According to Minister Kristina Kallas, hosting such a high-level event draws international attention to the achievements of Estonia’s education system and offers a unique opportunity to showcase how our teachers and schools are prepared to keep pace with a rapidly changing world.
“AI is no longer a matter of the future in education—it is already today a key factor shaping the learning environment. ISTP provides a unique platform to discuss how we in Estonia—and internationally—can harness AI to support teachers, unlock learners’ potential, and help bridge educational gaps. The digital transformation of education must be thoughtful, fair, and empowering for teachers—that is exactly what we aim to demonstrate,” Kallas emphasized.
She added: “I am glad that all key figures and partners in Estonia’s education field are actively involved and have expressed their willingness to contribute to the successful organization of this summit.”
According to Reemo Voltri, President of EHL, hosting the summit will undoubtedly highlight the importance of the teaching profession both nationally and internationally. “Organizing ISTP gives us a platform to value the teaching profession and to strengthen cooperation and mutual learning with international partners—especially in tackling key challenges in the field of teaching,” said Voltri.
At the summit, Estonia aims to find collaborative solutions to support the development of the teaching profession, with a focus on strengthening teacher and school leadership autonomy and the effective use of AI. In the coming months, preparations will continue with key partners to deliver a content-rich and inspiring event for participants.
Hosting the summit will help boost international awareness of Estonia’s education system, allow the sharing of success stories, and create opportunities to learn from the experiences of other countries. It will also provide a platform for introducing educational innovations and supporting the export of EdTech solutions.
Around 200 participants are expected at the 2026 summit in Tallinn, including ministers of education and representatives of teachers’ unions from the world’s leading education systems. The event is being organized in partnership with the OECD and Education International, the global federation of teachers’ and education employees’ unions.
Minister Kristina Kallas presented Estonia’s intention to host ISTP 2026 to the Cabinet in January, which formally approved the initiative.
