Transforming Education Systems: Lessons from Global Dialogue 2025

Overview & Synopsis

On 20 January 2025, EDT convened its Global Dialogue event at the RSA in London, bringing together policymakers, educators and partners to discuss transformative strategies for reforming education systems worldwide. The theme was "Transforming education systems: How can effective education policy ensure positive outcomes for all children and young people?" It was a day of rich discussions about evidence-based findings and practical solutions, aimed at driving sustainable reform in education around the world. The event explored challenges and opportunities at three critical stages of the education lifecycle: (1) Early childhood education; (2) School-age learning; and (3) Transitions from school to further education or employment. The morning sessions provided a technical introduction to these three stages, including expert panel presentations and discussions. These discussions led to a series of interactive workshops, where participants engaged in facilitated focus groups to explore key challenges, share best practices, and co-develop potential policy solutions. In the afternoon, the focus shifted to three pivotal accelerators of education transformation: (4) Technology in education; (5) Workforce professionalism, and (6) Leadership in education. Global Dialogue 2025 facilitated global knowledge exchange. It enabled attendees to reflect on the best international practices and identify scalable, contextually relevant strategies for reform. This report captures the key content from the six keynote sessions and provides summaries of the facilitated focus group discussions, highlighting the critical themes, policy implications, and actionable recommendations that emerged throughout the day. The event reaffirmed the power of collaborative, cross-sector engagement in shaping the future of education and underscored the importance of fostering a sustained international conversation on system-wide transformation.