Looking Back to Looking Forward – Reimagining What’s Next, Jasmin Coats, Otoha Kawada, Sakura Tanaka, Arden Knab

Jasmin Coats, Otoha Kawada, Sakura Tanaka and Arden Knab
Sophia University
Japan

Abstract: Over the past six months, we have used UNESCO’s Futures of Education: A New Social Contract as a foundation to explore sustainable education during a time of global transformation - shaped by shifting work patterns, rapid digitalization, the climate crisis, and evolving political landscapes. As university students from diverse countries and educational backgrounds, we’ve personally experienced the varying dynamics of education and shifts (especially in digitization) during our student years. Drawing on practical examples from the report, we reflect on what has deepened our awareness of lifelong learning and helped us view education as an ongoing, evolving process rather than a fixed system. Our presentation is a reflective journey - from our individual educational pasts to imagining future pathways. By drawing on the principles of the UNESCO report (especially rewinding, school architecture, and ageless curriculum) we explore how personal experiences and diverse perspectives can inform future policy decisions and help reimagine education as a collaborative, inclusive, and adaptive process.