
International Day of Education, 24 January 2026
24 January marks the International Day of Education, a global observance highlighting the vital role of education in empowering young people and building inclusive, resilient, and sustainable societies. Closely aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4): Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, this year’s theme underscores the importance of engaging youth as active partners in reimagining how learning works. With young people comprising more than half of the global population, strengthening teaching and learning, supporting diverse learner needs, and embracing innovation are essential to equipping future generations with the skills and opportunities to shape the futures they aspire to.
Reflecting this mission, established MDPI journals in Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities serve as platforms for scholarly exchange and collaboration, advancing research on youth-centered learning, inclusive education, learner outcomes, emotional resilience, and the role of emerging technologies in modern education. Through these efforts, MDPI supports meaningful dialogue and research addressing both current and emerging challenges in education.



Invited speakers:
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Dr. Sherif Abdelhamid, Virginia Military Institute, USA |
Prof. Dr. Albert Ziegler, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany |
Prof. Alison Kington, University of Worcester, UK |
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Dr. Ben Looker, University of Worcester, UK |
Dr. Amy Been Bennett, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA |
Dr. Amira Elnokaly, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK |
Register for this webinar for free here!

We are pleased to share insights from our speakers as they reflect on education. They were invited to provide a short reflection on their presentation topic or respond to the question: “What is the biggest challenge or opportunity in education today?”
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Name: Dr. Sherif E. Abdelhamid Affiliation: Computer and Information Sciences Department, Virginia Military Institute, USA “The future of education depends on our ability to design learning experiences that use technology to be more adaptive, immersive, and supportive of every student’s individual journey. By thoughtfully integrating technology into our classrooms and learning ecosystems, we can transform engagement into genuine empowerment—helping learners build confidence, resilience, and ownership over their success. In this presentation, I will share several learning platforms—including those I developed at VMI—that demonstrate how technology can humanize learning and expand opportunities for all”. |
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Name: Dr. Amira Elnokaly Affiliation: School of Design and Architecture, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK “Education today must do more than inform; it must empower learners to navigate a rapidly changing global landscape with confidence, creativity, and purpose. My work focuses on creating internationally attuned, inclusive, and industry-connected learning environments that help students find their voice, identity, and place in the world. I believe the future of higher education lies in its ability to build meaningful bridges between knowledge, practice, and societal need”. |
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Name: Prof. Dr. Albert Ziegler Affiliation: University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Department of Psychology, Germany “The biggest challenge in education today is that our systems were built for a world that no longer exists. We still organise learning through rigid structures and narrow definitions of ability, even as technological, social, and economic conditions demand far more flexible and resource-rich environments. The task ahead is to redesign systems so that every learner can access the conditions that allow talent to grow”. |

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~ Research Insight “Inclusive education has dismantled learning barriers, empowering students to fully engage academically and socially at universities.” |
~ Research Insight “In South Africa, English terminology in sexuality education is perceived as less vulgar than local language terms, shaping cultural acceptance of CSE.” |
~ Research Insight “ChatGPT can hallucinate false information, making AI-generated answers sound credible and leaving students struggling to detect errors in education.” |
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~ Social Sciences |
~ Sexes |
“Using ChatGPT in Education: Human Reflection on ChatGPT’s Self-Reflection” ~ Societies |
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“Educational Constructivism”
by Keith S. Taber
Encyclopedia 2024, 4(4), 1534-1552; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia4040100
“Student-Centered Active Learning Improves Performance in Solving Higher-Level Cognitive Questions in Health Sciences Education”
by Nieves Martín-Alguacil and Luis Avedillo
Int. Med. Educ. 2024, 3(3), 346-362; https://doi.org/10.3390/ime3030026
“Innovative FOCUS: A Program to Foster Creativity and Innovation in the Context of Education for Sustainability”
by Kurt Haim and Wolfgang Aschauer
Sustainability 2024, 16(6), 2257; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16062257
“Using ChatGPT in Education: Human Reflection on ChatGPT’s Self-Reflection”
by Eugène Loos, Johanna Gröpler and Marie-Louise Sophie Goudeau
Societies 2023, 13(8), 196; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13080196
Call for Papers:
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“Emerging Approaches, Innovation and Sustainability in Higher Education Teaching and Learning” Guest Editor: Dr. Abílio Afonso Lourenço Submission deadline: 31 May 2026 |
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Dina Tsagari and Prof. Dr. Karin Vogt Submission deadline: 30 September 2026 |
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“Inclusive Education, Intellectual Disabilities and the Demise of Full Inclusion”
by Garry Hornby and James M. Kauffman
J. Intell. 2024, 12(2), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12020020
“A Critical Systematic Literature Review of Global Inclusive Education Using an Affective, Intersectional, Discursive, Emotive and Material Lens”
by David Isaac Hernández-Saca, Catherine Kramarczuk Voulgarides and Susan Larson Etscheidt
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 1212; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13121212
“Enhancing Comprehensive Sexuality Education for Students with Disabilities: Insights from Ontario’s Educational Framework”
by Adam Davies, Justin Brass, Victoria Martins Mendonca, Samantha O’Leary, Malissa Bryan and Ruth Neustifter
Sexes 2023, 4(4), 522-535; https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes4040034
“Systematic Review on New Challenges of University Education Today: Innovation in the Educational Response and Teaching Perspective on Students with Disabilities”
by María Dolores Pérez-Esteban, Jose Juan Carrión-Martínez and Luis Ortiz Jiménez
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(4), 245; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12040245
Call for Papers:
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“Educational Innovation and Child Participation in Early Childhood Education” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Ana Castro Zubizarreta and Prof. Dr. Roberto Sanz Ponce Submission deadline: 30 June 2026 |
“Encyclopedia of Social Sciences” Collection Editors: Dr. Kum Fai Yuen, Dr. Xueqin Wang and Dr. Xue Li
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“Mapping the Trajectory of Planetary Health Education—A Critical and Constructive Perspective from the Global South”
by Isaías Lescher Soto, Bernabé Vidal, Lorenzo Verger and Gustavo J. Nagy
Challenges 2025, 16(4), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/challe16040050
“Emotional Exhaustion Scale (ECE): Psychometric Properties in a Sample of Portuguese University Students”
by Sílvia Ala, Francisco Ramos Campos and Inês Carvalho Relva
Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2024, 14(4), 1044-1054; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe14040068
“The Collective Influence of Intolerance of Uncertainty, Cognitive Test Anxiety, and Academic Self-Handicapping on Learner Outcomes: Evidence for a Process Model”
by Jerrell C. Cassady, Addison Helsper and Quinton Quagliano
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(2), 96; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14020096
Call for Papers:
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“Health Professions Education Advancements and Innovations—International Perspectives” Guest Editors: Dr. Douglas McHugh and Dr. Anthony Payne Submission deadline: 26 January 2026 |
Guest Editors: Dr. Pras Ramluggun and Prof. Dr. Tamara Power Submission deadline: 10 May 2026 |
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