Salzburg Global Fellows share their views during Education Futures: Shaping A New Education Story
A select number of Fellows at Education Futures: Shaping A New Education Story were asked, "What is the most pressing issue for the future of education?" We have published their answers below.
“Since I work in the area of climate, I would say the most pressing issue is the conjunction of three crises: social, economic and environmental crises. I think that the climate crisis is going to shape our world if we don’t just act already, and that it’s going to have an impact on education. I would say those three crises."
Lucia Vazquez
CEO, Educación y sostenibilidad, Spain
“The most pressing issue for the future of education is the future of independent thought. We are so reliable now on technology and digitalization that we completely forgot independent thinking. Another big threat to the future of education is the current state of mind of the entire world. Instead of us coming together,
we’re finding more and more ways to divide ourselves. This is basically what we’re teaching our children.”
Aida Ridanovic
Director of Communications and External Affairs, Qatar Foundation International, Croatia
“I think the most pressing issue is that we need to redefine what foundational learning is. Currently it’s so focused on basic numeracy and literacy, and education cannot stay relevant if it stays like that. It needs to transcend that, it needs to include skills like Social and Emotional Learning, psycho-social support, arts and curiosity. It needs to be delivered in a more meaningful, responsive way.”
Gerhard Pulfer
Portfolio Manager for Education in Displacement, Porticus, Austria
“For me the biggest issue is teacher burnout. The ability for education to have the social benefit that is implicit in the activities of schools and educational systems is completely undermined as teachers lack the capacity, tools and resources to address the external challenges that they face, such as teacher compensation, agency and a lack of purpose. Burnout occurs on a psychological and emotional basis. This wave of burnout is creating a significant crisis that erodes the relationship between teachers and students.”
Ryder Delaloye
Associate Director for Social, Emotional and Ethical (SEE) Learning, SEE Learning, United States of America
This article featured in Issue 1 of the Education Futures: Shaping a New Education Story program newsletter. Download and read the full issue here.
