In 2020, the global workforce lost an equivalent of 255 million full-time jobs, an estimated $3.7 trillion in wages and 4.4% of global GDP, a staggering toll on lives and livelihoods. While vaccine rollout has begun and the growth outlook is predicted to improve, an even socio-economic recovery is far from certain.
The choices made by policymakers, business leaders, workers and learners today will shape societies for years to come. At this critical crossroads, leaders must consciously, proactively and urgently lay the foundations of a new social contract, rebuilding our economies so they provide opportunity for all.
In this context, the Forum remains committed to working with the public- and private sectors to provide better skills, jobs and education to 1 billion people by 2030 through initiatives to close the skills gap and prepare for the ongoing technological transformation of the future of work.
Book Club
The changing role of libraries, according to a professor for children and youth services
The roles of libraries appears to be changing, with librarians reconsidering how they can work with local people to support their goals and aspirations.
Education, Skills and Learning
5 Skills Kids Will Need In The Future
Education, Skills and Learning
Opinion: What governments can learn from schools to solve the global education crisis
Only by incorporating solutions pioneered by schools on the ground can we begin to address worsening learning poverty and manage the global education crisis worldwide.
Education, Skills and Learning
Want to keep kids curious? Here are 5 key questions answered
Curiosity is present in humans from a young age, but factors like internet search engines, school settings and parenting styles can dampen this over time.
Future of Work
Here's why companies need to bridge the skills gap to benefit both business and society
Employers need to embrace upskilling for their workers to future-proof their business and reduce societal polarisation due to the skills gap.
The Metaverse
'Metaversities': 5 challenges of studying at college in the metaverse
More and more colleges are becoming “metaversities,” taking their physical campuses into a virtual online world, often called the “metaverse.”
SDG 04: Quality Education
Want to boost academic success? A sense of purpose and gratitude makes a significant difference
Students who had a sense of purpose and gratitude during the COVID-19 pandemic performed better academically and were more engaged, a recent study shows.
Space
What on Earth is the value of space?
Inmarsat’s platform 'What on Earth is the value of space?' aims to inform the public about the vital role space plays in facilitating development on Earth.
Education, Skills and Learning
This is how much the global literacy rate grew over 200 years
The global literacy rate currently stands at 87%, up from 12% in 1820. But as this Statista graph shows, strong regional - and gender - inequalities remain.
Education, Skills and Learning
This chart shows how student-teacher ratios vary around the world
Student-teacher ratios vary hugely around the world - and with the teaching profession under-staffed post-COVID, pupils' progress may suffer, warn experts.
Education, Skills and Learning
This Start-Up Lets Teachers Use Inclusive Channels To Create And Distribute Lessons
Education, Skills and Learning
More students are dropping out of college in the US – here’s why
A third of students dropping out of college in the US say it’s to look for a job, according to research. Rising costs are also a factor.