Andreas Schleicher to open Reimagine Education 2026 in London

QS Quacquarelli Symonds has confirmed that Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)., will deliver the opening keynote at the QS Reimagine Education Awards and Conference 2026, held from 6 to 8 December at the InterContinental London – The O2.

Reimagine Education is QS' flagship gathering for the leaders shaping the future of higher education, bringing together university presidents and vice-chancellors, ministers, educators and innovators to confront the decisions shaping the decade ahead. The 2026 edition focuses on four themes: the Future University, the Future of Skills and Work, the Future of Learning, and the Future of International Education.

Schleicher initiated and oversees the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the world's most influential comparative study of education systems, and has worked for more than two decades with ministers and education leaders to raise the quality and equity of education. His keynote on the morning of Monday 7 December will set the tone for the conference, outlining the challenges for education in keeping pace with the rise of new technologies whilst equipping learners with the right knowledge and skills.

During the conference, Schleicher will also speak on the panel Power, Policy and the Future of Education and Skills, along with ministerial representatives and join Proof of Thought, an invitation-only roundtable convened by QS with the OECD and Macat. The roundtable brings together policymakers and higher education leaders to examine the policy decisions shaping the next generation of universities, and reflects QS’ role as a strategic partner to governments and institutions.

On Tuesday 8 December, Stéphan Vincent-Lancrin, Deputy Head of the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI) and a Senior Analyst at the OECD will take part in a fireside chat exploring: how technology can genuinely widen access to excellent learning, meaningful work and social mobility and how HEIs can mitigate the risks posed by new technology such as LLMs, especially in assessment.

“Andreas Schleicher has worked tirelessly to give the world a common language for understanding how education systems perform. To have him open Reimagine Education 2026 is a privilege, and it speaks to the ambition of the conversation we want to host: not incremental reform, but a serious look at the decisions universities and governments must take now to stay distinctive, trusted and relevant.”

Jessica Turner, Chief Executive Officer, QS Quacquarelli Symonds

“AI and digital technologies are reshaping education worldwide, challenging us to rethink how we develop and assess the knowledge and skills we value most. International exchange and collaboration are essential to identifying promising approaches and putting them into practice.”

Andreas Schleicher,  Director for Education and Skills at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)