On 3 June 2022, the Ministry of Education and Science and the State Education Development Agency (VIAA) are organising a high-level international forum “Steering Education: From Imagination to Impact” in Riga. The event will bring together globally renowned futurists, as well as opinion leaders and researchers, to raise awareness of the global technological and social changes that need to be taken into account in shaping the vision for future education. The forum will be opened by the Minister of Education and Science Anita Muižniece. The academic partner of the forum is Riga Business School, a structural unit of Riga Technical University.
The forum will focus on future education and work in the context of technological development, the need to define and develop future skills, the demand for a new social contract in the field of education, and the effective integration of information technology and media services to promote quality education.
“In the long run, we have every opportunity to create a successful, well-thought-out, high-quality and inclusive education that will inspire others. To do this, we have to get out of the usual boundaries and use a growth mindset. The biggest challenge and task of education policy makers is not to lose the guiding light and long-term vision, since the education process will not end in 2030 or 2050,” Minister of Education and Science Anita Muižniece emphasises.
The forum will take place in two parts. In the first part, Gerd Leonhard, Switzerland, a futurologist and humanist, world-class lecturer, filmmaker, author of five books, including “Technology vs. Humanity”, will present his vision and insights on the topics of the forum, as well as Perttu Pölönen, Finland, a futurist, founder of Perttu Productions, Europe award-winning inventor and recognized lecturer.
In the second part of the event, the possible ways of future education development will be outlined by Prof. Fernando M. Reimers, USA, Director of the Global Education Innovation Initiative at Harvard University, Member of the UNESCO Commission on the Future of Education, and Dr. M. S. Vijay Kumar, USA, Abdul Latif Jameel, Executive Director of World Education Lab (J-WEL), Associate Professor of Open
Education at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The event will be hosted by Antoni Lacinai, Sweden, a communication expert and coach, author of several books.
At the end of the event, a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between the Ministry of Education and Science, Riga Business School and Abdul Latif Jameel’s World Education Lab of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MTI) to create an environment in Latvia that allows education leaders and teachers to develop an innovative, contemporary education process for the benefit of students, teachers and society. This will be done through the study and application of world practice, the involvement and ideation of education leaders, business and public administration leaders. An important aspect of the education lab will be access to MTI experience, experts and mentors.
Education leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians and social partners will take part in the forum. In turn, anyone interested will be able to watch the live broadcast of the event on the Delfi.lv portal, the forum website, as well as the VIAA Facebook page. The event will be held in English, with translation into the official language. The forum is supported by SIA Tilde, providing transcription or real-time subtitles.
More information about the international forum “Steering Education: From Imagination to Impact” is available on the forum website www.futures2050.lv.