ESFTUG Delegation
At the conference, ESFTUG was represented by a delegation led by President Maia Kobakhidze, together with Vice-President Mari Alugishvili and Presidential Advisor Maia Gogoladze.Within the framework of the project, the next European conference is planned to be held in Georgia.