Education Resource Allocation

"𝗔𝗜 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘇𝘆," a student told me when I asked about AI's impact on their education. It was honest, unfiltered, and resonated with everyone present. And here's the reality: 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 '𝘯𝘰' 𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘐 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. But how do we address concerns like this as AI becomes deeply embedded, even in our learning systems? I recently had the privilege of exploring this and more in two speaking opportunities - on the '𝗠𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁' podcast with Rosaria Silipo, and at the 𝗞𝗡𝗜𝗠𝗘 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗲 event at Republic Polytechnic's beautiful campus recently. Here's what I shared about navigating AI's role in education and organisational transformation:  • 𝗧𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻, our Data, Platforms, and People ecosystems must work in harmony. One without the others will fail.  • 𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹-𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗱, a powerful ally when used with wisdom and ethics, but a liability when misused or misunderstood.  • 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 even for data professionals who need new capabilities like AI literacy, prompt engineering, ethical practices, and critical interpretation of AI outputs.  • 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗜 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 is the need and can no longer be reserved for techies. Every role, at every level, and everywhere needs human-centered strategies for this transformation.  • 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴, not disappearing, so educators need to transition from traditional tutors and lecturers to becoming coaches, facilitators, and co-learners alongside the students. Thank you Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Nickholas Anting Anak Guntor and Henry L. for sharing your experiences with data and AI, for the sideline conversations and for demonstrating how you embed data and AI learning in your curriculum and schools. It's great to see how you are involved in preparing the future generation of workforce in Singapore and Malaysia. The future isn't about choosing between human skills and AI - it's about fostering our uniquely human and adaptive capabilities to work in tandem with artificial intelligence. What's your take? How are you seeing AI reshape learning and work in your organization? #AI #Education #DataLiteracy #AILiteracy #FutureOfWork #DigitalTransformation #KNIME

I’ve been thinking a lot about how education connects to economic opportunity. Across the country (and the world), communities are reimagining education—not as something that happens in isolation, but as part of a bigger ecosystem that includes businesses, workforce development, and lifelong learning. https://bit.ly/42uqm40 Across the globe, regions are transforming education into an economic engine, aligning schools, businesses, and communities to drive shared prosperity. Regional talent hubs are emerging as drivers of economic development, a nascent dynamic observed several years ago that will likely continue to accelerate in 2025 and years ahead. Regional alliances, solutions, and strategies can address local challenges while boosting global competitiveness, strengthening economic resilience, and fomenting long-term prosperity. In these regional strategies, state and local governments work hand-in-hand with business and industry leaders to build strong partnerships. Together, they work to harmonize regulatory frameworks and workforce requirements, align curriculum, and recognize teacher qualifications across borders. These initiatives reduce labor shortages, enable teacher exchanges, and enhance workforce readiness. For example, regional professional development networks and institutional capacity-building programs have improved education outcomes in emerging economies, creating skilled local talent pools and reducing reliance on attracting skilled workers from elsewhere. The emergence of regional talent hubs, tailored to local industries and strengths, ensures systems can specialize while collaborating. This cooperation mitigates skill shortages and fosters economic resilience on a local and state level. Technology plays a critical role, enabling blended learning that combines local classroom teaching with expertise from regional hubs. By leveraging shared resources, these models benefit an array of geographies from urban to rural, and lower costs, especially important for resource-constrained areas, while ensuring students gain globally relevant skills. In 2025, the question is how to build systems where all sectors move forward together while honoring unique local contexts. Education will need to lead the way, powering economies and creating opportunities for all. What’s happening in your community that gives you hope?

Schools Must Stop Ignoring Financial Waste Public schools face financial reckoning. Districts are cutting teachers and slashing student programs as costs rise. For too long, school finance has been viewed as a policy—rather than a management—problem. When funds run low, districts’ default is: ask for more money or make painful cuts. But what if the issue isn’t just funding levels—but how they manage what they already have?   School districts own valuable assets, including real estate: gyms, auditoriums, athletic fields, cafeterias, and so on. These are public assets that must be strategically managed to generate revenue, cover costs, and provide fair, transparent access to community organizations.   In most districts, that management is lacking. Most districts don’t understand the true cost of facility use, so they waive rental fees for outside organizations. Others allow groups—often nonprofits—to use facilities at deeply discounted rates, even when they charge fees for their events. That’s not only lost revenue—it’s the financial drain of subsidizing facility use that districts can’t afford.   Would any other public agency—think: city, park district, etc.—offer taxpayer-funded buildings for free, without documentation? Of course not. But in many public schools, that’s standard operating procedure.   Facility use is not the only area lacking financial discipline. Many districts fail to conduct cost analyses to align fees and expenses, leading to underfunded programs or misplaced budget priorities. Others are reactive, letting a financial crisis spur action. The result: School districts that have hundreds of millions of dollars in assets are forced to cut essential student services because they lack financial controls. When a district waives rental fees, fails to track facility use, or approves expenses without accountability, they may seem like small decisions. But they add up, until taxpayers pay the financial consequences.   This doesn’t mean public schools should run like corporations, or suggest schools should prioritize revenue over academics. Fiscal discipline isn’t the opposite of good education—it’s essential to funding it. School districts simply must become responsible financial stewards of public funds, including: ·Tracking how assets are used to ensure facility rental policies are fair, transparent, and cost-conscious. · Ending unexamined fee-waivers that subsidize some organizations while shutting others out. ·Embracing stronger financial accountability to ensure resources are allocated efficiently.   School districts can’t afford to keep operating on a cycle of financial crisis and reactionary cuts. If leaders don’t take control of their budgets now, endless shortfalls, declining services, and eroded public trust is their future. It’s not a policy debate—it’s a management imperative. If public education is going to survive the financial pressures of the next decade, it’s time for administrators to internalize and act on that. 

College affordability is not just about the tuition bill. That may be the case for families that can cover the costs of housing, food, transportation and other life expenses. But many current students are having trouble making ends meet -- and I'm sure the numbers are even worse for people who would like to enroll but can't afford it. Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) identified student supports and basic needs as a pillar of our attainment strategy in 2019. We may have been the first state in the country to do that. Our most recent basic needs survey https://lnkd.in/gWiATFVA showed the problem is growing and offered a number of specific insights, such as: -- 76% of parenting students reported struggling to afford needed childcare. -- 68% of parenting students reported experiencing insecurity.  -- Students reporting inadequate access to mental health care services is 32% higher than in 2022. #highered #basicneeds #waleg

I am thrilled that my first blog post for the Brookings Institute has been published 😀 : The Double-Edged Sword of AI in Education: 3 Critical Risks and How to Address Them As AI revolutionises education, we must approach its integration thoughtfully to enhance rather than replace human intelligence. In my recent Brookings article, I explore three key risks: 1. Overestimating AI's intelligence: Current AI systems fall short in grasping the complex, social nature of human learning. 2. Cognitive atrophy through overreliance: Delegating cognitive processes to AI may lead to diminished human capabilities. 3. The illusion of effortless wisdom: AI's emphasis on ease contradicts the valuable 'strenuous mental efforts' required for genuine learning. To address these challenges, I propose: 1. Empowering the education sector in AI development and regulation 2. Fostering flexibility in educational systems 3. Enhancing AI literacy and critical thinking 4. Positioning AI as a 'teammate' in education 5. Investing in advanced AI models for education 6. Addressing AI governance and data ownership As we navigate this crucial juncture, our choices about AI in education will shape not just learning but the future of our societies. We must strive to create AI systems that amplify human potential, fostering a generation of learners empowered by AI, not diminished by it. Read the full article to delve deeper into these critical issues and proposed solutions. https://lnkd.in/erPhiJ9W #SkinnyonAIED #AI #EdTech #Edchat #Leaders #innovation #technology #Learning #Students #Teaching #Edreform For more thoughts like this read visit: https://lnkd.in/gTaNTRkb

The African proverb, “When the music changes, so does the dance,” is highly relevant to this situation, emphasizing the need for adaptability. In a rapidly evolving world, the ability to adjust is crucial, especially in management education, where traditional methods quickly become obsolete. Developing ‘adaptive capabilities’ is essential for staying relevant and thriving amidst constant change. As Charles Darwin famously noted, “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive, but those who can best manage change.” Leading business schools exemplify this adaptability by rapidly incorporating contemporary subjects like artificial intelligence, sustainability, and ethical leadership into their curricula. These advancements not only align with global trends but also cater to the specific needs of local ecosystems. A striking example of adaptive agility was seen during the recent pandemic, as top-tier business schools transitioned seamlessly to hybrid learning models. These institutions creatively combined virtual platforms with experiential learning tools, ensuring academic continuity without compromising quality. The crisis stimulated educators to adopt innovative approaches such as virtual simulations, flipped classrooms, and AI-driven learning analytics, effectively preparing students to tackle challenges specific to India’s rural markets, SMEs, and urban industries. Real-time learning initiatives, like Industry-Academia Labs pioneered by institutions, emphasize the critical importance of experiential education. These programs bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and its practical application in dynamic business contexts. Recognizing the need to refine skills, many institutions have invested heavily in digital infrastructure, cutting-edge pedagogical tools such as case-based learning, design thinking labs, and advanced simulation exercises to equip students with competencies demanded by Industry 4.0. Government policies like NEP-2020 emphasize holistic, interdisciplinary, and skill-based education, fostering lifelong learning. This adaptability parallels the resilience of organizations like Reliance Industries, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Amazon have successfully diversified into new domains, demonstrating the resilience captured by the idiom, “The bamboo bends but does not break.” Flexibility and innovation remain essential for long-term success. Management education must prepare students with adaptive capabilities to address both foreseeable and unpredictable challenges. By nurturing agility, innovation, and resilience, institutions equip future leaders to thrive in uncertainty and master the shifting dynamics of a globalized world. As the African proverb aptly notes, “When the music changes, so does the dance,” emphasizing that adaptability is not just vital for survival but is the cornerstone of sustained growth and leadership in the 21st century.

🎓 Reflections on Shaping the Future of Higher Education in APAC with Bhavit Mehta, Senior Content Manager (APAC) at Times Higher Education 🌏 As we approach 2025, higher education in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region stands at a crossroads, navigating the transformative forces of digital innovation and sustainability. My recent meeting with Bhavit Mehta, Senior Content Manager (APAC) at Times Higher Education, offered a window into how strategic events and content are driving these changes. Bhavit’s role in orchestrating influential conferences like the Asia Universities Summit, Digital Universities Asia, and the Global Sustainable Development Congress highlights the power of well-curated platforms in shaping the future of education. Reflecting on this encounter, I’ve distilled key insights into the trends reshaping higher education in APAC and the critical role of communications in amplifying their impact. Digital Transformation: The AI Revolution in Education One of the most compelling trends is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technologies into higher education. In Singapore, the ministry of education is pioneering AI-driven tools for lesson planning and personalized learning, carefully balancing innovation with risks like cognitive outsourcing, where over-reliance on AI could weaken critical thinking skills (University World News). This initiative reflects a broader movement across APAC, where institutions are adopting technology to enhance educational outcomes. For example, in China, universities leverage big data analytics to predict student performance and provide early interventions, ensuring students stay on track. In India, virtual reality (VR) is gaining traction, enabling immersive learning experiences like virtual laboratory simulations or historical reenactments that make complex subjects more engaging. The OECD’s Trends Shaping Education 2025 report underscores this shift, suggesting that by 2025, most higher education institutions globally will integrate AI, with APAC leading due to its rapid technological growth and government support (OECD - OCDE Trends 2025). In Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has implemented an AI-driven platform that helps students manage schedules, track progress, and receive personalized feedback, boosting engagement and success rates (USM Website). Similarly, South Korea’s Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has developed an AI tutor for subjects like mathematics, adapting to students’ learning paces to improve outcomes (KAIST Website). More: https://lnkd.in/g5Sb8Sf2 #HigherEducation #EducationTrends #APAC #DigitalTransformation #Sustainability #ThoughtLeadership #TimesHigherEducation #ContentStrategy #InnovationInEducation #GlobalEducation #EventManagement #SustainableDevelopment #GreenJobs #LifelongLearning

In this new episode, Prof. Brahm Fleisch discusses how local context is important in setting. For example, in Nguni languages like isiZulu and Siswati, children can read as few as 40 words per minute and still comprehend a text because the words tend to be longer and more complex. In contrast, in Sotho-Tswana languages such as Sepedi and Setswana—with shorter words—learners typically need to read at least 65 words per minute to understand what they’re reading. This demonstrates that applying international reading benchmarks without considering local language structures can be both misleading and counterproductive. As more evidence emerges, it’s essential to maintain the structure of international standards while thoughtfully adapting them to reflect the realities of local languages and learning contexts. Listen to this insight and more on foundational learning on the learning changes everything podcast! https://shorturl.at/CsKe0 #Education #FoundationalLearning #ReadingOutcomes #EarlyGradeReading #LanguageMatters #EducationReformreading benchmarks.

IRCC has released the 2026 provincial and territorial allocations under its international student cap. For 2026, IRCC expects to issue up to 180,000 study permits to applicants who require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL). To determine PAL allocations, IRCC calculated how many study permit applications each province and territory would need to receive in order to meet their share of the 180,000 approved permits. Because not all applications are approved, IRCC based each jurisdiction’s allocation on its average approval rate in 2024 and 2025. For example, in British Columbia, IRCC has allocated 32,596 PALs, with the expectation that this will result in 24,786 approved study permits. The key takeaway is that, under this methodology, IRCC cannot allow approval rates to rise in 2026. Maintaining the national approval cap means that even if application quality collectively improves, approval rates must remain the same as in 2024 and 2025 in order to meet the cap. Applicants and their representatives therefore need to understand that they are effectively applying into a deterministic system, one in which improving the overall quality of applications will not result in higher approval rates https://lnkd.in/gJ4XNACj

🌱 15 Years in Development | Ep 03- The School on the other side... A few years ago, I visited a school in an Aspirational district—one that was ranked very low on key education indicators. Teacher absenteeism, poor student attendance, and dismal learning levels were the norm. We wanted to understand why. Accompanied by a government official, we set off on his two-wheeler. City roads gave way to uphill stretches, and soon we were navigating broken, stony paths where bikes frequently slipped. “One teacher recently broke his knee here and is still hospitalize,” the official said. “That’s why many are scared to come.” After 30 minutes, we had to get off and continue on foot—down narrow trails beside cliffs where a single misstep could be fatal. I was really scared. We finally reached a beautiful lake. The school was still on the other side. Teachers had to wait for a boatman—if he wasn’t there, they waited for hours. The lake? Infested with crocodiles. In certain months, it’s too dangerous to cross. I later learned that teachers came on Sundays, stayed in a rented cottage, taught Monday to Wednesday, and left Thursday—just in case they got stranded over the weekend. Students rarely came either—why attend when teachers often couldn’t? That day, I truly grasped the meaning of ACCESS in Education. It’s easy to judge from a distance—blame teachers or students—but the ground reality is far more complex. In places like this, life-risk outweighs lesson plans. Education is not just about curriculum or pedagogy. It's also about roads, transport, geography, safety, and infrastructure. And it’s about local context. As Educators, Policymakers, and Changemakers, we must go beyond classroom walls to understand the realities that shape learning. One-size-fits-all policies rarely work in India’s diverse landscape. We need localized solutions rooted in empathy and experience. That visit changed how I see Education forever. #EducationForAll #AspirationalDistricts #AccessToEducation #EducationMatters #SocialImpact #Leadership #RuralEducation #India #LearningBeyondClassroom