Beyond school Two initiatives apparently at the opposite end of the international education spectrum and half a world away from each other seem to have little in common. The Universal Learner Passport is being designed in Switzerland by Conrad Hughes and his team at the International School of Geneva. It aims to record the full range of student achievement upon graduation following a rigorous academic program at one of the world's leading IB schools. Steps is an inclusive program being developed by an innovative team led by Max Simpson and Uang Hotrakitya in Thailand to support neurodivergent learners in their journeys to personal, learning, and career independence. In "Talking about... Pathways to the Future," hosted by Andy Homden, CEO of Consilium Education, Simpson and Hughes in fact find that they have everything in common as they scaffold the progress of young people on their journey to the kind of independence they will need during the next stage of their lives. By the end, the group talks about how the Hughes-led Coalition to Honour All Learning may become the next great evolution in international education. Further reading in ITM: Conrad Hughes: Learner Passport Andy Homden: A world that sees us
Biographies Max Simpson (MA Special Education and Inclusion, PG Dip Special Educational Needs Coordinator) has been working with the neurodivergent community for over 15 years, and the longer her team works alongside this community, the more evidence they have that they are value-adding employees for the businesses they serve. In 2019, Max was listed as one of the top 50 young leaders shaping the future of Asia. Steps was honored with the International Provision of the Year Award by the prestigious National Association for Special Educational Needs (UK). Max also sits on the board of the Special Education Network and Inclusion Association Conrad Hughes (Ph.D., EdD) is Campus and Secondary Principal at the International School of Geneva, La Grande Boissière where he also teaches philosophy. Dr. Hughes led two major projects with UNESCO-IBE to rethink the guiding principles for learning in the 21st Century and preventing violent extremism through education. He has published three books on different aspects of 21st Century learning. Understanding Education and Prejudice (2017), Educating for the 21st Century (2019), and Education and Elitism (2021). He is a member of the advisory board for the University of the People, a research assistant at the University of Geneva's department of psychology and education and is a regular contributor to the World Economic Forum’s Agenda blog. He speaks at conferences across the globe.
Podcast production by Jason Lasky "Talking about... The ITM Podcast: is produced by voice-over, podcast, and sound specialist Jason Lasky – a playwright, actor, director, and IBDP teacher specializing in Theater Arts, as well as the Creative Director and CEO of J.Lasky Voices.
