Introduction

In a rapidly changing and interconnected environment, it is essential for education systems, be them schools, vocational or tertiary, to provide students with adequate competencies to cope with social and professional realities in the 21st century. They should be robust and flexible enough simultaneously. As the Information age requires knowledge-based professions to have human capital that can take complex challenges and adapt flexible skill sets to changing demands, the education systems should be strong enough to deliver them. From the supply side it is equally essential that the teachers and administrators are provided the right tools to meet that demand. High-quality and equitable education is a key component in the acquisitions of the key competences for lifelong learning and thus a priority not the policy makers and the policy implementers.

Traditional education systems, as we have seen particularly in the post-COVID-19 period, are not best equipped to cope with the changing nature of learning. The changing demands on learners and their competences, and the need for new ways of teaching and managing complexities can be handled only by the new thinking. This calls for an education policy reform that is focused on ensuring the facilitation of innovative learning environments that can nurture the development of 21st century skills. Educational innovation, i.e. ‘any dynamic change intended to add value to the educational process and resulting in measurable outcomes, be that in terms of stakeholder satisfaction or educational performance’ is required to create meaningful educational environments that match the needs of students and teachers alike.

Objectives