27th February 2025
How can philanthropists act to support the next revolution in education? What do they need to be aware of? How can they have the biggest impact?
Philanthropy and education have long been intertwined. Philanthropy opens doors to innovation, tests new approaches, and challenges the status quo. The number of education-based Collective Funds, DAFs and charities our donors support is testament to how important we view education in shaping a better future.
As part of our 20th anniversary celebrations, we invited renowned educator and historian Sir Anthony Seldon to meet our supporters and discuss the changing landscape of education, the need to reimagine learning and the impact of AI.
Reflecting on education
In opening his talk, Sir Anthony asked the audience to reflect on their own education: “How many of your talents were identified and nurtured at school?” He challenged the traditional systems, arguing that it remains rooted in the Industrial Revolution, prioritising standardisation and exams over individuality and curiosity. “Exams are important, but they’re not all-important.”
He explained that the word ‘education’ means “drawing out what’s inside,” and pushed for a shift from measuring intelligence to understanding not if a child is in telling but how a child is intelligent, fostering curiosity and personalised learning.
Building resilience and mental well-being
A key theme of Sir Anthony’s message was the importance of mental wellbeing. There is a deep need for resilience-building education rather than reactive mental health support.
This is something he recognised when he was running Wellington College, which introduced teaching the skills of happiness. “You can teach young people these skills, and the younger you teach them, the easier it becomes.”
The need for educational evolution
Sir Anthony outlined education’s evolution, from primitive observation-based learning to the mass education model of the last 500 years, which he argued still reflects a factory system.
“We have an education system that fails, and tells a third of young people that they fail,” he noted, reinforcing inequality. Instead, he called for a system that nurtures curiosity and lifelong learning.
The fourth education revolution: AI and digital transformation
We are now entering a Fourth Education Revolution, driven by AI and digital technology, fundamentally transforming how people learn.Sir Anthony stressed that traditional IQ-based assessments are obsolete.
As AI surpasses human abilities in exam-measured skills, education must pivot towards developing uniquely human intelligences like empathy, creativity, and critical thinking – qualities AI cannot replicate.
AI has incredible potential for personalised tutoring, tailoring learning experiences to individual students. However, he warned that schools risk obsolescence if they do not embrace curiosity-driven and creative learning environments.
Ethical leadership and community
Ethical leadership is critical in managing AI’s role in education. Sir Anthony contrasted the priorities of tech giants in developing AI with those of educators: “Their concern isn’t the welfare of all our young people. It is their own commercial ethic.”
He urged philanthropists, educators, parents, and communities to lead this transformation, rather than relying on politicians and tech companies to safeguard societal well-being.
To support such responsible innovation, he founded the charity AI in Education, a cross-sector initiative focused on guiding AI’s integration into learning. Its purpose is to help ensure that AI is introduced into schools for the benefit of all learners, especially the most disadvantaged. And that we can mitigate the mental health damage done to young to date by social media and smartphone obsession.
A call for radical transformation
Closing with a challenge to rethink education’s purpose and actively shape its future, Sir Anthony warned of AI’s potential harm, likening it to the damage social media has caused:
“We know that on social media, unimaginable damage has been done, from the wiring in the brain to emotional development… AI will be far more damaging.”
However, he remains optimistic that through initiatives like AI in Education, collective action and ethical leadership, we can create an education system that fosters resilience, curiosity, and happiness.
Shaping the future of giving
In our anniversary year, we have raised over $1 billion and distributed $500 million to charitable causes globally. Events like these provide opportunities for meaningful discussions on key philanthropic issues. Together, we can shape the future of giving and shift what the next decades of education will look like.
Evelyn Partners hosted this event, with Jennifer Emms, Private Client Partner and Head of Charities at Maurice Turnor Gardner, introducing Sir Anthony.
