How can I reimagine education at my school and prepare it for the future? That was the initial proposal of the Bett Meeting - Administrators' Forum featuring Xavier Aragay of Spain, president of Reimagine Education Lab.

Author of the book *Reimaginando la educación* (Paidós, 2017), an international consultant and speaker, Aragay has more than 25 years of experience in leadership, change management, and educational innovation at institutions such as the Fundació Jesuïtes Educació, the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, the Vall Hebron Institute of Oncology, and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. As the head of Reimagine, he coordinates teams dedicated to supporting, encouraging, and implementing processes and experiences of disruptive innovation in educational institutions through their own original models for reimagining education.

In his interaction with the audience of educational administrators and coordinators who attended the online meeting, Aragay was emphatic: “Take a little time now to shape the future. It’s clear that there are day-to-day challenges to deal with, but they can’t take up 120% of your time. We need to dream of a new future for education. This is the most important message because, otherwise, the future will pass us by.” 

The Spaniard spoke about how educational institutions are subject to multiple pressures: social pressures, stemming from changes in family values; educational pressures, with different teaching methodologies emerging every day; and administrative pressures, stemming from regulations, laws, and inspections.

“We also face pressure from technological innovations. We are now in a new landscape that is unknown to humanity. In addition to cell phones and electronic devices, we now have Artificial Intelligence. It is an entirely new situation that we will face in the coming years, something that will have a direct impact on the way we teach and learn,” said Aragay.

He pointed out that schools and universities must prepare for profound changes in the structure of educational institutions and in the teaching and learning process. For Aragay, it will be essential to envision a future in which students experience personal growth, emotional well-being, and a sense of connection with themselves and with their fellow students. “What kind of graduates do we want to produce? We want a future with students who are creative, independent, and able to work as part of a team. Learning should not be seen as an end in itself, but rather as a means to an end,” he emphasized. 

In this regard, the president of Reimagine Education cited the “Inner Development Goals (IDG)” initiative as an example of how a focus on developing life skills is the essence of education. The IDG was launched in March 2022 in Stockholm, Sweden, following years of work by a collective of social, educational, business, and institutional organizations from various countries, primarily in the Western world.

See also:

• Personalized Learning: A Tool for Educational Innovation
• When Education Meets Innovation
• "We have to teach students to think for themselves and to collaborate," says Cláudia Costin

The IDG initiative aims to promote personal development through research and the collection of experiences based on scientific and methodological principles. The central idea is that, without a personal, holistic change, it will be very difficult to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the UN.

“We need to look beyond the technical aspects of the SDGs and recognize that without the inner development of the individual and their relationships with others, we will not achieve the fundamental change necessary for humanity to attain the SDGs,” Aragay reflected.

And what is needed to usher in a new era of innovation that will prepare educational leaders for the future? The Spanish expert cited three elements that are essential for educational leaders: time, purpose, and support.

“The first is to take a step back and spend quality time with your team to reflect and share new perspectives. The second is to have a clear, forward-looking purpose, while being aware of the changes that lie ahead. And finally, it’s essential to accept help from people who have more experience,” explained Aragay.

At the end of the Bett Meeting, Bett Brasil’s Director of Content, Adriana Martinelli, revealed that Aragay had confirmed he would attend the 2025 edition of the event in person.

The Bett Meeting—Managers' Forum is an initiative of Bett Brasil, the largest event for innovation and technology in education in Latin America, designed to bring together administrators and coordinators from public and private schools.

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