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School leaders convened in Bali to focus on future-ready education
Five new regional communities launched to support teachers across Southeast Asia and Pacific region
BALI, Indonesia, Dec. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The International Education group at Cambridge University Press & Assessment (Cambridge), has brought together more than 340 school leaders and teachers from around the world at an international conference in Bali, Indonesia, focused on preparing students to thrive in a rapidly changing future.
Cambridge Communities
The Cambridge Schools Conference (CSC) welcomed delegates from over 200 Cambridge International Schools across 37 countries. Bali, which is home to 19 Cambridge schools, provided the setting for the face-to-face CSC. The conference theme was drawn from Cambridge’s new report. Future-ready: Preparing learners to thrive in the future, and explored how schools working with Cambridge can equip young people with the resilience, adaptability and skills required in an era of global transformation.
Across the three-day conference, educators examined innovative approaches to teaching and leadership and shared best practice. Dr Ben Schmidt from Cambridge University Press & Assessment said:
“This conference was extremely valuable because it gave us the opportunity to hear directly from school leaders and teachers, to learn from their experiences, and to exchange ideas on the latest approaches to teaching and learning to equip our students for the future.”
New regional communities launched to support teachers
The conference marked the launch of five new Cambridge communities designed to support teachers and leaders across the Southeast Asia and Pacific (SEAP) region. This comes at a critical time for global education. According to UNESCO, the worldwide shortage of teachers is expected to reach 44 million by 2030[1]. In Indonesia alone, recent figures suggest a shortfall of approximately 1.3 million teachers, with some currently practising without formal certification[2]. The communities are:
- Cambridge Sustainability & Climate Action Community
Led by Jennifer Angeles of SIS Group of Schools, Jakarta, this community will explore how schools can embed sustainability and climate awareness into learning and everyday practice. Open to educators to join via Facebook, the group will support schools seeking to reduce their environmental impact, engage students in climate action, and foster a culture of responsibility for the planet’s future.
Jennifer said: “Because the world is changing, and so must we. Climate action is not just an issue — it’s here right now, and it’s affecting real lives and communities. This community is a space for teachers, educators, and educational leaders to share ideas, collaborate, and together make an impact that actually changes lives.”
- Cambridge Innovation & Entrepreneurship Community
Led by Manmeet Kaur, Humanities Teacher at HELP International School, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this community will focus on nurturing innovation and entrepreneurial thinking in the classroom. Discussions will centre on how to inspire problem-solving, encourage student-led initiatives, and build the confidence needed to turn ideas into action. This community is available to join through LinkedIn.
Maneet said: “The careers we have today may no longer exist in the next five to ten years, that’s why we must equip learners not just with technical knowledge, but with future-ready skills and an entrepreneurial mindset that helps them adapt, learn from failure, and thrive in change.”
- Cambridge Adaptability & Wellbeing Community
Dr Poonam Shokeen, Academic Director at SBS International School Chiang Mai, Thailand, will lead a community on Facebook focused on practical strategies to help students build adaptability and resilience. The group will also share approaches to strengthening wellbeing systems for both learners and educators.
Poonam said: “Through this community, educators will learn about ideas to support the wellbeing of their community. It’s very important that we learn from each other, take care of ourselves as educators, and develop strategies to fill our own cup of wellbeing so that we can support others, such as our students.”
- Cambridge Future-Ready Learning Community
Led by Matthew Gallagher from Nobel International School, Selangor, Malaysia, where he teaches Cambridge Global Perspectives & Research teacher, this Facebook community will connect educators exploring how future-ready learning is embedded across subjects and age groups. Conversations will highlight interdisciplinary approaches that nurture critical thinking, collaboration, communication and ethical reasoning.
Matthew said: “I’m welcoming teachers from all across Southeast Asia Pacific who are interested in improving their skills and making sure that their kids are prepared for the future. You’ll be able to learn from other teachers and myself on how best to support your kids moving forward.”
- Cambridge AI & Digital Skills Community
Led by Liam Egan, Head of EAL/EIP at UCSI International School Kuala Lumpur, this Facebook community will focus on thoughtful and responsible approaches to artificial intelligence in education. The focus is not on tools for their own sake, but on classroom practice, policy, assessment and professional judgement. For leaders, it offers insight into how schools are navigating AI thoughtfully; for teachers, it provides ideas, reassurance and the sense that they are not navigating this shift alone.”
Liam said: “AI is already shaping how students read, write, think and access information, but many schools are still figuring out how to respond in practical and responsible ways. This community allows educators to slow down, ask better questions, and focus on how AI can support learning without undermining core skills like literacy, critical thinking and human connection.”
Speaking about the rationale for creating the communities now, Kanjna Paranthaman, Regional Director, Southeast Asia & Pacific, for International Education at Cambridge, said: “Cambridge is a community of more than 10,000 schools across 160 countries. Within our SEAP region, one of the things we’ve realised is there’s a strong desire for educators to connect. With so much experience and knowledge available, we want to help them to gather and share best practice that will then translate to hundreds, if not thousands, of classrooms.”
References:
1. Global report on teachers: addressing teacher shortages and transforming the profession,
UNESCO, 2024.
2. Addressing Indonesia’s Teacher Shortage: Strategies and Collaborations for Quality Education
Tanoto Foundation. October 2023
Cambridge Schools Conference, Bali 2025
