By Dr Irenka Suto, Head of Secondary Curriculum for International Education at Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Imagine being a student in school today. You are moving through education at a time when everything feels like it's shifting: AI is opening up new opportunities (yet screen use is under constant scrutiny), higher education pathways and jobs are diversifying, and climate change and geopolitics are creating uncertainty. Against this backdrop of change, you are trying to decide where to focus your efforts and how best to prepare for the future.

It is this context that prompted Cambridge to launch a global consultation on future-readiness. We wanted to understand how students are experiencing education and what they, and their teachers, think are the most important skills, knowledge and attributes to develop to thrive in the future.

The response was fantastic – we heard from over 3000 teachers and nearly 4000 students in 150 countries, as well as experts across the education sector. We published the findings in our report, Preparing Learners to Thrive in a Changing World, and I explored some of them at my session at the 44^th COBIS Annual Conference. 

Student perceptions of future readiness

Fewer than half of students we surveyed feel prepared for their next step in education (48%) or their future beyond it (45%). But teachers are more confident: 67% feel their students are well prepared for their next step in education, and 59% say their students are well prepared for life after education.

The perceptions of teachers support Cambridge’s view that students are more prepared than they think. Last year I led a research study* into the ‘future skills’ developed through Cambridge International AS & A Levels. We analysed the syllabuses, specimen papers and mark schemes for four subjects – we’ve since analysed more – and found extensive evidence of complex (and simpler) thinking skills. We particularly focused on three areas – systems thinking, problem-solving and metacognitive skills – and found them to be embedded across all subjects.

So, if the evidence shows that students are developing ‘future skills’, why do they underestimate their preparedness? It suggests that as educators we need to make skills development more explicit in our resources and in the classroom. By helping students recognise the skills they are developing, we will support their confidence, wellbeing and motivation as they will have a better understanding of how their studies will serve them in the future.

Why we need to reframe subject knowledge

Another significant finding is around subject knowledge, which is not always perceived to have long-term value. When presented with a list of skills categories, knowledge and values, both teachers (81%) and students (73%) considered subject knowledge to be critical for students’ next step in education, but it was the least selected option when considering what is important for life beyond education. In qualitative interviews with teachers and students, we heard that AI is reducing the value of knowledge.

However, at Cambridge we believe that knowledge is even more important in an AI era. Using AI as a shortcut will not reap rewards long-term or develop the skills employees need. We must help students understand that knowledge has a lasting value because it’s the foundation on which skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking are built – and these skills are crucial for using AI tools effectively in life beyond education.

Helping students learn how and when to use digital tools is also relevant here. We recently updated our Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary Digital Literacy curriculum to support younger children in becoming AI and media literate, as this is a vital step towards future-readiness.

Creating connections in the classroom

Our research also uncovered areas of student anxiety which are impacting overall wellbeing and the development of key interpersonal skills.

Specifically, 61% of teachers say fear of judgement is a challenge in helping students develop interpersonal skills, with 25% of teachers selecting this as the single greatest challenge. It highlights the need for schools to create inclusive classrooms where students can express opinions and argue respectfully.

At the COBIS Annual Conference I explored how conflict resolution can be taught explicitly as part of our Wellbeing curriculum for 5- to 14-year-olds. Equipping students with strategies such as the LEAD model – Listen, Empathise, Acknowledge (and apologise) and Do something – helps them to resolve tensions and move forward.

Through our research, we have identified wellbeing as an area where schools need more support. The challenges schools are facing also surfaced in the 2025 COBIS Annual Research Survey, with schools reporting increases in wellbeing and mental health issues in the past two years. We are working to extend our Wellbeing curriculum to Cambridge Upper Secondary and Advanced stages to help schools offer a whole-school approach.

There are many other initiatives in development following this research, and we are grateful to everyone who has shared their insights, including participants at the COBIS Annual Conference. Together, we can help empower students to navigate and shape our changing world.

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References

*Research Matters, Issue 40 November 2025: Filled with skills: An analysis of four International AS and A Levels – Dr Irenka Suto, Sarah Nelson, Judith Roberts, Aman Sidhu and Lesley Spence.