Education Sector Consulting

Common Sense Media recently released a comprehensive risk assessment of AI teacher assistants/lesson planning tools. Their findings reveal that while these tools promise increased productivity and creative support, they're also creating "invisible influencers" that could fundamentally undermine educational quality. Unlike GenAI foundation model chatbots, these tools are specifically designed for instructional planning and classroom use and are rapidly being adopted across districts. Key Concerns from their report: • "Invisible Influencers" in Student Learning: AI-generated content directly shapes what students learn through potentially biased perspectives and historical inaccuracies that teachers may miss; evidence also shows these tools suggest different approaches and responses based on student race/gender • “Outsourced Thinking" Problem: Tools make it dangerously easy to push unreviewed AI instructional content straight to classrooms, while novice teachers lack experience to spot subtle errors and biasses • High-Stakes Outputs: IEP and behavior plan generators create official-looking documents that could impact student educational trajectories even though these plans should be human-generated (and in the case of IEP goals are mandated to be human generated) • Undermining High-Quality Instructional Materials: Without proper integration, these tools fragment learning and can undermine coherent, research-backed curricula Recommendations from the report: • Experienced educator oversight required for all AI-generated educational content • Clear district policies and guidelines for AI teacher assistant implementation • Integration with existing high-quality curricula rather than replacement of established materials • Robust teacher training on identifying bias and evaluating AI outputs • Careful oversight of real-time AI feedback tools that interact directly with students We'd also recommend foundational AI literacy for teachers before they begin using GenAI teacher assistants, so that they are aware of the potential limitations. While AI teacher assistants aren't inherently problematic, they require the same careful implementation and oversight we'd expect for any tool that directly impacts student learning. The potential for enhanced productivity is real, but so are the risks to educational equity and quality. This report underscores the urgent need for GenAI EdTech tool makers to provide evidence of how their tools mitigate these issues along with evidence-based policies and professional development to help educators navigate AI tools responsibly. All of which underline how important AI Literacy is for the 2025-2026 school year. Link in the comments to check out the full report. Also check out our 5 Questions to Ask GenAI EdTech Providers resource in the comments if you are planning to implement any of these tools in your school or district. #AIinEducation #ailiteracy #Education #K12 AI for Education

The most useful design lesson I got this week came from a 100-year-old building. 👇 This weekend, I visited the Bauhaus Museum in Dessau, and surprisingly, I came away with insights that felt deeply relevant to my work in instructional design. Bauhaus (1919–1933) was more than just a design school. It was a revolution in thinking. They were among the first to unite art, technology, and practicality — shaping a design philosophy that still speaks to us today. Here’s how I’m rethinking some of their core ideas through the lens of modern learning design: 1️⃣ Form follows function — Design isn’t about decoration. It’s about making the purpose visible and usable. In learning, that means cutting the fluff and putting outcomes first. 2️⃣ Honesty of materials — A course should be a course. Let’s not dress it up as a game or a show unless that’s part of the goal. Learners value clarity. 3️⃣ Unity of disciplines — Bauhaus embraced the synergy of different crafts. In ID, it’s the collaboration between designers, SMEs, and AI that brings learning to life. 4️⃣ Simplicity through intention — Less isn’t just more — it’s stronger. Well-structured simplicity improves both focus and retention. 5️⃣ Design as process — Iteration was central to Bauhaus thinking. It’s also at the heart of effective learning design: test, adjust, evolve. 💬 Bauhaus didn’t give us answers. It gave us a mindset, one that prioritizes clarity, coherence, and conscious choices. 👉 Which of these ideas resonate with you most in your learning design practice? #instructionaldesign #learningexperience #bauhaus #LXD #designthinking #elearning

Like many of my colleagues in higher education, I’ve been following the publication of the UK’s new International Education Strategy with great interest. Beyond the headlines, it offers an important signal: a productive shift away from short-term immigration debates towards long-term economic, talent, and global impact. Reading the document, three thoughts occurred to me: 1️⃣ The value of international students lies not only in where they end up, but in how they think, work, relate to and influence systems. To realise this value, providing a “joined-up” #StudentExperience involving government (national and local), higher education providers, industry and ancillary service providers must be at the heart of any institutional decision-making. In everyday terms, how easy it is to get a visa, to find housing and medical coverage, to register with your local council, to apply for a National Insurance number, to find work experience, can be as important as choosing the right uni and the right course.  Growth without delivering this joined-up experience is not sustainable and will backfire in the long term. 2️⃣ The planned reduction of the post-study visa to 18 months means institutions can no longer treat student outcomes as something that happens after graduation. This is where close collaboration and co-creation with industry becomes essential. Real company projects, business and community engagement, and entrepreneurial support need to be embedded in the learning experience from day one — just as we do at ESCP Business School through consulting projects, internships, entrepreneurial coaching and work-based impact projects across all our programmes. 3️⃣For UK institutions planning to expand internationally, overseas campuses should not be treated as satellites. While operating across different regulatory and cultural environments adds complexity, integration, shared standards, ESCP's "one school, one faculty" approach ultimately strengthens quality, operations and overall student and staff experience. Again, think “joined-up”! The next phase of international business education in the UK will likely come from a combination of international campuses, technology-enabled delivery, #transnationaleducation and strategic partnerships. One thing is clear: the future of international education in the UK will be built with a focus on student experience and through collaboration, co-creation, and shared responsibility among schools, government, and industry. Leon Laulusa, Francesco Rattalino, Pramuan Bunkanwanicha, Cécile Kharoubi, Regis Coeurderoy, Gorgi Krlev, Eva Mollat du Jourdin, Brynhild Dumas, Marianne Conde Salazar, Alexandre Lederman, Florence Cyrot-Mele, Emily Centeno, Viktorija Nikitina, Emily Olyarchuk #InternationalEducation #GlobalTalent #HigherEducation #UKInternationalStrategy #ItAllStartsHere

Britain’s education sector is one of our quiet economic strengths. It generates more than £32 billion a year in education exports, and future growth will come from taking British education beyond our borders — not just students coming here, but our institutions going out into the world. That doesn’t happen through policy alone. It happens through founders. Prof. Selva Pankaj is a good example of that kind of leadership. He arrived in the UK with £100 and no safety net. Rather than follow the conventional university route, he chose a professional qualification and built skills, judgement and resilience the hard way. What started with tutoring at a kitchen table became Regent College London, now a successfully expanding international education group. The idea has stayed simple: education should work around people’s lives, not force people to fit the system. Many of Regent’s students are working adults, building careers alongside their studies. That clarity of purpose is exactly why the model has travelled well beyond the UK. There’s a wider lesson here. - Build something useful. - Then scale it with direction. And understand that real success isn’t just measured in growth, but in the opportunities you create for others along the way.

When you align learning strategy with how the brain actually learns you'll find that performance improves. In many organisations, learning still means content delivery - I battle this challenge regularly. L&D teams measure outputs like number of courses, completions, attendance rather than outcomes. But humans don’t learn by consuming information. They learn by connecting ideas, making meaning, and putting their knowledge and skills into practice over and over again until their brains physically change. If you want to genuinely change behaviour and performance in your organisation then your whole strategy needs to be designed with the brain in mind. Here are three practical principles to share with your design and delivery teams: 🧠 Space, don’t cram Learning needs time to settle. Encourage teams to design experiences that build over time rather than delivering everything in one go. The return on retention is remarkable. 💡 Engage peoples emotions People remember what feels relevant and real. Challenge your designers to stimulate learners emotions with hooks like stories, challenges and personal connections. Don't just design pretty slides. 🔄 Practice and retrieval Learning journeys, rather than one off events, give people time to apply, reflect, and test new skills where it matters - on the job. This doesn't mean repetition for its own sake; it's simply how neural pathways are strengthened. When your learning strategy aligns with how the brain naturally works key metrics like engagement, performance and business impact improve. How do you enable your teams to bring brain science into the way they design and deliver learning?

🎙️ The latest episode of the Positive Education Podcast is now with Sagar Bahadur. Sagar is the Executive Director for India, South Asia, and South East Asia at Acumen, Part of Sannam S4 Group, he leads the region’s growth and expansion strategy for Sannam S4/Acumen, a premier global partner for strategic and sustainable international education. In this episode we dive into the future of international education, student mobility, and how institutions can better support learners across cultures, especially in India and South Asia. I absolutely loved this wide ranging conversation with Sagar. Here are 7 key takeaways from the conversation: 🌏Only 2% of India’s 40 million higher education students currently study abroad, yet 58% aspire to access international education. This gap presents a major opportunity to rethink how global learning can be delivered within India. 🧳Internationalisation is evolving beyond travel. Students are increasingly engaging with global education through short-term programs, hybrid learning, foreign faculty, international certifications, and local branch campuses. 📚India’s education landscape is vast and competitive, with limited university spots creating pressure for students to achieve high academic results, especially for elite institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology. 🤝The Indian government is focused on expanding access by promoting vocational education, skill development, and international collaborations, including mutual recognition of qualifications with countries like Australia. 💬Student wellbeing is a growing focus. Institutions are now offering more robust pre-departure and post-arrival support to help students navigate academic pressure, cultural change, and independent living. 🌐Cultural transitions can be overwhelming for first-time international students. Sagar highlights the importance of preparing students not only academically, but emotionally for challenges like managing finances, homesickness, and balancing part-time work with studies. 🚀Universities are being pushed to innovate. Acumen, Sagar’s organisation, is helping institutions explore new regions, delivery models, and partnerships from setting up campuses to building school pipelines and transnational programs. Plus much more... ⬇️ To listen ⬇️ How can we reduce academic pressure while still encouraging high achievement in competitive systems? 💾 Save to listen ♻️ Repost if you think your network would benefit from this episode ➕ Follow Ash Manuel for more #acumen #internationaleducation #students #wellbeing #mentalwellbeing #internationalstudents

🌍 The Study Abroad Landscape Is Evolving — Are We Ready for What's Next? Over the past year, the global education sector has witnessed a noticeable shift in how students approach international study. No longer is the decision solely driven by prestige or rankings. Instead, students are prioritising ROI, post-study work opportunities, mental well-being support, and destination safety more than ever. 🔍 Here are three trends shaping the study abroad space: 1️⃣ Rise of Non-Traditional Destinations Countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and the UAE are attracting more students thanks to favorable visa policies, English-taught programs, and cost-effectiveness. 2️⃣ Shift Toward Skills-Based Programs Programs aligned with emerging job markets—AI, data analytics, sustainability, and healthcare—are gaining traction. 3️⃣ Demand for Hybrid and Flexible Learning Models Students crave options blending in-person and online learning, preferring flexibility post-pandemic. As professionals in this field, we need to be responsive—not just to where students want to go, but why they're making those choices. 📌 The big question: How can we better align our guidance and offerings with these evolving motivations? I'd love to hear from fellow educators, consultants, and university partners: What shifts are you seeing—and how are you adapting? #StudyAbroad #GlobalEducation #EdTech #InternationalStudents #HigherEdTrends #EducationConsulting

The most interesting thing about the new enrollment report is not that enrollment is up. It is where students are showing up. New data from the National Student Clearinghouse shows growth at community colleges and public universities, with certificates and associate degrees outpacing bachelor’s programs. Private colleges continue to lose ground. That pattern tells a clear story about how people are thinking about college right now. Confidence in higher education is rising, but it is no longer automatic. Students and families are choosing pathways that feel affordable, flexible, and clearly connected to opportunity. This is not rejection of college. It is a demand for value. This report feels less like a rebound and more like a signal about the future of higher education. https://lnkd.in/gPCtJ5eb

Dubai × IIMA: Education as a Strategic Asset When HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum inaugurated the first international campus of (Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad) in Dubai, it was more than a ribbon-cutting. It was proof that Dubai is now one of the world’s fastest-growing higher education hubs. Dubai Higher Education Today • 41 private HE institutions, including 37 branch campuses. • 42,026 students enrolled — record high. • +20% growth overall, +29% international (now 35% of total). • +22% Emirati enrolments, showing rising local demand. • 706 programmes across business, IT, engineering, health, media, and design. • 42% of international students are Indian, reinforcing the UAE–India talent bridge. Few hubs globally match this acceleration — Dubai added more international students in one year than many mature markets do in a decade. IIM Ahmedabad — A Global Milestone • Consistently ranked among the Top 50 MBAs worldwide (Financial Times). • Known for one of the toughest acceptance rates globally — <1%. • Alumni network of 100,000+ leaders across 70 countries. • Dubai is now the only international location of IIMA, placing it alongside Boston (Harvard/MIT), London (London Business School ), Singapore (INSEAD), Paris (HEC Paris). This is not just an Indian institution expanding — it is a knowledge bridge between the UAE and India, two of the fastest-rising economies and talent ecosystems. Comparison Snapshot • Dubai (2024–25): 42,026 students | 37 branch campuses | 35% international (+29% YoY) • United Kingdom (2023–24): 732,285 overseas students (~23%) | 51% of postgraduates international | Growth slowing, first decline in a decade • Singapore (2023): ~25,900 students in private foreign providers | ~50,000 foreign students overall | ~15 branch campuses, slower pace than Dubai Dubai has fewer students overall than the UK, but its expansion in branch campuses and international enrolments is happening at a far faster rate — already outpacing Singapore and Hong Kong. Why This Matters to the UAE – Strategic Lens • Talent Pipeline: GCC needs millions of skilled professionals by 2030 — Dubai is building them locally. • Economic Strategy: Supports Dubai’s D33 and UAE Centennial 2071 goals. • FDI in Knowledge: Universities are the new “intellectual FDI,” anchoring talent and ideas in the UAE. • Global Branding: Hosting IIMA puts Dubai in direct competition with London, Singapore, and Boston. • Youth Empowerment: +22% rise in Emirati enrolments = world-class education at home. The Bigger Picture • London scaled over a century. • Singapore over decades. • Hong Kong through finance. • Dubai is compressing decades into years — executing with speed, precision, and strategy. The arrival of IIMA proves one thing: Dubai isn’t collecting campuses for prestige. Dubai is executing a model where education fuels competitiveness, innovation, and national power — at a speed and quality the world has never seen before.

🌍 UNESCO’s Pillars Framework for Digital Transformation in Education offers a roadmap for leaders, educators, and tech partners to work together and bridge the digital divide. This framework is about more than just tech—it’s about supporting communities and keeping education a public good. 💡 When implementing EdTech, policymakers should pay special attention to these critical aspects to ensure that technology meaningfully enhances education without introducing unintended issues:  🚸1. Equity and Access Policymakers need to prioritize closing the digital divide by providing affordable internet, reliable devices, and offline options where connectivity is limited. Without equitable access, EdTech can worsen existing educational inequalities.  💻2. Data Privacy and Security Implementing strong data privacy laws and secure platforms is essential to build trust. Policymakers must ensure compliance with data protection standards and implement safeguards against data breaches, especially in systems that involve sensitive information.  🚌3. Pedagogical Alignment and Quality of Content Digital tools and content should be high-quality, curriculum-aligned, and support real learning needs. Policymakers should involve educators in selecting and shaping EdTech tools that align with proven pedagogical practices.  🌍4. Sustainable Funding and Cost Management To avoid financial strain, policymakers should develop sustainable, long-term funding models and evaluate the total cost of ownership, including infrastructure, updates, and training. Balancing costs with impact is key to sustaining EdTech programs.  🦺5. Capacity Building and Professional Development Training is essential for teachers to integrate EdTech into their teaching practices confidently. Policymakers need to provide robust, ongoing professional development and peer-support systems, so educators feel empowered rather than overwhelmed by new tools. 👓 6. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Continuous Improvement Policymakers should establish monitoring and evaluation processes to track progress and understand what works. This includes using data to refine strategies, ensure goals are met, and avoid wasted resources on ineffective solutions. 🧑🚒 7. Cultural and Social Adaptation Cultural sensitivity is crucial, especially in communities less familiar with digital learning. Policymakers should promote a growth mindset and address resistance through community engagement and awareness campaigns that highlight the educational value of EdTech. 🥸 8. Environmental Sustainability Policymakers should integrate green practices, like using energy-efficient devices and recycling programs, to reduce EdTech’s carbon footprint. Sustainable practices can also help keep costs manageable over time. 🔥Download: UNESCO. (2024). Six pillars for the digital transformation of education. UNESCO. https://lnkd.in/eYgr922n  #DigitalTransformation #EducationInnovation #GlobalEducation