Global Scans · Quality Education · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

• [New] More students can deepen their study of mother tongue languages from 2027 as the Ministry of Education expands the Language Elective Programme at both the secondary and junior college levels. ST
• [New] From 2027, the Language Elective Programme will expand, adding schools for Chinese and Tamil languages to offer more students advanced mother tongue learning and cultural exposure. ST
• [New] The Ministry of Education will expand Tamil and Chinese language elective programmes and the Malay, giving more students opportunities to deepen their learning of mother tongue languages. CNA
• [New] Organizations that continue investing in scalable AI technologies, responsible innovation, and digital learning ecosystems are expected to strengthen their competitive position as global education increasingly embraces intelligent transformation. SNS Insider
• [New] In the second half of 2026, students from institutes of higher learning will have an Adulting 101 programme on key life transitions. ST
• [New] North Korea's consecutive enactment of strict social control laws, such as the Anti-Reactionary Thought and Culture Law and the Law on Ensuring Youth Education, is interpreted as a measure to preemptively block external information that could spread, particularly in border areas. FRS
• [New] As technology continues to advance, tech companies have pounced upon the opportunity to bring education systems around the world up to speed with the ever-more connected digital world and the proliferation of new tools like generative AI. Time
• [New] Corporate learning and development is projected to grow at a 30.62% CAGR through 2031, making it the fastest-growing end user group. Mordor Intelligence
• [New] Many states, including Maryland, Minnesota and Georgia, are focused on making sure they can approve programs that will meet federal metrics for demonstrating that students get a true return on their investment in education. The U.S. Conference
• [New] The top reasons younger generations choose their employer include good work / life balance (25% of Gen Z and 31% of millennials), learning and development opportunities, and high salary or other financial benefits (19% of Gen Z and 22% of millennials). TalentHR
• [New] The Machine Learning (ML) segment is predicted to lead with a share of approximately 44.6% in 2026, as agriculture already generates structured and repeatable data. Persistence Market Research
• [New] The UAE has become a global destination for higher education, offering students world-class learning opportunities and strong career prospects. ourinternational
• [New] By 2030, interdisciplinary learning and real-world problem-solving will become central to curricula. UniDAIM
• One of the biggest shifts by 2026 will be artificial intelligence (AI) being deeply embedded in learning platforms. TheTuitionE - Online Private Tuition - Dubai
• By 2030, the number of students from institutes of higher learning going on overseas internships in ASEAN member states, China and India will double to 3,000 annually, up from 1,500 today. ST
• To meet the demand for overseas exposure, there will be 8,000 more places in the Asia-Ready Exposure Programme by 2030, taking the total number of short-term overseas opportunities and overseas internships available for students from institutes of higher learning to 20,000. ST
• Industry initiatives like NYU Langone's Program for Medical Education Innovations and Research Projects are pushing for medical education structures that provide real-world learning applications and training to anticipate future changes. West Health Mosaic
• In a world where knowledge, tools, and work are changing quickly, institutions will create more value if they help learners return, reorient, and continue learning over time. Ithaka S+R
• In the United States, the increasing demand for high-opportunity neighborhoods, which promise better educational and economic possibilities, reflects an urban geography reshaped by inequality and housing instability. Shaping Tomorrow
• If AI is remaking the world-creating new problems and, perhaps, solving some of the most intractable ones-then the world will need what higher education institutions are uniquely positioned to provide: the deep expertise of faculty and researchers across disciplines. Educause Review
• Nearly 40% of the skills workers rely on now could change or become outdated by 2030, making adaptability and lifelong learning more important than ever. UN News
• By 2030, education will no longer be defined by location, age, or traditional qualifications, but by adaptability, personalization, and continuous growth. UniDAIM

Last updated: 03 August 2026