1. From Andy Brock’s Re Education blog, Education Predictions 2026, from a very wide range of contributors https://abrock.substack.com/p/re-education-issue-27-education-predictions
Trying to make sense looking backwards is hard enough, but to look forwards when things seem constantly changeable is even more demanding. So, my thanks to the 27 global educators who have offered up their predictions for global education in 2026 – which, in case this all feels a bit down, does include reasons for optimism. This is issue #27, so here’s twenty-seven for twenty-six. Drawn from philanthropy, development agencies, research and the practitioner communities, these predictions are small “amuse-bouche”, snapshots of the thinking and collected wisdom of those who engage regularly with the struggles and dilemmas facing our sector, from the classroom to the Ministry and beyond.
2. This is fascinating, Britain’s world: the strategy of security in twelve geopolitical maps, from The Council on Geostrategy, who have designed it as “a geopolitical atlas to complement the (UK’s) National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence Review”. The atlas includes 12 visualisations – a combination of maps, cartograms and infographics – which explain the United Kingdom’s position and interests in the mid-21st century. PDF below as well.
3. The UK’s new International Education Strategy was published today https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uks-international-education-strategy-2026 described as “a strategy setting out the government’s plans for UK international education and how it will support the sector access global opportunities (sic)”. PDF below as well.
Acute commentary from The Times Higher: Looking back at the last international education strategy published by the UK government is a good way to assess quite how much things have changed in such a short space of time. It was 2019 and, for a brief period, Boris Johnson’s government was banging the drum for global Britain post-Brexit. Today we get the updated version and, although the importance of education exports is still front and centre – including a new aim to grow its worth by £7 billion to £40 billion by the end of the decade – the document feels more restrained. Most obviously, it contains no updated target after the aim of recruiting 600,000 international students was reached years early. Nor does it include any mention of countries that could become key sources of students in future. Instead, much of the focus is on “strategic” and “responsible” international recruitment by universities and threats of “firm action against those who seek to exploit our immigration routes”. How does the government plan to continue to grow the value of education in such a constrained environment? It is clear from the document that ministers see offshore expansion as the key, heavily backing transnational partnerships and branch campuses. “By expanding overseas, our universities, colleges and education providers can diversify income, strengthen global partnerships and give millions more access to a world-class UK education on their doorstep, all whilst boosting growth at home,” says education minister Bridget Phillipson.
4. The adverts are a bit annoying here, but the map is good, Will You Be Offered Food at Someone’s House as a Guest? https://brilliantmaps.com/food-as-a-guest/ Sweden came out of it as an especially unwelcoming country: Swedengate – disrespect or being stingy? is a response from Håkan Jönsson of Lund University, suggesting some of the historical reasons behind why children who happen to visit their Swedish friends at mealtime can expect to be left alone in a separate room – with a cake or an apple if they’re lucky! https://www.staff.lu.se/article/swedengate-disrespect-or-being-stingy (That one was gleaned from LinkedIn but I can’t remember whose post I pinched …)
5. And, finally, after all that hifalutin geo-political gubbins on my part, The Clod and The Pebble from the NYT, including a surprisingly effective cloze game to help you learn the poem by heart https://tinyurl.com/2s3e3mf8
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