3FOOD

Third Industrial Revolution Consulting Group
By mid-Century, if not sooner, a sizeable percentage of people employed around the world will
be in the nonprofit sector, busily engaged in advancing the social economy, and purchasing at
least some of their goods and services in a highly automated capitalist marketplace.
John Maynard Keynes’s futurist essay, written more than 80 years ago for his grandchildren,
envisioned a world where machines have freed up human beings from toil in the marketplace
to engage in deep cultural participation in the social economy in the pursuit of more lofty and
transcendent goals. It might prove to be his most accurate economic forecast.
Preparing students for the opportunities and challenges that accompany the transition into a
Digital Luxembourg and a Third Industrial Revolution economy requires a fundamental
rethinking of the nature of education. According to the Pearson survey on Education and Skills
for Life, which ranks the top performing public school systems in the world, Luxembourg is not
included among the top 40 educational systems, suggesting that Luxembourg will have to
undergo a steep transformation in its educational practices.
Education, Elucidation and Information
The Working Group makes compelling arguments about the need for transforming the
educational experience so that youngsters obtain early experience on what it means to be
enterprising and “digitally savvy.” Transversal skills such as critical thinking and reflection,
systems thinking, networking, empowering and participation are future key factors for bringing
about positive economic and social change. In relation to TIR, two topics must be addressed: 1)
the identification and education of future-proof skills to meet labor market needs and 2) the
use of new technologies for knowledge transfer.
To fit the requirements of 21st Century, students should learn in a social and participatory way.
Input from the business community and civil society should be included in school curricula.
Interdisciplinary projects linking theory and practice could enrich education and widen
student’s horizon. A crucial aspect to ensure a high quality of education is the training of
teaching staff. Teachers need a high level of digital literacy to impart digital knowledge and
skills.
This is well recognized by the Ministry of National Education, Children and Youth, in its efforts
to prepare schools and students to the challenges of the 21st Century. The aim of Luxembourg’s
schools is to form young people able to adapt to a fast changing environment. Therefore,
learning situations favoring comprehension of society and the world, individual fulfilment, and
personal well-being must be created. Skills must be developed in four essential domains:
communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking.
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