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Sustainability and the OECD 'Trends Shaping Education 2025'

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) every-three-years review of the future direction of all education has informed colleges and universities that they need to prepare for change in a world that is being revolutionized by generative AI, as they discuss how to advance the global aspiration of sustainability.

The Trends Shaping Education 2025 report highlights how improvements in artificial intelligence, virtual reality and other technology may revolutionize teaching and learning.

Such concerns are affecting the way education – and even higher education – is looking to build sustainability objectives, the OECD stated, emphasizing that its report is "aimed at provoking reflection and guiding strategic thinking on how global trends may reshape education and how education can make a better future possible".

At a launch event on Thursday 23 January, the OECD's director of education and skills, Andreas Schleicher, discussed in depth the technological and environmental trends that are shaping education today.

He stated the report must be considered as a resource for teachers and countries' education systems to facilitate a sense of 'human flourishing' in the midst of increasing uncertainty about the major disruptors of education – climate change, the pandemic, and the emergence of AI, to name a few.

"Climate change is going to turn our lives upside down much more than the [COVID-19] pandemic and AI is questioning nearly everything that we take for granted about education," he added.

The more rapidly the world is changing, the further ahead we must look, and this is becoming increasingly difficult for individuals to do, Schleicher went on. "All we ask from this publication is to get individuals to think about what are the factors that might form the future in different combinations?"

That encompasses how the world can be rocked to its social foundation by technological transformation, and how youth are responding. The report inquired: "How dramatically will technological advances and sustainability demands affect the demand for human labour and how humans interact with one another?"

Shifting priorities

Changing attitudes signal that, for more and more young people, work is no longer a central part of their self-definition. AI is opening up the ability of robots to collaborate with humans across various industries, so more of us will be working alongside smart machines in the years ahead.".

And while human relationships are still at the heart of caring for others, new technologies have the ability to revolutionize social interaction. With more time spent away from direct human contact, can education assist in preserving a sense of community and in developing socio-emotional learning and well-being?"

AI will certainly change the world, but "humans will stay at the centre", Schleicher argued.

So, the education systems of the future need to enable a transition in skills and lifelong learning, endowing the people with the capacity to learn, unlearn and relearn – capacities that are essential to survive in an uncertain world, he elaborated.

The balance of work and life is obviously changing, and with the growth of technology and AI, we will see it change even further. People will, at some point, be required to spend more of their time on other things than simply creating things for other people," he said.

This change requires us to prepare individuals not merely with information but with the capability to use it in novel ways and, as such, highlights the necessity for education systems to assist learners to develop critical thinking capabilities beyond mere processing of information.

"Our world no longer compensates us for delivering answers; it compensates us for asking the right questions," Schleicher stated.

This will need to involve vision and integrated higher education policies. And learning will need to look ahead to the consequences of future technological change on the way that human beings navigate a sustainable future, added the report.

"The demand for green jobs is increasing, yet a skills gap has the potential to hinder the transition and destabilize local labour markets. Likewise, the diffusion of recent innovations such as artificial intelligence is likely to automate many tasks and produce new ones, with new skill sets demanded."

Higher education and sustainability

In this context, the OECD report conceded that sustainability offers both challenges and opportunities for education systems.

Telling University World News about these matters following the report release, Dr Debra Rowe, president of the US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development and global champion for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, stated one of the concerns was preparing students to utilize technology like AI as a tool for changing societies to become sustainable.

That involves relocating goals and prestige from exclusively material and career personal objectives, to community, voluntary and emotional satisfaction in the activities of consumer, investor and civic participant for political regimes, policies and programmes. Technology will take on more technical and administrative functions that were once performed by trained humans.

"If there isn't as much work as in the good old days, human beings shouldn't be penalized for working hard to find jobs with economic uncertainty tied up in food or shelter or other necessities.".

A fundamental lesson in sustainability must be how the pie of well-being is divided and how it can be remade with the science-based knowledge that there is plenty on this world to enhance the quality of life of all significantly while securing the planet and its life-supporting systems for current and future generations," Rowe said.

"Students and non-students can be taught the possibilities of civic participation and policy influence in achieving human improvements. Tales of success stories of transitioning into sustainability can be presented in learning materials in every academic field."

Solving the biggest problems of our time

Considering that climate change "poses a threat to the stability of societies and economies around the globe, underlining the need for international co-operation", the OECD report wanted to know how education can promote learning about the global, regional and local aspects of these issues.

Actually, research collaborations are increasing and more individuals will be collaborating to address the world's most significant challenges, such as solving the climate emergency, Schleicher stated.

Acquiring skills to work an efficient economy and society is essential, asserted the OECD, posing the question: "How can education systems best help equip individuals with the right skills and support people in switching out of polluting industries so that no one is left behind?"

It went on to state that education may build capabilities and innovations that underpin a greener and more diverse energy sector, "while providing employees in the fossil fuel sector with opportunities to upskill or reskill.".

And the work is there. A sub-group of green 'new and emerging' jobs that make up 14% of sustainability-driven often high-skilled occupations like managers, professionals and technicians have "seen the most growth over the last ten years", the report stated.

In fact, when considering the wider climate agenda, the world needs to appreciate that real progress has already been achieved in this sector, Schleicher added.

He went on to say: "The world is changing. We can see very clearly that jobs in the clean energy industry have now overtaken jobs in the brown energy industry – people are in transition; they have switched careers and have used their skills in various manners. That is the reality and the good sort of forces that we see."

Education's contribution to sustainability

In addition, education can get consumers to improve sustainable behavior through purchasing decisions by promoting environmental literacy and sustainable behavior.

Stated the report: "Education plays a crucial role in promoting sustainability and supporting healthier, environmentally friendly lifestyles. Can it also help reshape attitudes toward consumption, materialism and the value of sharing?"

Education can also indirectly promote behavioral change by making new kinds of political participation and cultural expression possible, increasing innovative climate activism and advocacy, the OECD said. One of the major issues at play here is fighting disinformation and political polarization – routinely pushed by social media – that are "undermining constructive debate".

The report concluded: "How can education foster trust in democratic institutions and responsible citizenship to help societies address complex, systemic challenges?"

Debra Rowe has stated: "Students are frequently requesting and must be given assignments that give the knowledge and skills to empower students to deal with the complication of our societal issues with resilience and effective self and community care."

She added they also require guidance on functioning as change agents "who can facilitate scaling up for systems change at societal scales, including how to form coalitions and identify leverage points for change in society".

That involves abilities of working collaboratively to focus goals and bring about change, which demand effective emotional interpersonal and intrapersonal abilities, strategic thinking, thinking about the future, systems thinking and implementation capabilities.

AI and sustainability education

Presenters at the launch emphasized the promise of generative AI for such work, highlighting the need to approach AI in education empirically and evidence-based to avoid risks such as possible bias, the disproportionate effect it could have on some groups and the effect on students' cognitive and social development.

Anita Lehikoinen, a permanent secretary at the Finnish ministry of education and culture, stated: "Something that we ought to discuss about the deployment of AI is whether it liberates people from various socio-economic backgrounds on an equal level or does it just liberate those individuals who are further empowered due to their background?"

Singapore's deputy director general of the ministry of education, Chern Wei Sng, stated that his ministry had already started testing with AI technology and its potential uses in schools.

There are already AI tools that create teachers' lesson plans and assist in individualized learning, so it's a quite strong technology which can potentially enhance teaching and learning," said Sng. Nevertheless, teachers should evaluate the threat brought about by AI so that it will not become a type of cognitive outsourcing for students, which damages their adaptive learning capability and resilience.

Sustainability investment, ethics, politics

And regarding sustainability investment, the OECD reported that since "the era of cheap energy is over," schools and other centers of learning will have to struggle with mounting demands on their budgets, and energy bills sucking up resources that would otherwise be spent on staff or learning resources.

Therefore, energy efficiency and conservation not only makes good environmental sense, but it's good business: "Enhancing the energy efficiency of school buildings will save money in the long term and enhance sustainability."

Ethical leadership and political policy in building trading can also assist in enhancing sustainability – driven by empathetic and integrated education, the OECD observed: "While scientific collaboration has expanded, geopolitical tensions and trade dependencies on key raw materials threaten innovation and sustainability."

Observing that although COVID-19 had illustrated the worth of worldwide science collaborations, with diplomatic rivalry increasingly fierce between rival country-based states, "concerns around research security are on the rise.".

Education could assist in making the views run deeper that a globalized approach to resource development and innovation can be fruitful in enhancing sustainability, according to the report: "In constructing ethical frameworks, common purposes, and competencies to guarantee scientific and technological advancement profits humanity and the earth while protecting cooperation and security."

Lastly, the OECD moved to advise that education must lean towards making the elderly acquire sustainability awareness and capacity, as well as youngsters.

"How can this be met in formal, non-formal and informal education and training? How can education and training deliver good environmental literacy for all, and develop specialist skills for some?" the report asked.

'Human flourishing'

In a speech at the launch, Susan Acland-Hood, permanent secretary at the Department for Education in the United Kingdom, observed that it is vital to examine existing and evolving demographic trends when considering the future of education.

[There in the UK] we did take a lot of time last year right across the entire government to look in fact at demographic trends and the focus on learning for life," she added.

Acland-Hood asserted that sustainability will be hand in hand with education in the future, when human development's next phase – economical, ecological, social and cultural – ought to be based on the idea of human flourishing.

I think the most important addition to high-performing education systems, or human flourishing systems, is that humans must thrive and the planet must thrive for humans to truly thrive. It's two easy things: humankind and the planet," she said.

Rowe said to University World News: "With the acceleration in the rate of change with AI and maybe with the declining necessity for human labor, lifelong learning could be and ought to be cherished. That would be new provision for all ages. Students could learn how access to quality education can be expanded.".

"Mis- and dis-information skills should be a fundamental skill. Being able to understand the ways in which we have organized economies up until now and how we can reorganize them in the future gives us a space that is both creative and necessary for all students and community partners to learn about sustainability."

APG University Collaborates with Shimla Forest Division to Celebrate 75th Wildlife Week

APG University, in collaboration with the Shimla Forest Division Rural, marked the 75th National Wildlife Week with a special event held at the university campus on October 6, 2025. This significant effort is a great way to change the mindset of young people about wildlife conservation and environmental protection.

Students were eager to participate in different activities that aimed at teaching and motivation. The most important one was a speech competition based on the topic Single Use Plastic - A Threat to the Environment. The event motivated students to be proactive activists of plastic pollution and become responsible in nature protection.

Wildlife Week is celebrated every year on the 2nd to 8th October all over India to raise awareness of the need to conserve the rich biodiversity of the country. The 75th edition this year also saw the tradition of involving young people in conservation activities, emphasizing that education is key to a cleaner and greener future.

The program of APG University aligns with the national goal of empowering communities to become the custodians of wildlife and the environment. The university hopes that this might lead to the students' creativity, responsibility and lifetime commitment to conserve wildlife and the natural habitats.

“Your voice matters. Your actions matter. Be a part of the change!” stated the university’s message which encouraged students and the community to engage in environmental conservation.

As the country marks this critical week, APG University and Shimla Forest Division’s collaboration serves as a valuable example of how institutions can inspire the next generation to care for nature and wildlife.

Amity University: Everything to Know About This Leading Private University

Amity University is a renowned and one of the largest privately owned institutions of higher learning in India with a wide range of academic courses, modern facilities, and excellent relationships with the industry. Founded in the year 2005 by the Uttar Pradesh State Legislature, Amity University Noida has expanded rapidly to campuses across India and internationally including Dubai and London.

Scholastic Performance and Rankings.

Amity University is accredited by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and NAAC A+. It is ranked 32nd in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 among Indian universities. The university's business school is rated as one of the top 10 private B-Schools in India according to TIMES B-School 2025. Amity is also recognised globally with accreditation of its degrees, such as WASC (USA) and QAA (UK). As a result, its degrees are valued worldwide.

Courses Offered

Amity has a good selection of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral courses in several streams such as Engineering, Management, Law, Commerce, Science, Media, Design, and Health Sciences. Popular courses include:

B.Tech (CSE, AI and ML, Civil, Mechanical, ECE)
MBA (Marketing, Finance, HR, International Business, Entrepreneurship)
BBA (General, International Business, Family Business)
B.Arch (Architecture)
BCA (Computer Applications)
LLB/LLM (Law)
B.Sc (Biotechnology, Forensic Science, Nursing)

The university is adopting the modern job market and focusing on new areas such as artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, and forensic science.

Admission Process

Amity University administers its own test, the Amity JEE (Joint Entrance Exam), to gain admission to most undergraduate and postgraduate courses. There are other admissions in the form of national exams such as JEE Main, CAT, MAT and merit. The university has a straightforward selection procedure characterised by written examinations, interviews, and group discussions, depending on the course.

Fees and Scholarships

Depending on course and campus, the fee structure can vary. Indicatively, B.Tech costs between 1.5 lakh-4 lakh annually and MBA programs cost between 2 lakh and 5 lakh. Amity provides a number of merit-based, sports-based and economic background based scholarships to help deserving students.

Campus Life and Facilities

Amity University has state of the art campuses with modern classes, well equipped labs, libraries, hostels, sports complexes and innovation hubs. The university promotes interaction among students by way of clubs, cultural fests, entrepreneurial incubators and industry internships.

Career Prospects

Amity has good industry connections, which guarantee good placements with more than 90 percent of students getting placements every year in leading companies such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Deloitte. It has AI-powered mentorship and career guidance initiatives that enable students to acquire job-ready skills.

To sum up, Amity University is a leading institution in the country that deserves to be considered by every student interested in a variety of academic programs, infrastructure of the highest standards and relationships with various industries. Having reputable rankings, NAAC A+ accreditation, and international recognition, the university has a wide range of courses that are relevant to the current job market needs. Its candid admission process, competitive fees and strong placement track record will make it an appealing destination among aspirants across India.

If you want to be an engineer, manager, lawyer, or a newcomer in the world of forensic science and AI, you need an environment that will support you and enable you to become the future leader and innovator; Amity University offers it.

Training for green sustainable careers

The 7th International Conference on Sustainability Education (ICSE) at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, was timely. With the world against climate clocks and youths seeking meaningful jobs, the theme -Sustainability Education for Green Jobs - was a call in time.

ICSE has developed as a melting pot of innovation where concepts are moulded into actionable solutions. The subject for the current year, 'Green Jobs', captures the need to impart skills to young minds that will empower them to steer a green economy. "We need to link education to jobs so that our growth is with the world," Chairman Mobius Foundation Pradip Burman adds.

Education is still the passport to speeding up progress.

India's green job sector presently is in isolation. Even though demand for solar installation occupation, green building occupation, eco-agriculture occupation, waste management occupation, and circular economy solution occupation is increasing, supply of trained manpower is far behind. Green industry career opportunities are not illustrated before the students at all and vocational training courses are in the infancy stage and not so accessible.

Green awareness infrastructure and green skills in rural and semi-urban regions are lacking. Policy intervention has increased in recent years. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, NITI Aayog, and Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship have initiated action to embed sustainability into education and training systems. Environmental literacy, experiential learning, and vocational readiness are highly prioritized by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Implementation is uneven with a

There have also been attempts by private and non-governmental actors to fill this gap. Initiatives like that of the Mobius Foundation have initiated programs which connect education with real sustainability challenges - i.e., in poor communities. These are all short of spanning the scale that needs to be bridged if India's employment and climate goals are ever going to be met. One thing is certain: sustainability education can no longer be a bolt-on - it must become the central pillar of economic resilience. Unless there's a concerted effort at preparing young people for green new jobs, India will not only lose on climate, but decent livelihoods as well. While climate shocks and automation menace traditional jobs, the green economy can itself be a jobs creator - if harnessed. Three shifts shape the trajectory of green jobs for India. Education systems have to converge with market forces first. School, college, and skill center curricula have to provide courses on green technologies, green ways of doing development, and entrepreneurial skills. Second, it has to be inclusive. Youths, women, and other underprivileged groups need to be brought into this revolution through community-based training models, outreach, and scholarships. Third, industries have to actively cooperate with education providers in a bid to provide an sustainable supply of work-ready professionals and innovators.

Festivals such as ICSE are a sign of increasing consciousness about needs like these. But consciousness must be met with change. India not only takes the lead in the world in terms of clean energy production but also in producing a workforce driving the green economy. Leadership would be a matter of how quickly promise and practice meet halfway. With the ticking of the world climate clock, the call to action cannot be ignored.

The green jobs vision should never be a policy catchphrase. It needs to become a fact-of-life day-to-day reality - for students learning in classrooms, for workers training in facilities, and for communities wanting to build with a sense of sustainability. Sustainability education needs to emerge from the conference rooms and reports as a grassroots movement.

Lovely Professional University Provides Permanent Employment to Families of Punjab Flood Victims

Lovely Professional University (LPU) has proved to be a holistic institute. It shows its commitment beyond academics by offering permanent employment to family members of those who tragically lost their lives in the recent devastating Punjab floods. LPU Chancellor and Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Ashok Kumar Mittal spearheads this humanitarian effort to offer financial security and dignity to families impacted by the floods.

Dr. Mittal distributed appointment letters to the representatives of four affected families in the Jalandhar campus of LPU, on October 3, 2025, himself. The jobs offered are designed based on the eligibility and skills of the beneficiaries. This initiative followed Dr. Mittal’s announcement on September 5, promising to give jobs to one family member of each of the 43 individuals who died in the floods.

Dr. Mittal said at the ceremony, “This is not just about giving jobs; it is about offering dignity, security, and a chance to rebuild lives shattered by the floods. LPU is responsible for standing by Punjab in this crisis, ensuring no family is left behind.” Earlier, he had contributed ₹20 lakh to the Punjab Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to support ongoing rehabilitation efforts.

Heartfelt stories were shared by the beneficiaries. Deepika, a resident of Purana Bhangal in Mukerian, who lost her mother and home during the floods, said, “After losing everything, this job at LPU has given me hope and strength to rebuild life for my younger siblings and myself.” Another beneficiary, Gagan from Jugial, Pathankot, who lost his wife while rescuing children, said, “The job is a lifeline. It cannot erase my pain, but it gives me courage and the means to support my elderly parents with dignity.”

The officials of LPU have confirmed that permanent positions are already in place in some of the families and that the outreach process is ongoing to cover all eligible and needy families. Dr Mittal called upon corporate houses, philanthropists and community leaders in India to help in ensuring the long-term rehabilitation of the flood victims by stressing shared responsibility.

Apart from this remarkable initiative for the families of Punjab flood victims, LPU has an ongoing obligation towards community development and social responsibility. LPU has certain productive programmes/initiatives through its National Service Scheme (NSS) unit, which has more than 2,200 volunteers working in 24 adopted villages:

1.Support for education of underprivileged children

2. Health awareness programmes such as menstruation and polio vaccinations, blood donor programmes.

3.Environmental exercises such as tree plantation and cleaning exercises, and vocational skills-development workshops.

4.Students of engineering and architecture actively cooperate with the local government in the infrastructure development in the form of sewage systems, waterways cleaning, and urban planning that would withstand a disaster.

These long-term endeavours demonstrate LPU and its long-term commitment to inclusive growth, sustainability, and resilience of the communities around it, so that it can be a model of social awareness beyond the academic circles.

AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann have praised this effort as a ray of hope and an example of how to respond to a crisis through a combination of political leadership and social responsibility.

This initiative makes LPU not only a top educational institution but a socially responsible institution willing to restore lives and communities in Punjab.

JNU creates Animal Welfare Society to promote campus sustainability

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) became the first university in India to formally create a statutory organization solely focused on animal welfare with the founding of the Animal Welfare Society of JNU (AWS-JNU). The initiative was implemented under the leadership of Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit in compliance with the Ministry of Education's (UGC) and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Piyush Pratap Singh, JNU Animal Birth Control Committee Chairperson and Associate Dean of Students (III), will chair the new committee. Faculty members, staff, students, and outside experts such as well-known activist Gauri Maulekhi and Vipul Jain of PAWS Foundation will advise the society.

AWS-JNU will be targeting a number of programmesâawareness campaigns, creation of animal feeding grounds, research in animal law and ecology, student internships with SPCAs and clinics, and community outreach programmes for fighting human-animal conflicts.

The venture, according to Vice Chancellor Pandit, is not only designed to inspire sustainability but also to inculcate animal welfare into the university's academic and social life. "This project serves as a model for other universities by bringing together education, conservation of biodiversity, and eco-friendly living," she further stated.

The establishment of AWS-JNU, she also said, is in alignment with the letter and spirit of NEP 2020 and confirms India's constitutional commitment under Article 51A(g) to exercise compassion for all creatures.

A Young Schoolgirl Becomes SP for a Day in Sambhal: Mission Shakti Empowers Daughters

In a special and encouraging experiment in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, a young schoolgirl was made Superintendent of Police (SP) for a day under the state government program of "Mission Shakti.” As per the CSR Journal, this empowering initiative seeks to offer daughters in the region viable platforms to demonstrate leadership and prove the increasing role of women in law enforcement and service to the people.

The schoolgirl, chosen in this honourable position, spent the day learning the duties and difficulties of a Superintendent of Police (a senior position in the Uttar Pradesh Police force) in charge of law and order in a district. She met with police officers actively, observed the work, and took part in the discussion of crime prevention and community safety.

Mission Shakti is a forward-moving government program that tries to empower girls and women through education, skills development, and leadership. The program helps the youth in traditionally male-dominated areas develop confidence, awareness, and aspirations by providing young girls with experiential exposure to positions of authority, such as the SP post, DM, SP, ADM, and city magistrate. Multiple schoolgirls in Sambhal were given honorary administrative roles for a day to get exposure to governance and law enforcement functions.

Here’s the list of girls and their assigned positions:

Pallavi Sharma: District Magistrate (Sonbhadra)
Sejal Gupta: District Magistrate (Jaunpur)
Kumari Sanjeevani Rajesh: Chief Development Officer (Varanasi)
Kumari Unnati Pandey: District Programme Officer
Riya Srivastava: Project Director of DRDA
Sneha Sen Jaiswal: District Social Welfare Officer
Sakshi Singh: District Probation Officer (Ballia)
Khushi Verma: District Probation Officer (Ballia)

Mission Shakti Phase-5 campaign drew praise from officials and the public alike, emphasizing the importance of promoting gender equality and encouraging girls to dream big. It is a symbolic yet powerful step to shatter the social fences and have role models who motivate more daughters to join police, administration, and civic leadership careers.

This move rings loudly in Sambhal, a district where the role of women in the state and law enforcement has been gradual yet below the mark of potential. The sense of immersion that the schoolgirl is provided with shows the changing attitude and the active process of female inclusion in every sphere of public service.

These initiatives play an essential role in community-wide gender inclusion and safety efforts in India, which are in tune with central government initiatives and international pledges of gender empowerment for women. Through cultivating leadership potential at an early age and presenting female leadership personalities, Mission Shakti reinforces the idea that daughters have meaningful roles to play in creating a safer and fairer society.

This is not a ceremonial one-day appointment but a continuation of what has been done over time to train young girls in their rights, duties, and the numerous opportunities available to them in India today. She leaves a message behind her as she returns to her school and community and tells her peers and even the policymakers that the future of policing and leadership in the community is inclusive and has promise and potential as to what daughters can do.

Mission Shakti continues its outreach across Uttar Pradesh, ensuring daughters get the platform, encouragement, and respect they deserve to pursue a career in law enforcement and more- a critical measure of changing gender norms and empowering the next generation of leaders.

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