This year’s programme was planned in coordination with the seminal Helsinki Educational Capital gathering and a meeting of the Global Cities Education Network (GCEN); combined, there were approximately 230 guests, from innovators working in a single school to international partners and thought leaders whose work impacts children by the millions.
All came to discuss the theme of Futures in the Making. Tony Mackay, the Director of GCEN captured the zeitgeist: “As we gather here, there is a new story we need to lead, a narrative that is going to enhance our lives. That's the narrative of human flourishing.”
What happened at the Innovation Summit?
It’s no accident that HundrED hosts this Innovation Summit in Helsinki every year. The city’s Education 2030 Future Competences outlines the goal of making the entire city a centre of learning; Marjo Kyllönen, Head of the Helsinki Education Division, champions centring wellbeing in this work. “We strongly believe and know by research that there is no well-learning without well-being…The magic happens in everyday actions in the classroom.”
Curious about what Finnish education really looks like, Tuesday began with site visits to schools, playgrounds, and other learning centres throughout the Helsinki area, where guests learned from students, teachers, school leaders, and Helsinki education division experts.
"The magic happens in everyday actions in the classroom."
The true magic of Summit, however, began at the Global Collection 2025 Awards Ceremony. The first floor of Helsinki City Hall hosted a “Forest of Innovation,” while the Ballroom on the second floor was transformed into a showcase of global education achievements.
Innovators mingle around the Forest of Innovation
Priyanka Handa Ram, of Learn to Play in Botswana, gave a keynote address entitled “Our co-created future through education,” before HundrED’s Research team revealed the 100 innovations selected for the Global Collection of 2025.
- Room to Read was welcomed into the HundrED Hall of Fame
- Protsahan Girl Champions Program was given the Academy Choice Award for their work to address gaps in learning & pedagogy from early childhood education through high school for first generation learners in urban slums through arts & technology based interventions that result in higher economic inclusion through financial & digital literacy.
- Udhyam Shiksha was recognised with the Youth Choice Award. “Youth know best,” said CEO Mekin Maheshwari acknowledged with a smile. Their programme develops entrepreneurial mindsets using experiential pedagogy and real-world projects, facilitated by government school teachers in resource-constrained environments.
- Seenaryo was given special recognition with the Resilience and Action Award, for their tireless efforts to bring play-based learning to refugees. Seenaryo’s Playkit has reached 4293 teachers and 97,454 children in Lebanon and Jordan, with funds to expand to Palestine this summer.
Trends in HundrED's Global Collection 2025
The following day, we started with a panel discussion on “Education for Human Flourishing.” Marjo Kyllönen, Director of the Helsinki Education Division asserted, “When you promote wellbeing and happiness, that’s the way we want our children to flourish.” Referencing the uncertainties facing educators around the world, she encouraged the group to remember that “hope and ability to change comes from our ability to face uncertainty.”
“Our education system should create a future we want to see. When schools change, we can change the world.”
In the panel discussion, Anthony Mackay (Consultant Advisor at the Global Cities Education Network), Shelley Montgomery (Superintendent, Ottawa Catholic School Board), and Marjo Kyllönen affirmed the importance of educators’ and innovators’ voices in setting the agenda for human flourishing through educational policies around the world.
Responding to the panel discussion, Damilola Okonkwo (HundrED Community Lead for West Africa and Founder of KEY Academy in Nigeria) spoke about the ways that educators in developing regions can innovate and redefine education for future-ready students. Quoting Nigeria’s former Minister of Education, she reminded us that we cannot memorise our way out of poverty; innovative practices to engage learners and support teachers are a must-have in every country.
Following Okonkwo’s response, the attendees listened to remarks from Anders Adlercreutz (Finnish Minister of Education), and Aleksei Jašin (Vice Mayor of Tallinn, Estonia). Among their many inspirational remarks, Adlercreutz’s message resonated with the crowd: “Our education system should create a future we want to see. When schools change, we can change the world.”
In the afternoon, we had workshop discussions. One highlight was the session on “Supporting Implementation at Scale” facilitated by Julie Bélanger (Director of Better Purpose) with Larry Cooley (Founder and President Emeritus of Management Systems International), Romana Shaikh (Chief Program Officer at Kizazi), and Neha Gehlot (Global Associate Director at STiR Education).
“The future isn’t something that happens to us, it’s something we make.”
Among the highlights were Cooley’s remarks that “You can’t philanthropise your way out of most problems… A bad system will defeat a good intervention every time.” Further, he pointed out that most interventions need 15 years to see results and achieve scaling. Funders often do not have the patience to wait for these kinds of outcomes, and Shaikh challenged us to recognise that what is needed is a paradigm shift. “What we’re asking for is social change, it’s a movement. We’re asking to change culture.” With a room full of nodding heads and too little time to address all the questions from innovators, the session ended with a feeling that this was but the beginning of the conversation.
Thursday’s program centred the voices of youth, kicking off with a Manifesto on The Futures of Education, delivered by Marcus Antila and Fia Hirvonen of the Helsinki Youth Council. Their message was clear and well-received: “The future isn’t something that happens to us, it’s something we make.”
We also welcomed HundrED Youth Ambassador Oliver Dorogi and Helsinki Youth Council members Maggie Mattson and Artem Sergeyev. They each spoke poignantly on the importance of fostering a culture that centres student well-being, with teachers serving as mentors who help students develop their passions and come to understand what it means to be a good human being. Their contributions brought a much-needed practical grounding in what it means to transform education to foster a culture that fosters and sustains human flourishing.
“The final aim of education is not learning. The final aim of education is human flourishing.”
In the closing panel facilitated by Ron Berlinski (Founder of Curiosity Learning), we heard about shared visions for futures of education. Marte Gerhaardsen (Director of Education in Oslo) argued that school is an important place to begin building trust in society, fostering the kinds of skills like creativity and collaboration that students will need well into the future. Alejandra Ycaza (HundrED Community Lead for Latin America and Leader of Institutional Development at Fundación Reimagina), agreed, explaining that teachers need to be given space to innovate instead of prescriptive pedagogies. A third stakeholder in this work is parents, as highlighted by Mark Pearmain (Superintendent, Surrey, Canada). He pointed out how difficult it can be to offer students future-ready skills when the pedagogy looks so different from what parents experienced and, in turn, expect for their children.
As we wrapped up this year’s Innovation Summit, heads and hearts full of inspirational ideas and newfound collaborators, we were left with an elegant summary from Olli-Pekka Heinonen (Director General of International Baccalaureate and former Finnish Minister of Education) echoing in our minds: “The final aim of education is not learning. The final aim of education is human flourishing.” Change is both necessary and within reach. The future is what all of us, together, will make it.
You can re-watch the Innovation Summit 2024 sessions on Youtube.
