2021 was a momentous year for the UAE, as we celebrated our Golden Jubilee. As a nation, we are known for our unique way of bringing people together, and we have emerged as a place that is known to convene diverse cultures, ideas and perspectives from around the world. As we look to the next 50 years, we know that the world will become hyper-connected, and the challenges we face as a species will become more complex. Local issues need global attention; indeed, we have quickly come to realise that the actions of people in one place can not only affect people in other places, but across the planet.
Preparing future generations with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to tackle various global issues is critical, particularly as we find ourselves living in times where global health, technology and climate change pose complex challenges. Developing global competence – where people are equipped with the mindset to tackle myriad issues, take action for the collective, can communicate across cultures while appreciating different perspectives – is a lifelong journey. Moreover, it is a process that education can undoubtedly help shape.
In essence, global competence frameworks put individual fulfilment and community purpose at its core. The good news is that this sort of competence is already being integrated into curriculums around the globe.
The UAE's National Higher Education Strategy, in place since 2017, has identified education as the key to unlocking professional and personal growth for future generations. This focus is also echoed at the global level. For instance, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – which oversees 38 member countries and does research in more than 100 of them – has identified "a shared purpose for the future" so that today's students can have an engaged educational experience before going on to lead fulfilling lives.
Similarly, a shared purpose in nurturing good human beings is top of the mind, as facets of moral education are embedded in curriculums both in the UAE and in OECD nations. This has been done through the widely known assessment framework called Programme for International Student Assessment – or Pisa.
However, challenges remain. The coronavirus has fundamentally changed the way we live, and this is no different for the field of education. The Covid-19 pandemic has taken learning from classroom and playroom settings to the computer screens, with has raised the pressure on teachers to deliver lessons through technology, and on parents and caregivers to support children in unprecedented ways.
In 2019, at the last Qudwa Forum – an initiative of the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi – we polled teachers about the core focus areas for their profession and their desires for the future. "Motivating students" topped the poll, followed by "student-centred learning" and "building inclusive learning environments for students of determination". Teachers, as we know, represent the most important bridge between a child's education and his or her development.
As we look to the future, the focus of global competence in education is top of the agenda. For those involved in education or education policy, assessments, metrics and Key Performance Indicators are normal, but what do they mean in a classroom setting?
At the upcoming Qudwa-Pisa Forum on Saturday – held in collaboration with OECD and the Belgium-based Bussola Institute – global educators and policymakers will distil these high-level strategies into actionable, practical solutions.
Personally, I believe that discussions about education today are not, and should not, be the concern of educators or policymakers alone. The fact is that the children of today will be the leaders of tomorrow. They will one day be tasked with determining policy, making business decisions and finding solutions for the future. That notion in itself reinforces the need for us to remain invested in what they are being taught today.
