Transforming Education

As a Principal, my days can sometimes feel as though they are filled with fighting fires or moving from one meeting to the next. There are days when I feel discombobulated - what a brilliant word, with a sound that perfectly reflects the feeling it captures - because of the sheer diversity of issues and questions I may be grappling with, quite literally, from one minute to the next. 

Therefore, when I have a chance to pause and think deeply about ideas, learning and the future of education, it is energising. My bucket is instantly filled, and anything that comes my way feels like an opportunity. This week, I had such a moment with our Director of Teaching and Learning. We were on a call with Professor Emeritus John Fischetti, who visited the School in March and spoke at one of our Ignite Unite Breakfasts, and Emir Cetinel, Co-Founder and Director of the Future Talent Council.  Emir is based between Sweden and Turkey and is a graduate of the University of St Gallen in Switzerland, while John Fischetti is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Newcastle, now based in the United States. 

The meeting was brief - 30 minutes was all we could carve out of our busy schedules - but deeply impactful. We didn’t solve the world’s problems or identify the single most important change needed in education. Instead, we engaged in dialogue, spent 30 minutes being inspired by one another, and gave ourselves the gift of time to reconnect with our “why”. 

At heart, I am an educator. It is a vocation for me, not a career or simply a profession. I love working with young people of all ages and, as a leader, being an enabler of learning that is transformative for young people now and into the future. Learning that endures. Learning that is challenging. Learning that has students grappling with the big issues confronting our world and communities, and that helps them become the human beings our world needs. Those human beings need to be curious, creative, critical thinkers, collaborative and strong communicators. Being competent, or having a wealth of knowledge, is no longer enough in the world we live in. 

The conversation with Emir and John was about building connections and exploring partnerships for the benefit of our students and teachers. 

The Future Talent Council describes its work in the following way: 

“Future Talent Council is a global think tank and talent intelligence community bringing together employers, educators and policymakers to discuss and rethink the future of work, policy and education. Our purpose is to help improve human capability and opportunity around the world by connecting global thought-leaders and provide and generate up-to-date, relevant insights and unfiltered advice.” 

There are six key areas of focus at the Future Talent Council, and three are particularly important for schools:  

• Future skills - What will future labour markets require, how do we know, and how are we equipping our students for these markets?
• Human development - How are we helping our students develop the skills to be lifelong learners and leaders with a strong ethical compass?
• Education and innovation - How do we build meaningful alliances between industry, employers and schools, and what does innovative curriculum look like when it is designed to build future skills and the human capabilities that will be needed? 

The world is rapidly changing. AI is here, and it is already revolutionising the way we work. Students are using AI in their learning, whether we know it or want them to, and this is forcing NESA, the IB and universities to rethink traditional assessment models. 

Partnerships are going to be key for schools such as HVGS as we both grapple with and embrace the pace of change. Alone, we cannot keep up. Working with others, however, we can transform what we do to equip young people to become the lifelong learners they need to be. 

In 2025, the Centre for Education Transformation was created as part of the Future Talent Council. Its purpose is described below: 

“Our work focuses on building the bridges, partnerships, and pathways that help people access opportunity, develop human capabilities, and lead meaningful, productive, and flourishing lives. 

The Centre is designed to help leaders get out of our current silos. Future talent cannot be developed inside walls and barriers that separate schools, community colleges, universities, employers, governments, and communities. True partnerships co-design pathways, align learning with emerging opportunities, and share responsibility for equity and outcomes. This is how we move from separate institutions doing important work to a connected education system capable of developing future talent across a lifetime.” (Center for Education Transformation | Future Talent Council) 

The question the Centre seeks to answer is this: “How do we create education pathways that give every person, anywhere on Earth, the opportunity to build a great life and contribute to a better world?”  

There are education organisations around the world already doing this; it is part of their DNA. One such organisation is Amala, which is bringing education and pre-tertiary qualifications to refugees in some of the most fractured and war-torn parts of the world (What is Amala? — Amala Education). Many years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Mia and Polly, the founders of Amala (then Sky School) and their work is deeply inspiring and impactful.  

Amala’s mission is to “use the power of education to transform the lives of refugees, their communities and the world.” Equally at HVGS we have an aspirational vision for our students that is articulated in our strategy: 

… Students will have the competencies that enable them to be agents of change, and diverse pathways to excellence from which to choose. At HVGS students will thrive because staff are flourishing in a school that is human-centred and sustainable by design. HVGS students will be known as outwardly focused global citizens who are actively engaged in their local community and prepared for the challenges and opportunities the future holds. 

At HVGS we want to enable future Mias and Pollys who know how to go out and change the world, and have the self-belief and courage to believe it is possible. The power of education is at the fingertips of our students. Our responsibility is to ensure they understand that power: to use it thoughtfully, courageously and generously, and to see learning not only as something that opens doors for themselves, but as something that enables them to contribute to a better world.

 We can achieve this through strong partnerships locally, nationally and internationally. These partnerships need to connect industry, employers, schools and universities via a clear understanding of the future competencies and understandings our students need to thrive (not just survive) as adults.