Reimagining Education at DisruptED 2023

Necessity is the mother of innovation and education is now on the cusp of a global crisis regarding teachers, technology and the future world of work, making innovation the number one priority for anyone in this field.

For too long educators have attended conferences promising pearls of wisdom with the hope of being inspired, only to be met with the same keynote speakers who talk of change, without ever putting anything into action. On October 12th 2023, this all changes. Leaders and innovators will gather at the iconic Battersea Power Station, London, for DisruptED, a groundbreaking event to reimagine the future of learning.

DisruptED brings together pioneering thinkers and practitioners in education, technology and business to engage in future-focused conversations that inspire change. It is our first ‘un-conference’, and it’s very different from your usual conference day. Gone are the regimented rows of uncomfortable chairs arranged at the feet of the keynote speaker you saw at last year’s event, preaching the same outdated content. Gone are the circular tables, meant to encourage discussion and teamwork but in fact preventing collaboration of any meaning. Gone are the chalk and talk PowerPoint presentations, and in its place a groundbreaking and cutting edge event that promotes cohesion, collaboration and change. Expect sofas for sharing coffee with new connections and your LinkedIn notifications blowing up from your growing network of like minded, forward thinkers. NPC tags give you access to every keynote and presentation straight to your phone, so you don’t miss a thing. There’s even the opportunity to test your virtual skills and take part in a VR Playpark. Could this be anymore ‘un-conference’?

Through keynotes, panel discussions, hands-on workshops and more, participants will explore new models, research and technologies that can transform education to better serve students and society. Our key focus areas include:

• Disruptive Technologies – How can emerging tech like AI, VR and blockchains revolutionise pedagogy and access to make quality education equitable for all?
• Future Schools – What could the school of the future look like and how can we create it?
• Future Workforce – How to best equip students with the skills, creativity and confidence to thrive in jobs that don’t yet exist.

DisruptED curates a speaker faculty of recognised international leaders and rising stars in education innovation. We have invited visionaries across business, technology and education to join us and share their insights, visions, and strategies. Amongst these visionaries are the team at hundo.xyz, Esther O’Callahan, Luke Judge and James Fraser-Murison.

Esther and Luke will head a specialist panel, focusing on the strand of ‘DisruptED Work’ and the groundbreaking virtual work experience model they have created at hundo.xyz, whilst James will present an eye-opening keynote on Esports and how this innovative new industry builds upon essential skills for the workplace. It is through inspirational and forward-thinking educators like these, who are not afraid to disrupt the current (and quite frankly, archaic) education and work models, that we hope to shake up the system and spark a much-needed education revolution.

With the current global teacher shortage, and student attendance numbers dropping daily, there has never been a more urgent time to rethink education. By providing an opportunity for the leaders of the sector to come together and join forces, by creating solutions to the challenges we currently face, and by joining the pioneers and pathfinders at DisruptED, we work together to look into the future, and beyond. Redesigning learning requires original thinking and new energy – is yours the spark that transforms global education? This is how we build the future of education.

Written by Melissa McBride who is the co-founder and CEO of Sophia Technologies, the Chair of the Board at Sophia High School and Co-Host of DisruptED.