Senior leadership from Dwight School Dubai and Franklin School added to an inspiring conversation at the recent World Schools Summit in Abu Dhabi — attended by over 1,200 teachers and educational leaders from 91 countries.

The World Schools Summit is a truly global affair, and conversations about the future of education were anything but theoretical. 

It was a privilege to see our Vice Chancellor, Dr. Blake Spahn, take part in the debate surrounding the statement: “The primary purpose of an education is to help young people get good grades.” The discussion went far beyond grades as an outcome. It explored how academic achievement sits alongside developing character, curiosity, inquiry, and a sense of purpose in young people. Exam results matter, but the debate reinforced a shared belief that schools have a responsibility to prepare students for life, not just for tests.

Franklin School’s Founding Head Will Campbell and Director of Innovation Jaymes Dec accepted the World's Best School Prize for Innovation on behalf of the School. After accepting the Prize, Mr. Campbell contributed to the panel discussion, “Driving High Performance in Schools: Learning from Winners of the World’s Best School Prizes.” The conversation focused on what sustainable “high performance” really looks like: strong cultures, invested and supported teachers, personalised learning pathways, clear alignment on mission and values, and a genuine commitment to student and staff wellbeing.

Attendees also heard from founder and CEO of T4, Vikas Pota, and others at the forefront of education about the opportunities and challenges found throughout international education. Experts from Google discussed the future of AI in the educational landscape during an interview led by Mr. Pota. 

Members of the Dwight-Franklin network left the summit inspired and energised.

You can read more about the summit, in this article featuring Mr. Campbell.