Sigrun Aasland
Minister of Research and Higher Education, Norway
Sigrun Aasland is Norway’s Minister of Research and Higher Education, with responsibility for research, higher education, tertiary vocational education and skills policy. Before joining the government, she held leadership positions in the environmental organisation ZERO and the think tank Agenda, and has experience from organisations including Norfund and the World Bank. At the conference, she will bring a Norwegian policy perspective on lifelong learning, skills development and the relationship between education and the changing needs of society and working life.
Andreas Schleicher
OECD
Andreas Schleicher is Director for Education and Skills at the OECD. He initiated and oversees the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and other international instruments that have created a global platform for policy-makers, researchers and educators across nations and cultures to innovate and transform educational policies and practices.
He has worked for over 20 years with ministers and education leaders to improve education. Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said that Schleicher “understands the global issues and challenges as well as or better than anyone I’ve met, and he tells me the truth”. Former UK Secretary of State Michael Gove called Schleicher “the most important man in English education” – even though he is German and lives in France. He is the recipient of numerous honours and awards, including the “Theodor Heuss” prize, awarded in the name of the first president of the Federal Republic of Germany for “exemplary democratic engagement”. He holds an honorary Professorship at the University of Heidelberg.
onference contribution:
Andreas Schleicher will bring a broad international perspective on education, skills and policy will contribute to the conference, with a focus on how lifelong learning systems can respond to changing skills needs and prepare individuals and societies for the future. His broad international perspective on education, skills and policy will contribute to the conference discussions on how lifelong learning systems can respond to changing skills needs and prepare individuals and societies for the future.
Anastasia Pouliou
Cedefop
Anastasia Pouliou is an Expert in Qualifications and Credentials – Future of VET at the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop). Her work focuses on qualifications, micro-credentials, learning outcomes and the future of vocational education and training, and she currently leads Cedefop research on micro-credentials for labour market education and training. Her expertise will bring an important perspective to the conference discussions on recognition, flexible learning pathways and the role of micro-credentials in lifelong learning and qualifications systems.
