“A community like Ecolint is something we create together.” social inclusion and geopolitical
are helping them gradually construct the intellectual, personal and social resources they will draw upon throughout their lives. You have spoken about building on Ecolint’s strengths while further enhancing its academic excellence, impact and long-term sustainability. How do you balance continuity with innovation? I don’t see continuity and innovation as opposites. The question is: what must we preserve because it is fundamental to who we are, and where must we evolve because the world around us is changing? Ecolint has exceptionally strong foundations: its mission, international character, academic reputation, pedagogical heritage and, above all, the expertise and commitment of its people. A school with more than a century of pedagogical innovation behind it – and which was the birthplace of the International Baccalaureate – has a responsibility to remain agile, forward- looking and responsive to a changing world. That means continuing to innovate in teaching and learning, engaging
the future means giving them the tools and confidence to navigate uncertainty.
transformation as key challenges for education. Which do you believe will have the greatest impact on today’s students, and how can schools prepare them? It is difficult to isolate one because these transformations are interconnected. However, AI is probably the one whose impact students – and teachers – will experience most immediately, and whose consequences we are only beginning to understand. I see AI as an extraordinary opportunity, but certainly not as a substitute for learning and teaching. The more technology can provide information or automate certain tasks, the more important human qualities become: critical thinking, curiosity, creativity, judgement, collaboration, empathy and the ability to distinguish reliable knowledge from misinformation. Schools have a responsibility to teach students to use AI intelligently, ethically and critically. At the same time, climate change, inequality and geopolitical instability remind us why education must develop responsible citizens. Preparing students for
Having worked extensively in higher education, you’ve seen first-hand the skills and qualities young people need beyond school. Has that perspective influenced how you think about education at school level? Very much so. I sometimes describe it as a kind of educational “reverse engineering”. Having spent many years working with students from the age of 18 onwards, I have seen what helps young people flourish when they enter university and, later, professional life. Strong academic foundations matter enormously, but knowledge alone is not enough. I have consistently seen the importance of curiosity, adaptability, teamwork, self-confidence and the ability to transform ideas into action. One balance I value particularly is between ambition and humility; another is between having bold ideas and possessing the discipline required to implement them rigorously. School is therefore not simply about preparing students for the next examination or university application. We
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PARENT AUTUMN 2026 | 7
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