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Education is a critical foundation for community development, and as societies evolve, teaching methods must adapt to meet new challenges. The Finnish organization HundrED annually identifies the 100 most impactful educational innovations worldwide, highlighting trends that emphasize alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including climate change, mental health, and global citizenship. Examples include the Green School network, which promotes ecological education through experiential learning, and Finland’s School Day Wellbeing, which uses AI to monitor and support student well-being. Creative and problem-solving skills are increasingly valued, with platforms like Inspire High and Design for Change encouraging global collaboration and community problem-solving.
The 2025 HundrED report also reveals a surge in EdTech innovations, with more than half of the selected projects integrating technology, including AI-driven personalized learning platforms like China’s Squirrel AI and the UK’s Century Tech. While AI offers adaptive learning and real-time insights, ethical concerns such as data privacy and algorithmic bias remain critical. Micro-schools and inclusive methodologies, such as the Reggio Emilia approach, address educational gaps for underserved populations. Overall, the trends point to a more inclusive, sustainable, and technology-enhanced education system that balances innovation with ethical responsibility. Programs like Akademia exemplify this by fostering critical thinking and knowledge of emerging technologies among university students, reflecting education’s role as both a mirror of current realities and a vessel for future aspirations.
The Finnish organization HundrED annually analyzes the most innovative educational proposals that are implemented around the world
The Education is the fundamental pillar in the development of communities and, as societies evolve over time, so must teaching methods. In this context of constant change, new methodologies and tools emerge every year that seek to improve the way we learn. The Finnish organization HundrED, which annually selects the 100 most impactful and scalable educational innovations globally, offers us a detailed look at the most innovative trends.
According to the report HundrED’s Global Collection 2025 More and more educational innovations seek to align with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), addressing issues such as climate change, student mental health, and global citizenship education. A prominent example is the Green School, a network of schools in different countries that emphasizes ecological education and experiential teaching in contact with nature. On the other hand, in Finland, the School Day Wellbeing uses artificial intelligence to monitor student well-being and provide personalized recommendations to teachers.
Studies show that students who engage in creative activities are better able to solve complex problems and adapt to new situations. In this sense, educational programs that encourage exploration, curiosity, and divergent thinking are key to facing a constantly changing world. Inspire High, for example, is a Japanese platform that connects the best creative minds among teenagers around the world; Similarly, Design for Change allows students to identify problems in their communities and develop creative solutions.
This year the need to develop financial skills has also taken centre stage, an issue that goes beyond teaching young people about economic issues. The program Opportunity International Education Finance, for example, tries to provide families, schools, and financial institutions with the knowledge and tools needed to make education accessible.
In HundrED’s 2025 list, more than 100% of the selected innovations use EdTech forms: 55 out of 100 are fully digital or integrate technology into their programs, compared to 26 last year. Nano- and micro-learning have modernized the traditional classroom lesson, presenting it in a format designed for today’s generation of students. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram make it easy for users with smart devices to access short lessons: Naina’s Inclusive Duniya is one of these educational innovations selected for this year’s Global Collection.
We are witnessing, in particular, the rise of tools that personalize education through the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Platforms such as Squirrel AI, in China, have managed to tailor learning to the individual needs of students, identifying their strengths and weaknesses to offer a tight curriculum. In the UK, Century Tech uses AI to analyze student progress and provide real-time insights to teachers, thereby optimizing teaching.
If, on the one hand, the AI in education is revolutionizing the sector, offering solutions such as adaptive learning platforms, virtual tutors and data analysis tools to improve the educational experience, on the other hand, it also poses ethical challenges, such as data privacy and the risk of bias in algorithms. The key is to use AI as a complement to traditional teaching, personalizing learning without replacing human interaction. In this sense, the European project AI4EDU is exploring ways to ensure that artificial intelligence in education is transparent, ethical and accessible to all.
Micro-schools are another growing solution to reduce educational gaps. They often serve those whose needs are not met by public school systems or who live in communities with limited or no access to quality education. The innovations selected by HundrED as Cherry Creek Innovation Campus and Raster Master, Three Generations Learning Model (Teacher of the Streets) serve populations whose needs are best met by specific educational solutions.
These initiatives also provide access to education to children at risk of being excluded from traditional schools due to special needs, social circumstances, or economic backgrounds. Examples such as Reggio Emilia Approach, a methodology originated in Italy that emphasizes children’s creativity through art and experimentation, have proven to be highly effective.
The educational trends explored by HundrED point towards a more inclusive, sustainable and digital model. In fact, as technology advances, it is critical to maintain a balance between the innovation and ethical responsibility, ensuring that training is a tool for equity and global development.
Akademia, the Bankinter Innovation Foundation’s programme aimed at university students, aligns itself with these trends by offering an approach based on innovation and strategic thinking. Its program consists of eight online sessions in which experts impart knowledge on emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, fostering a critical and proactive mindset. Education is many things at once: it is a mirror of current events, a record of the response to external forces in the short and long term, and a container for future hopes and goals.
