From March 29 to 31, I had the opportunity to participate, in London (England), in the Bett Show UK, the world's largest education and technology trade show. Over the course of three days, the event brought together educators and more than 600 companies of all sizes from various countries, as well as educational brands and startups offering solutions for all educational scenarios, challenges, and budgets.

As expected, issues related to the use of artificial intelligence in education—particularly the ChatGPT —took center stage in the debates held in the United Kingdom, but there was also significant attention and interest in other topics, such as social-emotional learning and tools that schools and universities can use to develop students’ social-emotional skills.

It was very interesting to learn about the innovations and proposals developed by edtech companies, which presented numerous solutions focused on new curricula, learning tools and platforms, and the use of machine learning to personalize the teaching and learning process for students. On another front, concerns about the digital security of educational institutions were highlighted, particularly with regard to ensuring privacy and data protection.

I had attended the event in 2020, just before the pandemic began, and returning to Bett UK in the current context was a very rewarding experience. There, it became clear that, overall, the sector has been recovering from the challenges posed by the prolonged pandemic. On the technological front, two points caught my attention: 1) the focus remains on humanizing technology; and 2) technology has never been more important for ensuring quality, connected, and humanized learning.

The Brazilian delegation to the United Kingdom, home of King Charles III, consisted of more than 150 members and was organized by Bett Brasil, to whom I am immensely grateful—specifically to Claudia Valério and Adriana Martinelli. In addition to participating in the event, we also conducted technical visits to institutions such as King’s College, the Ashcroft Technology Academy, and the Open University, where I gave a lecture and presented the main priorities of our Forum. It was an important opportunity for exchange not only with the educational institution but also with Brazilians working there as researchers.

There’s no doubt that these were days of intense learning and many exchanges for all Brazilians who had the opportunity to be there. However, the good news is that soon—between May 9 and 12—much of what happened in London will be replicated in São Paulo, SP, during Bett Brasil 2023. In fact, Bett Conect@—a relationship-building and networking program—will be launched during the event, and, running concurrently, Ahead will take place, an event focused on higher and vocational education.

It’s wonderful to see the world returning to normal and to be able to participate once again in events of the caliber and significance of Bett UK. But what’s even more incredible and important is having access to so much information and seeing the number of people committed to building an education system that is more closely aligned with the demands and unique challenges of our times.

Even though we’ve been emphasizing for some time now that technology and education are inseparable, the possibilities and solutions being developed are truly surprising. There are so many incredible things on the horizon. A new kind of education and a new world are taking shape, and I definitely want to be part of this journey.

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*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bett Brasil.