“We should think about our schools as laboratories for our brain. How do we use data, Artificial Intelligence, neurology, biology, psychology and all of these things to maximize the way the brain works? Schools should be about teaching us how to adapt, and then we will adapt throughout life.” Brett Schilke Director of Impact at Singularity University The Wellington College China Festival of Education originates from the Festival of Education held by Wellington College in England. Since its inauguration in October 2015, the China Festival has enjoyed similar success. Large numbers of participants attend this annual event to take part in workshops and conversations that relate to the biggest and most important questions facing modern education. The evolution of education is a process that is constantly being revised, reviewed, and renewed, and the Festival of Education aims to remain a relevant and effective part of that process. With the Festival showing the same positive development every year, experts from around the world can gain insights and observe trends in the industry together through this inspirational event. The Future of Education: Beyond Technology? In a world that is constantly adapting to social, economic, environmental, and technological changes, understanding how to adapt and integrate change into daily teaching has become an important topic of conversation and debate. It is for this reason that the Festival of Education has invited a number of remarkable guests to host workshops and presentations relating to the theme of this year’s Festival ‘The future of education’. The Wellington College China Festival of Education never fails to provide an inspiring line-up and this year is no different. Alongside over 30 speakers, we are delighted to host the following headliners. Brett Schilke Director of Impact at the University of Singularity in Silicon Valley Brett is a globally-recognised expert on the future of learning and the future of work, who currently leads and develops initiatives to redesign the global K-12 education system at Singularity University. He is the co-creator of the City X Project, a problem-solving, design, and engineering course for children that is used in more than 75 countries and nationwide across China. Brett’s first book with Rockport Publishers, Adventures in Engineering for Kids, will be released in May 2020. An education innovator and community instigator, Brett will discuss reshaping learning to prepare children and adults to positively impact our world during this year’s Festival of Education.
Greg Chivers
Novelist and TV Producer
A factual television producer best known as the showrunner for ‘NASA’s Unexplained Files,’ and ‘What on Earth?’ on the Science Channel, Greg has more recently focused on writing; his debut novel The Crying Machine is a thriller that links power, religion, and artificial intelligence. The Crying Machine imagines new political factions of the future and asks some thought-provoking questions about how far humanity’s obsession with technology should go. With more than 20 years of experience in documentary-making and now writing, Greg is likely to inspire audiences at the Festival of Education to think about their own use of technology and how it can be implemented (but not exploited) for the betterment of humanity.
