What kind of education enables us to cope with an interconnected world?

What kind of education enables us to cope with an interconnected world?

We live in an interconnected world. So what does this mean for education – particularly upper secondary education? Is there a common set of skills, body of knowledge, level of understanding or a mindset that enables students to flourish in an interconnected world whether that be in an HE institution, at work or merely in lifestyle?

Cambridge Assessment hosted an event on 15 March 2011 to investigate what knowledge and skills are attractive to HE institutions and employers around the world – regardless of whether the ‘graduate’ goes into a national or international environment.

Over 60 people including representatives from embassies and professional associations as well as teachers and educationalists attended. The debate was streamed live and more than 700 people watched the proceedings online.

Roger-Francois Gauthier, Inspector General for Administration of National Education and Research, France and a UNESCO Consultant commented that: "because of the interconnected world, all educational systems have to be seriously put under review and largely reinvented: neither the old tradition of school knowledge nor the old conception of national knowledge seem satisfactory anymore.

"However, as Education is an old story, we have to not be totally naïve in the face of these changes, and to remember that anyway, unless we see it through, the school system of this interconnected world will not, all by itself, make schools that will promote equity, freedom of thinking, personal identity, and responsible knowledge."

Other presenters included: Richard Partington, Senior Tutor of Churchill College at the University of Cambridge; Ann Puntis, Chief Executive of University of Cambridge International Examinations; Paola Noli, an English teacher and head of IGCSE courses at Galvani school in Bologna; and Lesley James, Director of Business Development at The RSA Academy.

Stimulating debate on key issues in education is an important aspect of Cambridge Assessment's work.

View the podcasts from this event.

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