The Forum for World Education Thailand Conference

February 7, 2023

To discuss how we can shape the future of education to match global economic trends, the Forum for World Education Thailand Conference, held at the C.P. Leadership Institute in December 2022, brought together more than 400 thought leaders in person from business, government, and education as well as more than 120,000 online viewers from all over the world.

At the conference, Lydia Liu, a Principal Research Director at ETS, joined Abla Safir, a Senior Economist from the World Bank, Anthony Mann, a Senior Policy Analyst from OECD, and Alice Amegah, a doctoral candidate at the University of Cambridge to discuss, “Linking Industry, Education, and the Labor Market Workforce to Prepare Today’s Youth for the Future.”

Ed Dieterle, an Executive Director at ETS, joined Andreas Schleicher, Director of Education and Skills at OECD, Susan Sclafani, a Former Assistant Secretary of Education at the U.S. Department of Education, Khunying Sumonta Promboon, President of the Science Society of Thailand, Li-Kai Chen, Senior Partner and Managing Partner at Mckinsey & Company, and others for a session on, "Skill Gaps Around the World: Lessons From International Data From the OECD.”

Due to their lack of literacy, prime working-age adults globally earn and do less than they could and should. Without strong foundational literacy skills, workers cannot develop advanced skills (e.g., non-routine problem solving, critical thinking, systems thinking, interpersonal communication) that are the bedrock of jobs that cannot be automated easily and provide incomes that allow workers to become financially secure and economically mobile.

Both Lydia and Ed were honored by the invitation from Cheng Davis to speak at the conference. Dr. Davis is the Co-Founder and Secretary-General of the Forum for World Education. They are also grateful to Dhanin Chearavanont, Senior Chairman of the Charoen Pokphand Group, who help sponsor the conference.