What change would you like to see?

In this era a new learning ecosystem is needed. If we are serious about change, we need to recognise that delivering quality education is a team effort, which requires the full participation of multiple stakeholders. Educators, parents, policymakers, awarding organisations and entrepreneurs all play a part in marshalling the power of innovation to transform and reimagine education. Whether you have a formal role with the authority to make strategic change decisions, or you are influencing change informally, in this exceptional period of history, collaboration helps us better understand the challenges we face and encourages us to capitalise on the opportunities ahead.

What is the change that you want to see? We all have the potential to be those agents of change and work both inside and outside of the system to make a difference. Who will help you on this journey? This is the opportunity to build a network of likeminded people who share your passion and desire to see and effect change. What will be your legacy? It is time to act and this doesn't have to be massive steps but can be incremental changes that move towards your vision of the change you would like to see. In coming to the conference you have an opportunity to meet your tribe, those people who desire change.

The extent to which our education system changes in the next decade is directly proportional to the extent to which we actively engage with the change that is needed during that timeframe. Change is our work to do. SERC would like to play a convening, networking role to bring interested people together, to learn with and from each other. If there is a change you would like to see in our education system, here is a place for you at the table. We hope you join us :)

References i Palmer, A. Lifelong learning is becoming an economic imperative. The Economist (January 12, 2017).

ii Andreas, S. (2016). International Summit on the Teaching Profession Teaching Excellence through Professional Learning and Policy Reform Lessons from around the World: Lessons from around the World. OECD Publishing.

iii Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). (2019). OECD Skills Strategy 2019: skills to shape a better future. OECD, Paris, France.

iv Marken, S. (2019) Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/ education/272228/half-considercollege-education-important.aspx

v NISRA (2017) Labour Market Report March 2017. Retrieved from https:// www.nisra.gov.uk/publications/ labour-market-report-march-2017

vi Ramsey, R. (2017). The highs and lows of Northern Ireland economic statistics. Retrieved from https:// ulstereconomix.com/2017/12/14/ the-highs-and-lows-of-northernireland-economic-statistics/

vii NISRA (2018). Midyear population estimates. Retrieved from https://www. nisra.gov.uk/

viii Powell (2018). NEET: Young People Not in Education, Employment or Training Briefing Paper. Retrieved from https://researchbriefings.files. parliament.uk/documents/SN06705/ SN06705.pdf

ix Ulster University Economic Policy Centre (2019) Northern Ireland Skills Barometer Summary report. Retrieved from http://www.manufacturingni.org/ media/uploads/Skills-Barometer-2019Summary-Report.pdf

x Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). (2019). OECD Skills Strategy 2019: skills to shape a better future. OECD, Paris, France.

xi Linkedin Learning. (2020). 2020 Workplace Learning Report. Retrieved from https://learning.linkedin.com/ resources/workplace-learning-report

xii UNESCO (2014). Skills for Holistic Human Development. Retrieved from http://www.unescobkk.org/fileadmin/ user_upload/epr/PDF/Policy_Brief_ Vol2-28_Nov.pdf xiii OECD (2016), Skills Matter: Further Results from the Survey of Adult Skills, OECD Skills Studies, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi. org/10.1787/9789264258051-en.

xiv Perkins, D. (2006). Educating for the Unknown [Course Syllabus]. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Graduate School of Education

xv Wilson, J. M. (2018). The Human Side of Changing Education: How to Lead Change With Clarity, Conviction, and Courage. Corwin Press.

xvi Ulster University Economic Policy Centre (2019). NI Skills Barometer 2019. Retrieved from http://www. manufacturingni.org/media/uploads/ Skills-Barometer-2019-SlidePack.pdf

xvii Culclasure, B., Odell, M., & Stocks, E. (2019, April). The Effect of the New Tech Network Design on Students’ Academic Achievement and Workforce Skills. Paper presentation at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association, Toronto, Canada.

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