Cambridge University Press & Assessment hosts 2nd South Asia school conference

NEW DELHI: Cambridge University Press and Assessment has organised its 2nd annual South Asia Cambridge Schools Conference where around 400 educators, schools and thought leaders from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and the Maldives took part.

The conference was aimed at supporting schools, teachers, and learners in navigating the evolving education landscape, as per the official statement. The event was also set against the backdrop of a global demand for 44 million new teachers by 2030, it added.

The Cambridge University Press and Assessment has also announced new professional development programmes and qualifications, upskilling courses, pre-service teacher training, and short-term e-learning modules to grow the region’s teaching capacity, the university said.

Rod Smith, group managing director of international education at Cambridge, said: “At Cambridge, we are committed to preparing learners for a fast-changing world. To achieve this, we support teachers with professional development, we’re introducing digital exams to advance assessment, and we’re integrating AI to enhance learning. South Asia is becoming a hub of educational excellence, and we’re proud to collaborate with schools to build new programmes such as Cambridge Early Years and Climate Quest that will shape the future of education in this region and beyond.”

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Furthermore, other initiatives by the university comprises of climate quest for shaping climate resilience, cambridge connect, a programme to meet the needs of national high-stakes examinations, the March exam series to align with local admission needs, integrated learning and assessment for developing english as a skill, and young pioneers to foster an entrepreneurial mindset.

Recently, the Cambridge University Press and Assessment partnered with the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB) to boost academic skills and professional growth of students, pursuing bachelors and diploma degrees at the institution.

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Cambridge school recognition awards

Vinay Sharma, senior vice president, international education, south asia, said: “Our commitment to making international education accessible while maintaining the highest standards of quality is unwavering. We empower our schools to build a strong foundation around learning, teaching and assessment. Through this conference, our aim is to explore new ways in which we can work together to equip learners—not just to adapt but to excel in an era marked by rapid technological, societal, and economic shifts.”

Mark Winterbottom, professor of education, University of Cambridge; Sarah Hughes, head of research, international education, Cambridge; Sanjay Jain, head of Google for education, India; Lindsay Nadin, director of digital products and services, international education; Sue Brindley, faculty of education, University of Cambridge, including other speakers took part in the panel discussions.

The discussion was based on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom, digital high-stakes examinations and career pathways of the future.

Topics such as shaping mindfulness in the classroom, rethinking college-readiness for evolving career pathways, and equity in access to quality education were also discussed as part of the interactive session.

“Several schools were recognised for their academic excellence through the Cambridge School Recognition Awards given out during the conference,” the university said.