Educators from 65 countries gathered at the Cambridge Schools Conference to discuss the future of learning. The conference attracted both first-time attendees and returners, with almost as many newcomers as veterans of the event.
Neslihan Okutgen, from Istanbul, Turkey, whose school opened in 2025, was a newcomer to the conference. She attended the conference to learn about the benefits of becoming a Cambridge school and to find opportunities to collaborate with other school leaders.
Dr Lusungu Kumwenda, founder and school director of Totally Kids Daycare and Nursery in Lusaka, Zambia, was attending the conference for the second time. She established her school in 2019 and has since expanded it to span Early Years through to Year 5. Dr Kumwenda values the Cambridge curriculum for its relevance to a generation of Zambian children who are growing up in a global village.
The Cambridge curriculum aligns with Zambia’s new National Education Policy 2025 and Competence-Based Assessment tools, which focus on critical thinking, digital skills, and real-world training. Dr Kumwenda notes that the Cambridge curriculum promotes engagement, responsibility, reflectiveness, and confidence through its Learner Attributes, which are essential for developing well-rounded individuals.
Dr Kumwenda is particularly interested in Cambridge’s approach to climate change education, given the direct impact of climate change on daily life at her school. Zambia’s 2024-2025 drought forced her school to cut back on some activities to conserve power, but it also inspired a move towards solar energy and gave pupils a first-hand understanding of climate change.
Inspired by climate change education experts at the conference, Dr Kumwenda plans to develop a climate-smart project with her students. She values the conference for providing a platform to network with colleagues and learn from their experiences with the Cambridge curriculum.
Conference Attendees
Attendees were both first timers and returners. A show of hands revealed almost equal numbers. Newcomers included Neslihan Okutgen.
Her school teaches nursery through secondary level. She sought connection and collaboration.
Returners included Dr Lusungu Kumwenda. She attended the conference for the second time.
