Reimagining Teaching in an Accelerating World

Foreword

The International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) aims to support the teaching profession in meeting the formidable challenges of 21st century education. In March 2026, the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research, the OECD, and Education International are bringing education ministers, union leaders and other teacher leaders together for the 16th gathering of the Summit, under the theme ‘Switching gears: Teachers and Learners in the Future Learning Environment’.

One of the secrets of the ISTP’s long-standing success is that the summit explores difficult and often contested issues in a setting where ministers and union leaders talk with each other, rather than about each other, drawing on sound evidence provided by the OECD, the global leader in internationally comparative data and analysis.

This report provides the background for the 2026 ISTP.

Theme one: reimagining the teaching profession

The first theme of this year’s ISTP invites us to step back and look closely at how the teaching profession is evolving. We are living in a world shaped by overlapping global challenges and breathtaking technological shifts. When changes accelerate this quickly, education cannot simply tweak at the margins. We need to rethink learning itself, redesign how we teach, and ultimately reimagine what it means to be an educator today.

The question is no longer whether the teaching profession is changing - it already is. The question is whether we are shaping that change or merely reacting to it. How do we nurture a profession to be agile enough to navigate uncertainty, confident enough to embrace the unknown, and generous enough to empower students to do the same? How do we strengthen the human core of education, such as relationships, collaboration and trust, at a time when everything else seems to be speeding up?

As teaching evolves, so too must our understanding of how one becomes a teacher. The traditional, linear pathway into the profession is no longer the default choice for many talented young people. Careers today are longer, more varied and less predictable. As a result, education systems must adapt. Supporting people who choose teaching is not just a matter of training and recruitment. It is also about purpose and professional identity.

Theme two: autonomy, trust, and the power to innovate

The second theme focuses on a simple idea with transformative potential: professional autonomy. Education systems everywhere face the same dilemma of how to attract new talent while also nurturing the professional growth of the current teacher workforce. When properly supported, professional autonomy can be a powerful lever.

But autonomy is not a free-floating concept. It only becomes meaningful when grounded in collaboration and built on trust. Trust in school leaders to guide change with vision and care. Trust in teachers to shape their classes and implement curricula with competence, integrity and accountability. And trust in students to take ownership of their own educational journeys.

Getting the balance right between autonomy and collaboration is not a technical detail, it is the backbone of resilient, future-ready education systems. At the heart of that system stands the teacher: reflective, responsible, accountable, and deeply aware of their own practice. The policy challenge is clear and urgent. How can policymakers and the teaching profession work together to build and sustain systems that are not governed by compliance, but powered by trust?

Theme three: turning AI into an educational ally

Education systems are trying to keep pace with technologies that are advancing faster than ever. That race presents both a remarkable opportunity and a profound responsibility: to integrate educational technology, especially artificial intelligence, in ways that genuinely empower educators and help every learner succeed.

AI is no longer something on the distant horizon. It is already reshaping classrooms, workflows and learning experiences. The real question is not whether AI belongs in education, but how we use it wisely. How do we make AI a tool that amplifies human judgement rather than replaces it? And how can it help us tackle some of education’s most stubborn challenges - from widening access to high-quality learning, to creating more personalised pathways that help students catch up, stay motivated, and move forward with confidence?

Used thoughtfully and grounded in evidence, AI offers the chance to modernise education by enabling teachers to focus on what is most important. It can also sharpen insight into student needs, and support teachers and learners where they need it most. But these opportunities will only lead to tangible results if education leaders have a clear sense of how they want education to develop.

Andreas Schleicher

Director for Education and Skills and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General