On January 31, 2023, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network hosted “Pandemic pivots: How lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic can improve the future of education" as an official side event of the UN 2023 ECOSOC Partnership Forum.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a time of enormous upheaval for the sector—and also one of enormous opportunity. The session addressed the pivots that were made in education, from the adoption of digital pedagogies to the greater attention to socio-emotional learning, and the partnerships that were necessary to achieve them. Which of these pivots will stand the test of time? What does the rapid deployment of new techniques, technologies, and partnerships during COVID mean for future educational innovations? And how can this innovative energy be used to advance the goals of SDG 4 and, by extension, all the other SDGs?

The side event brought together representatives of different stakeholder groups within education to share their reflections on these “pandemic pivots” and their hopes for the future in a moderated conversation.

Speakers included:

• H.E. Niki Kerameus, Minister of Education and Religious Affairs, Greece, and
• Stefanos Gandolfo, Head of Education Policy, Minister’s Office, Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, Greece, representing the policy perspective;
• Professor Oren Pizmony-Levy, Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Sustainable Futures, Teachers College, Columbia University, representing the academic perspective;
• Melissa Pritchard, Global Schools Project Officer and teacher, representing the in-service teacher perspective; and
• Shannon Kobran, Regional Team Lead for Asia, SDG Academy, SDSN (moderator)