Elena Günbeyi Presents a New Vision of Education at Global Education Forum 2026 Davos

Davos, Switzerland | Global Education Forum 2026

As Artificial Intelligence rapidly transforms economies, workplaces, and entire industries, one question dominated discussions at the Global Education Forum 2026, held during Global Business Week Davos:

Are today's schools preparing children for tomorrow—or for yesterday?

In one of the forum's most forward-looking presentations, Elena Günbeyi, Head of the International Franchise Department of MINIBOSS Business School International Educational Network (United Kingdom), argued that the greatest challenge facing modern education is no longer the lack of information.

It is the inability of educational systems to evolve as rapidly as the world around them.

Her presentation, "Beyond IQ: Preparing Children to Create the Future," challenged traditional assumptions about intelligence, success, and the very purpose of education in the age of Artificial Intelligence.

The World Has Changed Faster Than Schools

Human history has entered one of its most transformative periods.

Artificial Intelligence, automation, robotics, biotechnology, digital platforms, and global connectivity are reshaping nearly every profession.

Entire industries are emerging while others disappear.

Many of today's children will eventually work in professions that have not yet been invented.

Yet much of today's education still reflects the priorities of the Industrial Revolution.

Students continue to spend years memorising information that is instantly available through technology.

Academic performance is often measured through standardised testing rather than through creativity, collaboration, innovation, or real-world problem solving.

According to Elena Günbeyi, this growing disconnect creates one of the greatest risks facing future generations.

The most expensive mistake education can make today is preparing children for a world that no longer exists.

Beyond Intelligence Quotient

For more than a century, educational success has been closely associated with IQ.

Academic achievement became the primary measure of potential.

However, success in the twenty-first century requires far more than intellectual ability alone.

Modern leaders must communicate across cultures.

Collaborate with diverse teams.

Adapt continuously.

Manage emotions.

Lead innovation.

Build trust.

Transform ideas into practical solutions.

These capabilities cannot be measured by IQ alone.

Education must therefore evolve beyond traditional definitions of intelligence.

Eight Intelligences for a New Generation

At the centre of Elena Günbeyi's presentation was the educational philosophy developed by MINIBOSS Business School, one of the world's pioneering international educational networks dedicated to entrepreneurial education for children and teenagers.

Rather than concentrating solely on academic knowledge, the MINIBOSS methodology develops eight complementary intelligences that together shape a child's full potential.

These include:

Mental Intelligence (IQ) – analytical thinking and academic knowledge.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) – empathy, communication, resilience, and emotional regulation.
Physical Intelligence (PhQ) – health, discipline, and personal energy.
Spiritual Intelligence (SQ) – values, ethics, purpose, and social responsibility.
Creative Intelligence (CQ) – imagination, innovation, and original thinking.
Teacher Intelligence (TQ) – the ability to explain, mentor, and share knowledge with others.
Entrepreneurial Intelligence (XQ) – initiative, opportunity recognition, and value creation.
Management Intelligence (MQ) – leadership, organisation, teamwork, and strategic decision-making.

Together, these intelligences provide children with a balanced foundation for lifelong personal and professional success.

Education Must Move From Memorisation to Creation

Artificial Intelligence has fundamentally altered the value of information.

Knowledge is no longer scarce.

What has become scarce is the ability to interpret knowledge creatively.

Future education therefore cannot focus primarily on memorising facts.

Its purpose must be helping students:

solve complex problems;
think critically;
innovate continuously;
collaborate internationally;
communicate effectively;
lead responsibly;
and apply knowledge in real-life situations.

The classroom of the future should become a laboratory of creativity rather than a warehouse of information.

International Education for Global Citizens

Another central theme of Elena Günbeyi's presentation was the growing importance of international educational cooperation.

The challenges facing humanity—climate change, technological disruption, economic transformation, global health, cybersecurity, and sustainable development—cannot be solved within national borders alone.

Education must therefore prepare children to become both proud citizens of their own countries and responsible members of the global community.

International educational networks create opportunities to exchange innovative teaching methods, establish common quality standards, and encourage intercultural understanding while preserving each nation's cultural identity.

This balance between global cooperation and local values will become increasingly important in the decades ahead.

Character Before Career

Perhaps the most inspiring idea presented in Davos was that education should never focus exclusively on professional success.

Character matters as much as competence.

Knowledge must be accompanied by responsibility.

Achievement must be balanced by integrity.

Leadership must serve society rather than individual ambition.

The future belongs not simply to the smartest individuals, but to those capable of combining intelligence with empathy, creativity with ethics, and innovation with purpose.

Education therefore carries a responsibility that extends far beyond preparing children for employment.

Its mission is to prepare them for life.

A Vision for the Future

Elena Günbeyi concluded her presentation with a call to rethink education at its very foundation.

The goal of education should not simply be producing graduates capable of filling existing jobs.

Its purpose should be preparing young people capable of creating entirely new opportunities for society.

Tomorrow's innovators, entrepreneurs, scientists, educators, artists, and public leaders are sitting in today's classrooms.

The quality of their education will determine the quality of our future.

A Message to the World

Closing her presentation, Elena Günbeyi delivered a powerful message to educators, policymakers, parents, and business leaders around the world:

"Education is not simply about preparing children for tomorrow's jobs. It is about preparing tomorrow's leaders, innovators, creators, and responsible citizens. If we truly want a better future, we must first transform the way we educate the next generation. Let us move beyond teaching children what to think. Let us empower them to think independently, create courageously, lead responsibly, and build a world that is wiser, more innovative, and more compassionate than the one we live in today."

As the Global Education Forum 2026 demonstrated, the future of education is no longer measured solely by academic achievement.

It will be measured by the ability to unlock every child's full human potential.

Because the children of today will not simply inherit the future.

They will create it.