Dr. Jingbo Huang is the Director of the United Nations University Institute in Macau (UNU Macau), where she has led the Institute since 2018 in conducting education and training, policy-relevant research, and global conferences on digital technology and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She has 25 years of experience in the United Nations system, including senior roles in the UN Secretariat, UNDP, UNESCO, the UN System Staff College, and UNU.
Under her leadership, UNU Macau has significantly expanded its portfolio on AI for the SDGs, AI for policymaking, AI and ethics, AI global governance, data governance and digital transformation, AI and education, gender and technology, as well as youth development in the Global South, among others. She has led five global conferences, including the World Data Forum Satellite Event (2023) and the UNU Macau AI Conference (2024, 2025). These convenings have brought together thousands of participants, including approximately 30 ministers of ICT, government officials from Portuguese-speaking countries, as well as academics, private sector representatives, and civil society actors from more than 40 countries, with a strong emphasis on youth participation from the Global South.
Dr. Huang is the founder of the UNU Global AI Network, a multi-stakeholder platform with 129 members from 37 countries, spanning academia, international organizations, government agencies, industry, and civil society. With 71% of members from the Global South, the Network promotes inclusive AI governance and advances collaboration on AI policy, research, capacity building, and knowledge exchange in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr. Huang also serves as Co-Editor of the UNU–Springer Book Series on Artificial Intelligence and Sustainable Development, the first UNU system-wide book series dedicated to AI and sustainability. The Institute serves as the Secretariat of the series, and she is its Lead Coordinator, advancing interdisciplinary research and policy dialogue on AI for global development challenges.
She is a frequent keynote speaker at major international forums, including the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), the AI for Good Global Summit, and the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), where she contributes to global discussions on AI global governance, AI and education, AI ethics, digital equity, and sustainable innovation.
Dr. Huang holds an EdD from Columbia University, an MA from the Institut d’Études Politiques (IEP) de Grenoble, a second MA from Indiana University–Bloomington, and a BA from Peking University.
