Guests attend Special Dialogue: Online Education in the COVID-19 Response and Beyond, an event jointly convened by Tsinghua University and UNESCO, at Tsinghua University, on April 24, 2020. (Photo: China Daily)

The COVID-19 outbreak has offered a great opportunity for online education and international cooperation, global education experts said during an event jointly convened by Tsinghua University and UNESCO on Friday.

"It is our compelling obligation to ensure the continuation of education," said Qiu Yong, president of Tsinghua University, during the opening speech at Special Dialogue: Online Education in the COVID-19 Response and Beyond.

"As a great number of universities, including many represented in the event, have closed their campuses and moved to distance learning, educators from across the globe share a common belief that education should not be interrupted under any circumstances," Qiu said.

"Learning never stops. It must not stop. As most of the world is still living under quarantine now, today's event is proof that cooperation is flourishing and that solidarity is the keyword that keeps us all together in this difficult time," according to Stefania Giannini, UNESCO assistant director-general for education.