C A S E S T U D Y that mirror real-life work situations, such as conducting a performance review or introducing yourself at a conference.
And the need is only growing – by 2030, 65 % of the skills required for jobs will have changed. Helping people keep up with that pace is one of the most important challenges we face.
How do you keep up with ever-changing technology?
Honestly, it takes work. I read widely, listen to podcasts and rely on the brilliant people around me. The pace of change means there’ s always more to learn, and I try to stay curious.
We’ re serious at Pearson about helping learners succeed in a fast-changing world. That’ s why we’ re investing in research and development and partnering with leading tech companies like Microsoft, Google and AWS. Today, over 80 % of our products are digital or digitally enabled, but it’ s not just about building technology. It’ s about making sure that technology works for real learners and is underpinned by learning science.
That matters even more in places like the Middle East, where education systems are evolving quickly. We’ ve seen how important it is to strike the right balance between global consistency and local relevance, building solutions that feel tailored to each context.
A big part of keeping pace is helping people build the skill of learning itself. In a world where careers are constantly changing,‘ learning to learn’ is becoming a real superpower. It’ s something we’ re championing more and more – in schools, in training and in the workplace. The research supports that too, showing that teaching learning skills can accelerate progress by up to seven months in just one year.
Are there many differences in the way people learn in different countries?
Yes, but what’ s consistent is the commitment teachers show in the classroom. Many of the challenges they face, like motivating students and keeping them engaged, are also the same wherever you go. That said, approaches to learning can look quite different depending on culture, language and economic context – and how each education system is set up.
In the Middle East, for example, there’ s been a strong focus historically on memorisation and exam performance. But that’ s changing. The UAE is now championing innovation and bringing more practical skills into classrooms. In Saudi Arabia, we’ re seeing real momentum around digital literacy, critical thinking and lifelong learning, especially through international collaboration.
Language plays a big part, especially when it comes to English learning. A learner’ s first language can influence everything from pronunciation to the pace at which they progress. That’ s where Pearson’ s Global Scale of English( GSE) comes in. It gives teachers a clear and flexible way to set personalised learning goals, adapt lessons to each learner’ s needs and show progress in a way that feels motivating. Policymakers around the world are also increasingly sharing best practice, and we’ re doing the same. It’ s helping the whole sector learn faster from each other.
What matters most is designing solutions that work in context. Being global doesn’ t help if it doesn’ t work in-country.
Does AI improve student outcomes across diverse socioeconomic groups?
There are encouraging signs it could, and for me, that’ s one of the most exciting parts of this transformation. Personalised, AI-driven tools can help level the playing field for learners who might otherwise be left behind.
That said, access matters. AI only acts as an equaliser when the tools and infrastructure are available to all students. That’ s why we design AI-powered tools to be flexible, culturally respectful and relevant across a wide range of learning environments. With the right design and intentional distribution, AI can help bridge learning gaps and support better outcomes for more students.
Personalisation is also critical for equity. I’ m particularly excited about AI’ s potential to support learners with additional needs. It allows children with different types of learning needs to access more content, in more ways and ultimately to have a better learning experience.
We’ re already seeing this play out in places like the UAE, where AI is embedded into the education system as early as kindergarten. National strategies are prioritising AI fluency and global competitiveness – and the country now ranks third in the world for attracting AI talent.
At the heart of it, we just want to help every learner achieve better outcomes, no matter where they start from. ✓
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