News
UNESCO, IGNOU and SACTD sign MoU to advance Media and Information Literacy
New Delhi, 20 May 2025 - In a significant move toward strengthening digital literacy and education in South Asia, UNESCO, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), and the South Asian Centre for Teacher Development (SACTD), a UNESCO Category 2 Centre based in Meepe, Sri Lanka, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia.
This strategic partnership aims to integrate Media and Information Literacy (MIL) into teacher education and professional development across South Asia. As the digital landscape rapidly evolves, driven by advances in artificial intelligence and the proliferation of online platforms, equipping educators and learners with critical MIL skills has become more urgent than ever.
Media and Information Literacy is foundational to fostering informed citizenship, digital resilience, and democratic participation. Through this partnership, we are bridging the gap between technological progress and social responsibility, ensuring that learners become not just consumers of information, but critical thinkers and responsible creators.
This collaboration will empower teachers to nurture critical thinking, digital resilience, and responsible citizenship, building a robust foundation for informed, ethical, and inclusive societies.
The MoU outlines a three-year roadmap that includes:
- Joint development and piloting of MIL curricula and resources tailored to the needs of South Asian educators and learners.
- Capacity-building workshops and Training of Trainers (ToTs) to extend MIL expertise across borders and communities.
- Research and development in MIL, with regular review and adaptation of materials based on stakeholder feedback.
- A Joint Steering Mechanism to oversee implementation, ensure quality, and foster cross-border cooperation.
- Support for marginalised and underserved groups, ensuring inclusive access to MIL tools and opportunities.
- Joint fundraising and sustainability planning to secure the long-term impact of these initiatives.
This collaborative effort will not only enhance MIL- and AI-related knowledge but also enable us to educate and empower both educators and learners to navigate today’s digital ecosystem confidently and responsibly.
This partnership is a major step in UNESCO's ongoing mission to promote inclusive, informed, and digitally empowered societies.
By joining forces with IGNOU and SACTD, recognised leaders in teacher education and digital learning, UNESCO is scaling up the reach and impact of Media and Information Literacy across the Global South. Together, the partners reaffirm their commitment to advancing education as a foundation for peace, equity, and sustainable development, and preparing future generation to thrive in an increasingly complex digital world.
The collaboration comes when misinformation, algorithmic bias, and threats to digital safety are undermining trust and social cohesion worldwide. UNESCO's latest initiatives, such as an international MIL e-Platform and a forthcoming MIL Multimedia Toolkit for media professionals, demonstrate UNESCO's global commitment to countering these challenges. The e-Platform, featuring multimedia, multilingual resources and interactive tools, supports educators, policymakers, practitioners in integrating MIL into both formal and informal settings. Additionally, UNESCO is assisting 32 member states in developing national MIL policies and strategies, aiming to institutionalise MIL in school curricula at the national level.
