Wednesday, 28 January 2026

Revolution in Education: How WESIO Is Transforming Schools, Colleges and Universities

The World Education, Science and Innovation Organisation (WESIO) is an international non-profit organisation and accreditation body headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland. Established in its current corporate form in 2022, it operates as a global movement to advance sustainable development through the intersection of education, science, and business innovation.

Core Activities

Global Impact

WESIO claims a reach of over 40 countries, having trained more than 3,000 teachers and educated approximately 1.15 million students through its accredited programmes. It is part of the Global Development Alliance (GDA), an ecosystem that unites educational, legal, and media companies to scale entrepreneurship worldwide.

Would you like to know the specific requirements for an educational institution to apply for WESIO accreditation?

Opportunities for Educational Institutions Accredited by WESIO

WESIO accreditation is not merely a “quality mark”. It is a practical instrument for modernising educational delivery and positioning an institution for international engagement. For schools, colleges, universities, and supplementary education centres, it provides access to a structured model for implementing entrepreneurship and project-based learning, as well as to a wider ecosystem of partnerships and events where education intersects with science and real-world business innovation.

What WESIO Accreditation Delivers in Practice

1) Reputation and trust (compliance + brand credibility)
Accreditation offers a clear confirmation that an institution meets defined criteria for quality and innovation. This strengthens confidence among parents, learners, partners, and investors, and can support stronger relationships with corporate and international organisations.

2) A structured model for entrepreneurship education
Accreditation helps embed entrepreneurial competencies into teaching and learning: team projects, independent start-up style tasks, applied modules, the development of soft skills, and financial literacy. This is particularly relevant for institutions seeking to move from purely theoretical learning to practical, measurable outcomes.

3) Access to methodology, materials, and learning standards
Depending on the chosen level and package, institutions can work with standardised approaches and educational resources, including assessment frameworks, methodological guidance for teachers, and project-work models.

4) Professional development for teachers and leadership teams
Accreditation is typically supported by training, methodological guidance, and recommendations for team development: how to deliver project-based learning, how to evaluate outcomes, and how to build an entrepreneurship-oriented educational environment.

5) Integration into an international network and access to events
Accredited institutions become part of a wider network with access to international events, forums, and competitions (including youth-focused formats). This provides learners with opportunities to present projects on global platforms, while strengthening institutional visibility and partnership potential.

6) Marketing advantages and competitive growth
Accreditation supports positioning as a modern, future-focused institution. It can help attract learners, improve retention, strengthen public reputation, justify fee levels (for private education providers), and build a stronger employer and PR brand.

7) The option to implement educational brands and products (subject to institutional choice)
For organisations seeking rapid launch or scaling, accreditation can serve as a pathway towards implementing specialised educational brands and programmes (such as entrepreneurship schools and related disciplines), supported by established methodology and implementation assistance.

Who WESIO Accreditation Is Particularly Relevant For

  • Independent schools and colleges aiming to strengthen differentiation, enhance their educational offer, and deliver practical life and career competencies.
  • State schools and colleges seeking a recognised route to introduce project-based and entrepreneurship learning without disrupting core programmes.
  • Universities and business schools looking to strengthen applied learning, entrepreneurship tracks, and engagement with industry.
  • Supplementary education centres aiming to structure quality, standardise delivery, and develop international positioning.

What the Accreditation Pathway Typically Looks Like

  1. Application and initial assessment (institutional aims, existing programmes, readiness review).
  2. Selection of accreditation level/package (based on learner age, institution type, and depth of implementation).
  3. Methodological alignment (learning modules, standards, and an outcomes assessment framework).
  4. Implementation and verification (pilot delivery, confirmation of criteria, final evaluation).
  5. Awarding of status, recommendations, and a development plan (a clear roadmap for continuous improvement).

Strategic Outcome for the Institution

WESIO accreditation supports a move from claiming innovation to operating a real system: standards, methodology, measurable outcomes, teacher development, international engagement, and an ecosystem of partners and events. Ultimately, it helps institutions prepare learners not only for examinations, but for the real economy—through skills, projects, and an entrepreneurial mindset.

WESIO Accreditation — Requirements & Application Checklist

Read more >>

Sunday, 25 January 2026

EuroWoman 2026 Business Forum: Power of Connections

From Paris to London — and Onward to Munich in 2026

Organized by World Woman Club (WWC)

In an era where women's economic leadership shapes global progress, the EuroWoman Business Forum series — organized by the World Woman Club (WWC) — has emerged as a powerful platform for cross-border collaboration, innovation, and empowerment.

Over the past years, this flagship international initiative has connected hundreds of businesswomen, founders, policymakers, and investors from dozens of countries — creating a dynamic space for dialogue, trade, and transformation.

A Journey Across Europe

  • 2024 — The Forum was held in Paris, France, where women from 35+ countries gathered to showcase business ideas, discuss global challenges, and initiate cross-continental cooperation.

  • 2025 — The next edition took place in London, UK, further solidifying transatlantic connections and focusing on women’s leadership in digital and sustainable business sectors.

  • 2026 — The upcoming EuroWoman Global Business Forum will be hosted in Munich, Germany, on March 25, 2026, with a focus on innovation, trade integration, and education partnerships.

Why Global Forums Matter

International women’s business forums like EuroWoman play a critical role in empowering female entrepreneurs across borders. They offer more than just networking opportunities — they cultivate trust, visibility, and tangible access to:

  • Global markets and investment channels

  • Mentorship and educational exchange programs

  • Joint ventures and cross-cultural trade partnerships

  • Policy-shaping dialogues and inclusive economic diplomacy

Historically, such platforms trace their roots to women’s economic forums and trade missions of the 20th century. Organizations like Vital Voices, UN Women, and WEConnect International laid the foundation for inclusive business practices. Today, initiatives like EuroWoman continue this legacy — while actively addressing contemporary challenges like digital inclusion, impact entrepreneurship, and sustainability.

A Legacy of Women’s Business Diplomacy

Throughout the 21st century, women’s economic forums have gained prominence as tools of soft power and peacebuilding. By fostering economic independence and entrepreneurial growth, these gatherings not only empower individual women — they also uplift communities and strengthen global resilience.

EuroWoman Forums align with broader global goals, including:

  • UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality)

  • SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

  • SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

Looking Ahead: EuroWoman 2026 in Munich

With its unique blend of business, innovation, and diplomacy, the EuroWoman Forum 2026 in Munich promises to be a milestone event. It will bring together over 40 countries, highlighting women-led solutions to global issues, while offering a launchpad for trade, education, and investment alliances.

“These forums are not just meetings — they’re movements,” says Olga Azarova, founder of WWC. “When women lead across borders, they don't just build companies — they build a better world.”

Connect us!

For registration, partnership inquiries, and upcoming announcements:

📞 +44-744-218-77-04
🌍 Visit the official website of World Woman Club

Wednesday, 21 January 2026

Carney in Davos 2026: "The power begins with honesty"

Overnight in Davos, Switzerland, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered what I suspect will be recorded in future history text books as an era defining speech. It is profound, accurate, and very relevant to another "Middle Power" like Australia.

Here is the full text of that speech:

"It’s a pleasure – and a duty – to be with you at this turning point for Canada and for the world.
Today, I’ll talk about the rupture in the world order, the end of a nice story, and the beginning of a brutal reality where geopolitics among the great powers is not subject to any constraints.

But I also submit to you that other countries, particularly middle powers like Canada, are not powerless. They have the capacity to build a new order that embodies our values, like respect for human rights, sustainable development, solidarity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of states.

The power of the less powerful begins with honesty.

Every day we are reminded that we live in an era of great power rivalry. That the rules-based order is fading. That the strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must.

This aphorism of Thucydides is presented as inevitable – the natural logic of international relations reasserting itself. And faced with this logic, there is a strong tendency for countries to go along to get along. To accommodate. To avoid trouble. To hope that compliance will buy safety.
It won’t.
So, what are our options?

In 1978, the Czech dissident Václav Havel wrote an essay called The Power of the Powerless. In it, he asked a simple question: how did the communist system sustain itself?
Read more >>

Global Mentoring Programme 2026 announced the intake in 200 countries

How the Global Women’s Mentoring Program Emerged

From the Vital Voices initiative (1997–1999) to U.S. Department of State support and a worldwide network

Global mentoring for women did not appear overnight. It grew out of a public-policy idea in the late 1990s, evolved into an independent international organization, and later expanded through public–private partnerships that connected women leaders across countries and industries. Below is a clear narrative of how this global mentoring model formed—along with the people and formats that helped it scale.

1) The origins: a U.S. State Department initiative (1997)

In 1997, the U.S. Department of State launched the Vital Voices Democracy Initiative. It is often described as an effort to make the promotion of women’s rights and women’s leadership part of U.S. foreign policy. In Vital Voices sources, this early stage is linked to the roles of Hillary Rodham Clinton (then First Lady) and Madeleine Albright (then U.S. Secretary of State).

This moment mattered because it framed women’s leadership not as a side project, but as an international priority—creating space for programs that could operate across borders and sectors.

2) From a government initiative to a global organization (1999)

By 1999, that initial government-led effort had matured into an independent NGO: Vital Voices Global Partnership. The organization was created to further expand a global network of women leaders and leadership-development programs through international partnerships.

This transition—from a government initiative to an independent global institution—was essential. It allowed the work to become more scalable, more flexible, and more strongly rooted in long-term international collaboration.

3) The shift to “global mentoring” through Fortune + the U.S. Department of State + Vital Voices (since 2006)

A major leap took place in May 2006, with the launch of a flagship format often referred to as the “global mentoring program”:

Fortune – U.S. Department of State Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership — a public–private partnership between Fortune Most Powerful Women, the U.S. Department of State, and Vital Voices. The program identifies influential women from around the world and connects them with top U.S. executives from the Fortune Most Powerful Women community.

The power of this model was in its design: pairing global women leaders with senior U.S. executive mentors and surrounding that mentorship with a structured program—creating both personal transformation and professional networks that lasted beyond the official timeline.

Leaders and mentors came from major U.S. and European companies and organizations such as Time Inc., IBM, KPMG, Goldman Sachs, Estée Lauder, People Magazine, the European Association for Business Development, 100% Media Holding, the Global Development Alliance, Accenture, CVS Health, AIG, Aetna, Walmart, BNY Mellon, Ernst & Young (EY), Google, The Coca-Cola Company, ExxonMobil, The Dow Chemical Company, DuPont, Fidelity Investments, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Xerox, DTCC, Electronic Arts, The Nielsen Company, MiniBoss Business School, BigBoss Business School, Marvell Technology Group, Match Group, Blackstone, H&R Block, Beam Suntory, Sesame Workshop, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, Burson-Marsteller, Morgan, Solera Capital, INFOMIR, LAUDER ME, BOSS Magazine, World Woman Magazine, and many others.

4) A parallel branch that became a global movement: the Mentoring Walk (GMW)

Alongside formal mentoring partnerships, another approach emerged that made mentoring more accessible, replicable, and community-driven:

Global Mentoring Walks (GMW) — a “mentoring walk” format that Vital Voices describes as originating from the practice of Geraldine Laybourne. She invited young professional women to discuss career questions during a morning walk. Over time, this simple idea evolved into a scalable model adopted by Vital Voices communities around the world.

The mentoring walk’s strength is its simplicity. It does not require complex infrastructure, yet it creates real connection and meaningful guidance—making mentoring feel less like a formal appointment and more like a human conversation.

The significance of five individuals in the development of the Global Women’s Mentoring Programme

1) Hillary Clinton — the initial impetus and a political “window of opportunity”

In Vital Voices historical accounts, the organization’s origins are linked to the 1997 government initiative associated with Hillary Rodham Clinton (alongside other leaders of that period). Her impact was to help institutionalize women’s leadership as part of the international agenda—an approach that later enabled the initiative to transition into an independent global organization and partnership-based programs.


2) Geraldine Laybourne — creator of the “Mentoring Walk” as a scalable mentoring technology.

Vital Voices directly credits Geraldine Laybourne as the source of the mentoring-walk idea: a fast, human, repeatable practice that turns mentoring from a one-time meeting into a mass movement (with GMW taking place in dozens of countries). 

Her contribution is a format that partners and program alumnae can easily replicate anywhere.

3) Alyse Nelson — institutional leadership and continuity of partnerships.

Alyse Nelson is identified as President & CEO and a co-founder of Vital Voices, and she has led the organization since 2009. 

Her role has been to sustain and develop the “architecture” of global programs—supporting partnerships, refreshing formats, and ensuring that global mentoring continues to grow in relevance and reach.


4) Olga Azarova — extending the model and launching WWC-based mentoring in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.

Olga Azarova participated as a laureate of the FORTUNE Most Powerful Women Global Mentoring Program 2015 (by U.S. Department of State and Vital Voices). She is the founder of the Mediaholding 100% and World Woman Club (WWC). Her significance lies in transferring the practices and standards of international mentoring into a sustainable club infrastructure—adapting the global model into ongoing mentoring systems across regions.

5) Diane von Fürstenberg played a significant inspirational and symbolic role in the development of the Mentoring Programme and the unique format of the Mentoring Walk, as part of the global women's empowerment movement.

Join World Woman Mentoring Programme 2026!

Tuesday, 20 January 2026

Davos 2026: Day 2 Scandals & Controversies

📍 1. Fake VIP Pass Scams Targeting Delegates

One of the biggest surprises on Day 2 at Davos was a rapidly spreading scam involving counterfeit “VIP passes” for the USA House — a privately funded venue celebrating U.S. innovation and history.

  • Attendees were misled into buying or presenting fake passes that didn’t grant real access, forcing the venue to publicly warn visitors that counterfeit credentials would not be honoured.

  • The incident triggered complaints, confusion at entry lines, and frustration from delegates who thought they had priority treatment.

🇺🇸 2. Trump’s Controversial Greenland & Tariff Rhetoric

Political tensions dominated Day 2, with U.S. President Donald Trump’s rhetoric causing significant controversy:

  • Trump’s remarks about a strategic interest in Greenland and proposed tariffs on European goods sparked strong backlash from EU leaders and market volatility.

  • European political figures and finance ministers reacted openly at Davos, condemning the stance as destabilising and potentially undermining the rules‑based global order.

🌍 3. Trade Tensions Escalate Between U.S. and Europe

Continuing the geopolitical friction:

  • U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged European nations not to retaliate, even as markets fell and political pressure mounted. Economic analysts called this approach controversial, given rising concerns about global trade friction.

  • EU leaders debated suspending approval of major trade deals in response to U.S. tariff threats, further underscoring how Davos discussions spilled out into economic confrontation.

🧭 4. Rule‑of‑Law Debate Fuels Public Disagreement

French President Emmanuel Macron delivered one of the most charged statements of the day, warning that the global political environment is drifting toward a “world without rules.”

  • Macron criticised “imperial ambitions” and unilateral actions that he argued threaten the stability of international norms — a clear rebuke of several US policy positions mentioned at the forum.

📉 5. Broader Context of Institutional Trust Issues

While not specific to Day 2 itself, recent background controversies continue to shape the environment at Davos 2026:

  • The World Economic Forum opened this year amid ongoing discussions about leadership changes and whistleblower allegations around its founder — issues that have dented confidence in the Forum’s governance.

These developments show that even at settings designed for high‑level dialogue, real‑world frictions and disputes can rapidly surface — shaping not just discussion, but global economic and political dynamics.

Davos 2026 — Day 2 Highlights

On Day 2 of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, discussions deepened around AI, economic transformation, geopolitical tensions, and leadership confidence, bringing out both opportunities and challenges facing global business and policy leaders.

🤖 AI Beyond Content — Into Action

AI emerged as a central theme — not just in generating content, but in driving enterprise systems and workflow automation. Experts noted that discussions have moved beyond basic generative models to “agentic AI” that can reason and operate in real environments, including commerce, logistics, and payments.

💼 Business Confidence and AI Adoption

CEOs and executives expressed mixed sentiments:

  • AI adoption remains uneven, with over half of companies not seeing tangible benefits due to limited foundational investment and strategy gaps.

  • Leaders were urged to rethink traditional leadership objectives as AI and digital transformation reshape productivity and competitive advantage.

Sessions also brought in insights from global leaders and top executives on economic uncertainty, productivity, and resilience in the face of rapid technological change.

🌍 Geopolitics, Trade, and Global Rules

Geopolitical tension was another defining thread of Day 2. Several prominent leaders sounded alarms over the erosion of established international norms and the risks posed by unilateral actions and protectionist policies. French President Emmanuel Macron, in a widely discussed address, warned that the world risks drifting toward a “world without rules” where power dynamics could outweigh cooperative frameworks.

🧠 Leadership Conversations and Webcasts

Day 2 also featured forward‑looking conversations hosted by platforms such as Axios House, with industry leaders from sports, finance, and technology discussing strategies to stay competitive in rapidly evolving sectors.

📊 What’s Emerging from Day 2

Key trends highlighted include:

  • The shift in AI dialogue from simple generation to reasoning and enterprise action.

  • A critical need for stronger organizational strategy to harness AI value.

  • Heightened awareness of geopolitical fragmentation and challenges to multilateral cooperation.

  • Continued integration of cross‑sector leadership insights into future planning.

Day 2 at Davos 2026 reinforced that today’s global agenda is not just about innovation or growth, but about responsible, strategic leadership — especially in an era where AI’s promise intersects with shifting economic and political landscapes.

Monday, 19 January 2026

BETT 2026: How and Why Pedagogy Must Evolve in the Age of AI

Ahead of BETT 2026, London’s global education summit

By Dawn Taylor
Founder and Director, Challenge Innovate Grow | Author of “Behind the Algorithm”

🌍 Bett 2026: A Turning Point for Global Education

As the world’s largest education technology event, Bett UK 2026 in London promises to be more than a showcase of tools — it will be a stage for the deep, system-wide rethinking of education in the age of AI. This year’s sessions will probe the biggest questions in learning: not just what students need to know, but how they should think.

One of those critical sessions comes from Dawn Taylor, whose writing and leadership are reshaping how schools view pedagogy in an AI-rich world. Her talk — “The Changing Role of a Teacher in the Age of AI” — sets the tone for a new era of teaching.

📘 The Conditions of Learning Have Changed

For centuries, the basic structure of learning remained unchanged: teachers held the knowledge, students received it, and understanding was measured through recall, repetition, or application. It made sense in a world where information was scarce, slow, and stable.

The internet changed that — and now, AI is accelerating the transformation. We no longer teach students to find information; now, we must teach them to judge it.

Generative AI doesn’t just retrieve answers — it produces them: structured, polished, and confident. Yet behind this confidence often lies flawed logic, hallucinated facts, or unchecked bias. In this world, the learner’s job is no longer to build from scratch — it is to critically evaluate what already exists.

This changes everything.

🧠 Teaching Thinking — Not Just Content

Whether students use ChatGPT, Google, or a textbook, the challenge is the same:
They must learn to think, not just to answer.

Surface fluency is no longer enough. Learners must question, compare, test, and justify. Can they defend an idea? Challenge it? Improve it?

These cognitive skills don’t develop by chance. They must be taught explicitly. Teachers must model critical thinking, make their own reasoning visible, and build time for students to practise — regularly and across all subjects.

This is not a “soft skill”; it’s now a survival skill.

🔍 Making Learning Visible

A polished final paragraph tells us little about how a student got there — and with AI, that problem is even worse.

What teachers need is visibility into the process:

  • What choices were made?

  • What reasoning was used?

  • What doubts were raised?

  • What sources were trusted — and why?

Well-designed tasks allow us to see these decisions. When students compare alternatives or revise weak reasoning, we learn far more about their understanding than any final draft can reveal.

🧠 Developing Judgement in the AI Age

AI can be articulate — but not always accurate. So the most important skill now is judgement:

  • Can learners verify a claim?

  • Do they trust cautiously?

  • Can they explain why they believe something is true?

These are the building blocks of 21st-century intelligence.

✏️ What This Means for Everyday Teaching

When learning conditions shift, the work of teachers must shift too. But this doesn’t diminish their role — it deepens it.

Here’s what it looks like in practice:

1. Tasks Must Reveal Thought, Not Just Output

AI can generate both answers and “reflections.” One piece of writing no longer proves understanding.
Teachers need multiple checkpoints: quick comparisons, source checks, audio notes, collaborative discussions — ways to make thinking visible across the process.

2. Learning Behaviours Must Include Verification

Verification isn’t optional. It must be embedded in daily habits.
Routines like “show your source” or “what’s a counter-view?” help students build intellectual honesty and deeper confidence.

3. Assessment Must Capture Process, Not Just Product

A single score on a final draft won’t do. We need formative evidence: annotations, reasoning logs, short reflections — all of which offer richer insight into how students think.

4. AI Must Be Acknowledged Transparently

Used well, AI becomes part of the learning journey — not a shortcut.
Students should state when they used it, how, what worked, and what didn’t. This reflection belongs in the assessment evidence, not hidden behind the scenes.

 It’s Not Just a Teacher’s Job — It’s a System-Wide Shift

AI hasn’t replaced the teacher — it has amplified the parts of teaching that are most human:

  • Judgement

  • Understanding

  • Meaning-making

But no teacher can do this alone. Systems must align. Governments, curriculum bodies, school leaders, and assessment authorities must work together to ensure what we teach, what we assess, and what we value all support the same vision.

Join the Conversation at Bett 2026

Session: The Changing Role of a Teacher in the Age of AI
When: 21-23 January
Where: Teaching & Learning Theatre, Bett UK 2026, London

Dawn will share practical frameworks and examples for how schools can adapt today — with clarity, realism, and purpose.

AI has changed what it means to learn.

Now we must decide: how do we teach in this new world — and what kind of thinking do we want it to create?

Davos 2026: Key Early Highlights

Davos 2026: Key Early Highlights

1. High‑Profile Participation & Geopolitical Shift

Davos 2026, the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerland, has drawn around 3,000 global leaders from business, politics, and civil society. Among them are U.S. President Donald Trump and senior members of his administration, reflecting a pronounced U.S. presence on the agenda.

Trump’s attendance — his first in person at Davos in six years — is widely seen not just as ceremonial but as a signal of geopolitical influence, shaping discussions on trade, economic policy, and global power dynamics.

His speech, expected mid‑week, is anticipated to emphasize economic reform priorities, including proposals on markets and national economic resilience.

2. Shifting Agenda: Geopolitics, Growth & Dialogue

Although the official theme of Davos 2026 is “A Spirit of Dialogue,” the tone of discussions reflects broader global strain:

  • Geoeconomic conflict — i.e., the use of tariffs, sanctions, and trade policy as tools of geopolitical influence — has emerged as a top global risk, surpassing conventional armed conflict in expert surveys.

  • Focus areas include artificial intelligence, economic growth, supply‑chain resilience, and innovation strategies rather than solely environmental or climate issues.

These shifts indicate Davos is adapting to a world where strategic competition and technological power play increasingly shape priorities.

3. Diplomacy & Ongoing Talks

Beyond high‑level panels, real diplomacy is underway:

  • Ukrainian officials are using the forum to continue sensitive negotiations with U.S. counterparts on conflict resolution mechanisms and post‑war recovery frameworks.

This underscores Davos’s role not just as a summit for ideas and networking but as a platform for behind‑the‑scenes diplomatic engagement amidst ongoing global conflicts.

4. Economic Engagement & National Pitches

Several countries and sub‑national actors are leveraging Davos to boost investment and reposition themselves economically:

  • India has deployed one of its largest ever delegations, including state governments, to pitch growth opportunities and attract capital for AI, infrastructure, semiconductors, and renewable sectors.

  • India’s “Partner with Bharat” campaign at the forum reinforces this push toward attracting global strategic investment partners.

  • The Indian state of Gujarat is separately promoting investments in defence, semiconductors, and green technology sectors.

5. What This Means for the Global Order

While the forum has historically signaled multilateral cooperation, several trends from the early days of Davos 2026 suggest a more contested landscape:

  • The dominant presence of U.S. policy priorities (including U.S. realpolitik framing) may signal a shifting balance from consensus‑based global governance toward power‑centred diplomacy.

  • Geoeconomic confrontation being named as the top risk highlights a world where economic tools rival military tools as strategic levers.

This does not mean Davos is irrelevant — rather, it reflects Davos’s evolution into a forum where the major cleavages of 2026 — economic competition, tech dominance, security dilemmas — are openly assessed and negotiated.

Early Takeaways (Before Full Conclusions)

So far, early results and signals from Davos 2026 include:

  • A strong U.S. imprint on discussions, especially around growth, security policies, and economic priorities.

  • Geoeconomic risk and technology governance rising to the forefront of global concern.

  • Diplomacy in motion on persistent conflicts, including Ukraine.

  • Active national investment outreach, especially from emerging global actors like India.

  • Continued debate over the relevance and direction of multinational cooperation in a fragmented global environment.

Private Club or Trump's "Peace Council"?

In January 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the creation of a new international entity called the "Board of Peace", or Peace Council. This is not a traditional global organization like the United Nations (UN), but rather a closed club of selected nations and leaders, personally invited by the U.S. and Trump himself.

Unlike inclusive institutions based on international law, this initiative is positioned as an elite alliance, where membership depends on strict conditions and the direct oversight of Washington.

It was originally presented as a mechanism for overseeing the transition and reconstruction in Gaza under a UN Security Council mandate until 2027, but is now expanding toward broader geopolitical influence.

Terms of Participation and Structure

According to a leaked draft of the Council’s charter, the initiative operates under unique rules and conditions:

✅ Paid Membership

  • Permanent membership is available only to countries that pay at least $1 billion USD.

  • Countries that don’t pay may receive a temporary 3-year membership, subject to renewal solely at the discretion of the chairman — Trump.

This model turns the Council into a semi-privatized geopolitical club, where financial contributions grant political influence.

🗳 Trump as Supreme Chairman

  • Trump is designated as the permanent chairman, with sweeping powers:

    • He can invite or remove countries at will

    • Set the agenda

    • Cast decisive votes during decision-making processes

Other members may have a formal vote, but the chairman's role is designed to be dominant and controlling.

Global Reaction to the Initiative

⚠ Caution and Criticism

Many world leaders and diplomats have responded with skepticism. The Council has been called a "Trump UN" — a body that not only duplicates but undermines existing international institutions like the UN, and bypasses established international law.

The pay-to-play membership model and Trump’s personal control have raised concerns about legitimacy and transparency.

Stated Purpose vs. Real Ambitions

While the Council was initially tasked with overseeing peace implementation in Gaza, its charter suggests ambitions to expand its scope into other global crises, without UN authorization, effectively creating a parallel system of international conflict management.

Why This Is Not About “Peace in the World”

Despite its name, the "Peace Council" is not about promoting global peace in the traditional sense. Rather, it appears to be a platform for power-sharing, influence trading, and geopolitical deal-making.

Prioritizing Control Over Peace

  • The Council's framework is built to protect U.S. and allied interests, rather than uphold universal legal norms.

  • Membership is by invitation only, making it an exclusive network instead of an inclusive diplomatic forum.

  • Peace is not the objective — division of control is.

Attempt to Rewire Global Order

Experts warn that this initiative could challenge the existing international legal order, promoting a new system of hand-picked power blocs that operate outside the reach of existing multilateral institutions like the UN.

This risks establishing alternative rules of engagement in global politics, led by financial and military elites.

Summary: “Peace Council” = Closed Geopolitical Private Club

Unlike traditional peacebuilding mechanisms, Trump’s Peace Council represents:

  1. A closed, invitation-only organization with a high entry cost

  2. A body where the leader (Trump) holds disproportionate power over all decisions

  3. A potential alternative to international institutions, but based on transactional logic, not justice or equality

  4. A mechanism focused on managing and dividing global power, rather than creating fair and lasting peace.

How the World Economy Could Look in 2050: Asia Takes the Lead

By 2050, the economic map of the world may look very different from what we know today.

According to long-term projections by Goldman Sachs, the centre of gravity of global GDP is expected to shift decisively away from today’s developed markets and towards emerging Asia.

The Big Picture: Who Owns Global GDP in 2050?

In 2050 (in constant 2021 USD), global GDP is projected to total about $227.9 trillion. Here’s how that pie is expected to be divided:

  • Asia (excluding developed markets): $90.6 trillion – 40%
  • Developed Markets (DM): $82.9 trillion – 36%
  • Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa (CEEMEA): $38.3 trillion – 17%
  • Latin America: $16.0 trillion – 7%

The headline shift is clear:

Emerging Asia is projected to become the largest regional contributor to world GDP, with 40% of the total, edging ahead of traditional Developed Markets at 36%.

To see how dramatic this is, compare it with the year 2000. At that time, developed economies (North America, Western Europe, Japan, etc.) accounted for more than 77% of global GDP. By 2050, their share is expected to fall to just over a third.

Read more >>

Can Ukraine Legally Reclaim Its Nuclear Status?


In debates about Ukraine’s future, one question keeps resurfacing, quietly at first and then ever louder: could Ukraine ever re-enter the nuclear club? After the collapse of the security assurances that once underpinned its denuclearisation, the issue is no longer confined to fringe commentary. 
 
It now sits at the intersection of law and survival, of the NPT’s rules and a state’s right to exist. This article asks the hardest version of the question: can Ukraine legally reclaim a nuclear status, and what would such a decision mean for the world that once persuaded it to disarm?

Ukraine’s nuclear knot: how the 1990–1994 package built an architecture that broke in 2014 and 2022

1) The inheritance moment: a vast arsenal without a sovereign nuclear status

After the collapse of the USSR, Ukraine found itself hosting one of the largest nuclear arsenals in Europe. In practice, this was an unprecedented status: warheads were on Ukrainian territory, but command-and-control, permissive action links, and much of the operational chain remained embedded in Soviet, then Russian, systems.

That starting point matters. Ukraine’s decisions in 1990–1994 were not made in a moral vacuum. They were made under hard power realities and intense external pressure to preserve the global non-proliferation regime.

Read more >>

Global risks 2026-2036 by WEF report

Geo-economic confrontation ranks as No 1 global risk in 2026, WEF report says.


The Global Risks Report, the World Economic Forum's annual snapshot of the biggest risks facing the world in the near, medium and long terms, shows geopolitical and economic risks on the rise in the new 'age of competition'.  

The report is published just days before the Forum's Annual Meeting and is a good indicator of what the 3,000 leaders convening in Davos, Switzerland will be talking about. Gayle Markovitz is joined by a co-host, Forum Managing Director Saadia Zahidi, and two expert guests, Peter Giger, Group Chief Risk Officer at Zurich Insurance, and Andrew George, Global President of Specialties at Marsh. The Global Risks Report, available here, was compiled by Mark Elsner and Grace Atkinson of the Forum's Global Risks Initiative. 

Links: Global Risks Report 2026: https://wef.ch/risks26
Global Risks Initiative: https://initiatives.weforum.org/globa...
Peter Giger's blog "Critical infrastructure is at critical risk: It’s time to treat it as such": https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/...
Andrew George's blog: How can businesses navigate technology risks and opportunities in a competitive age?: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/...
Marl Elsner's blog: These are the top 10 risks in 2026: Geoeconomic confrontation ranks highest in 'age of competition': https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/...
Grace Atkinson's blog: Global risks in 2026 and over the past 5 years: What’s changed and what hasn’t?: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/...
Related podcasts: Cybersecurity Outlook 2026: the view from Interpol and the threat to ‘OT’: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radi...
Global Risks Report: the big issues facing the world at Davos 2025: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radi...
Making sense of geopolitics in 2025: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radi...
Superpower rivalry and geopolitics in Trump 2.0: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radi...
We have entered the age of "persistent disruption" - Visa's Wayne Best on the Chief Economists Outlook: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radi...
Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560
Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552
The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. It provides a global, impartial and not-for-profit platform for meaningful connection between stakeholders to establish trust, and build initiatives for cooperation and progress. Find out more below: World Economic Forum Website http://www.weforum.org
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Threads  https://www.threads.com/@worldeconomi...
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#WorldEconomicForum #wef

Thursday, 15 January 2026

Why US startups do not look at the European market

Why U.S. MedTech Startups Must Think Beyond Borders

This was exactly the challenge discussed during the Innovation Industry Talk “Beyond Borders: Scaling US Medtech Startups”, held on October 29 in San Francisco and organized by Mind the Bridge and Theras.

The problem Alberto Onetti addresses, " The gap emerges between research and company creation: tech transfer effectiveness, incentives for faculty entrepreneurship, access to early-stage capital, and the ability to scale spinouts beyond the lab. The result is a paradox: strong science, weak industrialization of research. " 

Unfortunately, this problem is relevant to universities in many countries. This is evident from the map: a number of countries are not even present.

There are already proven tools for solving this. In my opinion, the problem lies with the leadership of a number of countries, which are not ready for change, but simply maintain the status quo that has existed for decades.

Although the event focused on MedTech, its conclusions resonate across nearly every innovation-driven sector.

“American startups should definitely be expanding to Europe,”
said Alex Gonzalez, Director of International Business Development and Distributor Partnerships at Levita Magnetics.
“There’s a misconception that you must be fully commercialized and FDA-approved before entering Europe. In reality, these processes can — and should — happen in parallel.”

Yet most U.S. startups still follow one deeply rooted rule.

“The U.S. startup playbook says: U.S. first,”
noted Saumitra Thakur, Managing Partner at MedMountain Ventures.

Why?

“For many Americans, the U.S. is the center of the entire universe,”
Gonzalez added.
Why search for other galaxies when you can scale — and exit — right at home?

This mindset is reinforced by fear, complexity, and lack of understanding, often resulting in what founders know all too well: analysis paralysis.

Europe Is Not a Risk — It’s a Strategic Advantage

Ironically, Europe offers some of the most attractive conditions for early-stage MedTech:

  • More open academic institutions

  • Lower clinical trial costs

  • High scientific and regulatory standards

As Dorian Averbuch, four-time entrepreneur with two nine-figure exits (MediGuide and superDimension), pointed out, Europe combines rigor with accessibility — a rare combination.

There is also a powerful financial incentive.

In MedTech, valuations are often driven by revenue multiples and strategic market positioning. Expanding into Europe creates new revenue streams, which can dramatically increase a company’s valuation and acquisition attractiveness.

So What’s Stopping Them?

Despite being a large market, Europe is structurally complex.

It is not one market — it is 27 different healthcare systems, regulatory regimes, reimbursement models, and cultural approaches to medicine and business.

Today, CE marking and MDR/IVDR certification can be more complex than FDA approval.
And European clinicians are often less commercially oriented, making adoption slower without the right ecosystem.

This makes Europe harder to enter — but also harder for competitors to displace.

The Real Challenge: Translation

International expansion is rarely about technology.

It is about translation.

“This is especially true in MedTech,”
said Massimo Balestri, General Manager of Theras.
“Business models, reimbursement pathways, and go-to-market strategies must be adapted to each national healthcare system. Success in Europe depends on finding the right local partner — one with clinical credibility, distribution reach, and deep institutional knowledge.”

In fragmented markets, startups need catalysts — organizations that can convert innovation into real-world impact.

That is what Theras Group represents: a bridge between global technology and local healthcare ecosystems.

We call this the Partner Advantage — the ability to transform breakthrough innovation into scalable patient access through strategic local alliances.

The Bottom Line

U.S. MedTech startups that think globally — early — build:

  • Higher valuations

  • Stronger strategic positioning

  • More resilient revenue models

Those that don’t risk remaining provincial in a global market.

For deeper insights into the evolving MedTech landscape, explore the report:
“The Future of Medtech – European and Global Trends in Chronic Diseases.”

The future of healthcare is global — and the smartest founders are already building it that way.

Alberto Onetti, Chairman at Mind the Bridge.
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