Every International Education Day reminds us that education is not just about classrooms, curricula, or credentials. It is about possibility, purpose, and power. In 2026, as technology reshapes learning and global uncertainties redefine careers, education stands as humanity’s most reliable instrument for resilience, innovation, and progress.
Across centuries and civilizations, education has been the bridge between limitation and opportunity. Nelson Mandela’s timeless words remind us that
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Today, that weapon must be wielded with wisdom, empathy, and foresight.
Education beyond schooling: Building capability, not just credentials
For decades, global education conversations focused on access and enrollment. While this mission remains unfinished, the emphasis has matured. The question now is not just whether learners are in classrooms, but whether they are becoming thinkers, creators, and change agents. In 2026, education is about nurturing learners who can think critically, adapt continuously, and act ethically in a fast-changing world.
In this context, Dr Samira Al Nuaimi, Vice Chancellor at Mohamed Bin Zayed University UAE, stresses that higher education must prepare students beyond information mastery, saying, “In an era of open knowledge, the true value of higher education lies in preparing wise, grounded, and responsible individuals. Universities must go beyond content delivery to cultivate ethical leadership, cultural awareness, and resilience enabling graduates to contribute positively to their societies, support a safe and sustainable path of development for future generations, while navigating global complexity with confidence, purpose, and a strong sense of belonging.”
As access to information becomes effortless, institutions must redefine the value they offer. Reflecting on this shift, Dr Sandeep Bhardwaj, Director of Vivekanand Business School Mumbai, explains how higher education must evolve, saying,
“As knowledge becomes easily accessible at the click of a button, the literal value of higher education must extend far beyond information delivery. Educational Institutes today must focus on shaping critical thinkers, ethical leaders, and socially responsible citizens. The role of colleges is evolving into spaces where ideas are challenged, perspectives are broadened, and real-world problem-solving is nurtured through mentorship, experiential learning, and interdisciplinary exposure. In the upcoming years, higher education must not only act as a bridge between knowledge and purpose but also empower students not just to succeed in their careers, but to contribute meaningfully to society and nation-building.”Building on this transformation, Dr Ramakrishnan Raman, Vice Chancellor of Symbiosis International (Deemed University), elaborates on how universities must rethink their role in an interconnected world, saying,
“As knowledge becomes universally accessible, universities must evolve from gatekeepers of information to architects of purpose and impact. At Symbiosis, we are committed to nurturing critical thinking, ethical leadership and lifelong learning, ensuring students harness knowledge to solve real-world challenges. Higher education should empower every learner, irrespective of background, to contribute meaningfully to society and the economy. Universities must drive equitable access, industry relevance, and societal progress, reaffirming their role as catalysts for innovation, inclusion and sustainable development in an interconnected global landscape.”
From an international school perspective, Dr Andrew S Torris, Director, American International School in Abu Dhabi, points out how the focus of education must move decisively from accumulation to application, noting,
“Degrees will still hold significance, but what students do with their learning will become even more important. When knowledge resources are accessible 24/7/365, higher education institutions must shift their focus to emphasize human relations, communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking to shape judgment, character, and capability, thus creating new value for the universities. Higher education institutions must develop learning ecosystems that motivate students to ask challenging questions, ethically test ideas, embrace differences, and solve real-world problems with connected individuals worldwide.”
Together, these perspectives underline a shared truth that education must evolve from being a conveyor of information to a creator of capability, judgment, and character.
Technology, trust, and the human core of learning
Digital tools, artificial intelligence, and online platforms have dramatically expanded the reach of education. Yet technology alone does not define meaningful learning. Albert Einstein famously observed,
“Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.”
True education is built on trust, integrity, and human connection, ensuring that knowledge translates into judgment, critical thinking, and purposeful action.
Building on this, In a world changing as fast as ours, readiness is not about credentials. It is about ability, adaptability, and agility. Nitish Jain, President, SP Jain School of Global Management, offers a stark perspective on the future of learning institutions, saying,
“International Education Day in 2026 might be one of the last we celebrate this way. Within five years, half the universities operating today will either close or become unrecognisable. Not because they failed at technology but because technology exposed that what they are selling is obsolete. The institutions that survive won’t be ‘universities’ as we know them. They’ll take students further in two years than traditional models do in four. They’ll prove value through graduate performance, not rankings. They’ll build judgment and adaptability that employers actually pay for. The ones rebuilding now will own the future. The ones defending tradition will become history.”
Extending this argument into the age of automation and artificial intelligence, Prof B Ravi, Director, NIT Karnataka Surathkal and Institute Chair Professor, IIT Bombay, highlights why reinvention is now unavoidable, saying,
“Internet made information accessible, and AI is making knowledge accessible – to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Future industry will use robots coupled with AI to perform repetitive jobs better, faster and cheaper than humans. Hence institutes who merely impart knowledge through lectures, test the students through exams, and certify them for jobs that are disappearing, will themselves become defunct. Industry, society and government will value people trained in meaningful research, problem identification, solution development, real-life application, and conflict resolution. Imparting the relevant human skills and values requires reinventing the higher education institutes. Only the most agile institutes who go through such epochal transformation will survive and grow beyond this decade.”
At the school education level, the same urgency is reflected by Aditya Bharat Shah, Managing Director, SIS Group of Schools across Indonesia, India, South Korea and Myanmar, who stresses that learning must prioritise thinking over answers. He notes,
“The future is arriving faster than our classrooms are changing. The most important shift schools must make is moving from teaching answers to nurturing thinkers. In a technology-driven world, information is abundant; judgment is not. Children need strong cognitive skills and the ability to apply knowledge using evolving tools. This is how we prepare children not just for jobs, but for the world.”
Future readiness and the transformation imperative
Educators as nation builders
At the heart of every education system are teachers. True educators are mentors, innovators, and the custodians of values that define society. As former President of India Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan said,
“Teachers should be the best minds in the country.”
In 2026, teachers are guiding more than learning outcomes; they are shaping curiosity, wellbeing, resilience, and purpose.
Education as a collective commitment
International Education Day is also a reminder that education is a shared responsibility. Policymakers, institutions, industry leaders, parents, and communities must work together to create inclusive, future-ready learning ecosystems. International Education Day is also a reminder that education is a shared responsibility. Policymakers, institutions, industry leaders, parents, and communities must work together to create inclusive, future-ready learning ecosystems. Reinforcing this vision, Prof (Dr) Tapan Kumar Nayak, Director, Jaipuria School of Business, observes,
“With instant access to information and AI becoming common, the value of higher education needs to go beyond just sharing information. Higher Educational Institutions ought to foster critical thinking, ethical reasoning, digital fluency and adaptability via multidisciplinary, AI-integrated experiences. Students need more mentors than teachers in the era of AI and technological disruptions. This will make Institutions the engines of innovation for India’s 2047 vision as Viksit Bharat.”
As Malala Yousafzai powerfully said, “One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world.”
As we mark International Education Day 2026, the message is clear: investing in education is not optional – it is foundational. When learning thrives, societies progress and hope finds direction.
