“Education is about the future. The future of children and young people. The future of economies. The future of our planet and its natural gifts. The future of technology, and whether or not it helps or harms humanity. And the future of our relations with one another.”
There is a growing global debate on how knowledge, education, and learning need to be reimagined for a world of increasing complexity, uncertainty, and precarity. This debate was highlighted at the 2022 Transforming Education Summit which addressed the global learning crisis post-pandemic and widening inequalities in education. The debate re-emerged as preparations for the Summit of the Future got underway and the UN Secretary-General called on member states to embrace the creation of ‘learning societies.’ Such societies would ensure education’s capacity to serve as a foundation for peace, human rights and opportunities for all, and furthermore, better equip communities to navigate economic and societal shifts spurred by new and emerging technologies, the triple planetary crisis, and a weakening of the social contract.
To achieve this vision requires governments to transform education systems that have traditionally been siloed and static to become more adaptable and effective lifelong learning systems. Education requires a robust rethinking of aims, outcomes, and pathways forward. A new global consensus is needed on the knowledge, skills, mindsets and capacities relevant for the world today. To this end, important threads of discussion include a continued focus on the ongoing crises of access, equity, and relevance in education, as well as on emerging and wide reaching issues such as the global labor market for youth, education’s role to advance the science-policy interface, the impact of conflicts and natural disasters, and the rise of transformative technologies. This session aims to stir the debate on how to reimagine education for a complex world, offering solutions, pathways, and insights for the future.
Speakers will be offered 5-10 minutes at the start to share thoughts on the session’s theme, prior to engaging with the Chair and other speakers on the discussion topics.
The Transforming Education Summit (2022) highlighted a dramatic triple crisis in education: a crisis of equity and inclusion, as millions are out of school; a crisis of quality, as many of those who are in school are not even learning the basics; and a crisis of relevance, as many educational systems are not equipping the new generations with the values, knowledge, and skills they need to thrive in today’s complex world.
How can education systems be fit for purpose?
How can the digital revolution be harnessed to expand access and increase quality?
How can education systems be resilient to the impact of crises?
The ILO cautions that youth who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) is concerning despite a mildly improving global outlook. Moreover, industry is evolving at a rapid pace necessitating skills development for more sophisticated tasks. Consequently, education must adapt to the needs of the new global knowledge economy.
What are the pathways for better linking education and skills for youth?
What are the skills needed in this era of complexity and uncertainty?
Higher education institutions (HEIs) have played a key role in the production of knowledge for the global climate change agenda. However, the uncertain, complex, and interdisciplinary nature of climate change as an issue, combined with the inevitably highly politicized context of climate change action, means that involvement with policy will have a number of potential pitfalls.
What are the challenges and opportunities for Higher Education Institutions at the science–policy interface?
How can stakeholders in HEIs and governments build better relationships to advance our common agenda?
Honorable Speakers:
Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister for Education, Ghana (opening remarks)
Irina Bokova, former Director-General of UNESCO
Fahad Al-Sulaiti, CEO, Education Above All
Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills, OECD
Ilan Enverga, SDG 4 High-Level Steering Group - Youth representative
Session Chair: Patrick Paul Walsh, Vice President of Education, SDSN, and Director of the SDG Academy