Theme

As we navigate challenges of educating during, and hopefully as we recover from, the COVID pandemic, we must acknowledge the role that education plays in safeguarding our futures.

Questions developing from the crisis and its temporary and permanent implications inform our EWF 2021 theme. The programme will develop and adjust to reflect new data as it emerges, to build collective understanding and a better future for education.

Learning from our experience

What impact has 2020 had on issues in education, including equity, prioritising what is most important; and resilience? On wider issues, how important is the perception of key workers, ‘thinking global, acting local’, community cohesion and future economy?

Recognising our foundations

What can education learn from our COVID experiences? Which were the policies, strategies and actions that led some countries to respond particularly well to COVID and to support their learners and education systems to continue successfully? Which facets of education systems led to rapid adjustment and response? What data and evidence do we now have that could help us build rapidly for the future and manage future disruptions and challenges? What have we learned about priorities, the actions we must take and what we should leave behind?

Building our superstructure

How important are social and emotional resilience and strength in responding to challenge, and what roles does education have in developing these within communities and nations? How important is collective intelligence in developing community response? How can we develop greater understanding of the value and support of collective response and collective intelligence? Are there new ways in which we should develop leadership and community?

Developing our finishes

Beyond this pandemic, what are the issues that we should not forget? Preparing for future employment? Seeding future economies by developing a balance of knowledge, skills, behaviours and values? How best can we prepare for our future challenges?