Cambridge hosts South Asia schools conference

The International Education group at Cambridge University Press and Assessment, Cambridge, hosted its second annual South Asia Cambridge Schools Conference, bringing together 400 educators, school and thought leaders from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and the Maldives.

As demand for Cambridge qualifications grows across the region, the conference reinforced Cambridge's commitment to supporting schools, teachers and learners in navigating the rapidly evolving education landscape. 

The conference is set against a global demand for 44 million new teachers by 2030. In recognition of this need, Cambridge highlighted its commitment to empowering the region's educators through new professional development programmes and qualifications, upskilling courses, pre-service teacher training, and short-term e-learning modules to grow its teaching capacity.  

In his opening address, Rod Smith, Group Managing Director of International Education at Cambridge, praised school leaders across the region for working with Cambridge to shape curricula and resources, and introduce new, innovative programmes that prepare learners to be ready for the world. He said: "At Cambridge, we are committed to preparing learners for a fast-changing world. To achieve this, we support teachers with professional development, introduce digital exams to advance assessment, and integrate AI to enhance learning. South Asia is becoming a hub of educational excellence, and we're proud to collaborate with schools to build new programmes such as Cambridge Early Years and Climate Quest that will shape the future of education in this region and beyond." 

Vinay Sharma, Senior Vice President of International Education in South Asia, said, "Our commitment to making international education accessible while maintaining the highest quality standards is unwavering. We empower our schools to build a strong foundation around learning, teaching, and assessment. Through this conference, we aim to explore new ways to work together to equip learners to adapt and excel in an era marked by rapid technological, societal, and economic shifts."

Cambridge's other key initiatives for learners include Climate Quest for shaping climate resilience, Cambridge Connect, a programme to meet the needs of national high-stakes examinations, the March exam series to align with local admission needs, Integrated Learning & Assessment for developing English as a skill, and Young Pioneers to foster an entrepreneurial mindset. 

Panel discussions featured eminent speakers including Mark Winterbottom, Professor of Education, University of Cambridge, Sarah Hughes, Head of Research, International Education, Cambridge, Sanjay Jain, Head of Google for Education, India, Lindsay Nadin, Director of Digital Products and Services, International Education, Dr Sue Brindley, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, Abigail Barnett, Director of Cambridge 3-19 Curriculum, Aynur Ismayilli Karakoc, Senior Impact Evaluator, CUPA, Kevin Ebenezer, Director, University Pathways and Progression, International Education, to name a few. Key initiatives were highlighted, including Climate Quest, Cambridge Connect for national high-stakes examinations, March exam series, Integrated Learning and Assessment for developing English as a skill, and Young Pioneers for an entrepreneurial mindset from the region.

Sessions centred on the use of AI in the classroom, digital high-stakes examinations, and career pathways of the future. Key topics discussed also included shaping mindfulness in schools, rethinking college readiness for evolving career pathways, and equity in access to quality education. During the conference, the Cambridge School Recognition Awards, presented to several schools, recognised academic excellence.