As AI Reshapes Education, Singapore to Convene Global Dialogue on the Future of Early Childhood Education

The partnership marks an important milestone at the 2026 REACH Reggio Emilia Conference, which opened in Singapore on 30 October 2026. As artificial intelligence transforms how children learn, create and interact with the world, educators are confronting a fundamental question: What kind of future are we preparing children for?

Over two days, from 30 to 31 October, the conference brings together more than 400 educators, school leaders, policymakers, regulators and researchers from Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Australia, the wider ASEAN region, South America, the Middle East and Italy.

Senior Minister of State Goh Pei Ming, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Social and Family Development, attended as the Guest-of-Honour and addressed delegates at the conference.

Singapore participants include representatives from the country’s Anchor Operators, the Early Childhood Development Agency, the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Ministry of Education, alongside educators, trainers and leaders from across the sector.

Organised by REACH (Reggio Emilia in Asia for Children), part of the EtonHouse Group, in partnership with Reggio Children, which works closely with the municipal infant-toddler centres and pre-schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, and supported by the Embassy of Italy in Singapore, the conference explores how education can respond to rapid technological change while protecting the deeply human foundations of learning.

Held under the theme “Education in Complex Times: Children, Democratic Cultures and the Role of Childhood in Shaping the Future,” the conference examines how education can nurture the qualities children need to navigate uncertainty: curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, agency and the ability to participate meaningfully in their communities.

By connecting international perspectives with regional experience and Singapore’s early childhood leadership, the conference aims to strengthen Singapore’s position as a hub for early childhood excellence, professional exchange, best practice and global educational thinking.

The conference follows renewed international attention on the Reggio Emilia Approach after Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales visited Reggio Emilia in May 2026 as part of her longstanding work in early childhood development. Her reflections on the importance of nature, creativity and human connection brought to the forefront the significance of an educational philosophy that places children’s rights, relationships and potential at the centre of learning, principles that are especially relevant in today’s complex and rapidly changing world.

Key Conference Initiatives

The conference creates opportunities for participants to engage with:

• Global pedagogical thinking, led by educators from Reggio Children and informed by the educational experience of Reggio Emilia.
• Regional best-practice exchange, with educators from Singapore and across the region presenting enquiries grounded in their own cultural and educational contexts.
• Immersive professional learning, including atelier experiences and school visits, connecting educational philosophy with everyday practice.

Keynote speakers Annalisa Rainieri and Valentina Violi invite delegates to consider how educational environments and pedagogy nurture a childhood that every child deserves. Project-sharing sessions further demonstrate how principles inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach can be interpreted thoughtfully across different cultures and education systems.

His Excellency Dante Brandi, Ambassador of Italy to Singapore, said:

“Reggio Emilia has given the world far more than a pedagogy—it has given us a way of trusting children as capable, curious protagonists of their own learning. As artificial intelligence reshapes how the youngest generations engage with knowledge, this Italian approach to early childhood education becomes an even more valuable compass. The Embassy of Italy is proud to support a conference that brings this heritage into dialogue with Singapore and the wider region.”

Speaking at the conference, Ms Bipasha Minocha, Chief Executive Officer of REACH, said: “Alongside our ongoing professional learning, we will be embarking on shared research projects with Reggio Children, involving educators from both EtonHouse and E-Bridge.”

She added: “For me, democratic culture lives in the daily choices of a school. Who is listened to? Can an idea change direction because a child has contributed something none of us expected?”

The conference builds on REACH’s longstanding partnership with Reggio Children and follows the Mosaic of Marks, Words, Material exhibition and conference held in Singapore in 2024, further strengthening the city’s role as a centre for educational dialogue and professional learning.

Attachments:

• Full speech by Senior Minister of State Goh Pei Ming (below release).
• Conference photos

Conference Details:
Education in Complex Times: Children, Democratic Cultures and the Role of Childhood in Shaping the Future