Schools will evolve to become learning networks, according to the key findings of a survey by the World Innovation Summit for Education (Wise), an initiative aimed at transforming education through innovation.

Conducted by Wise among its global community of experts, the survey has revealed their perspectives on what school will look like in 2030 and predicted that education systems will undergo major changes.

Schools will become interactive environments where innovations in technology and curricula will fundamentally “transform the role of teachers and reshape the landscape of learning”.

The survey reveals a strong consensus around the idea that innovation is an integral part of the future of education. As many as 93% of the experts say they favour schools that implement innovative methods based on new teaching approaches and creative processes.

Experts from the Wise community predict that schools will evolve to become learning networks. Online resources and technologies will support peer-to-peer networking, dialogue and exchange, facilitating a move towards collaborative learning.

According to the survey, almost half of the experts (43%) believe that content will be provided predominantly by online platforms, while only 29% ranked brick-and-mortar schools as the primary source of knowledge.

However the experts emphasise that innovation comes in many forms, not just technological.

A total of 75% of the experts surveyed believe that the most valued assets in 2030 will be personal and interpersonal skills. Only 4% think that academic knowledge will continue to be valuable to learners.

As many as 83% of experts also believe that content will become more individualised, reflecting each student’s needs. Another key finding supports the evolution of the teacher’s role towards being a learning facilitator rather than a lecturer.

Experts also agree that physical presence and human interaction will remain indispensable to education in the future.

Experts remain divided on the issue of certification and assessment; 39% think that diplomas will continue to be the most important method of assessment while another third (37%) argue that professional certifications assessing abilities such as management, collaboration or creativity will play a more important role.

Regarding the language used for education, 46% vouch for a global language, while 35% are in favour of vernacular and national language and 19% demand instructions in regional language.

Asked about the role of Big Data (an all-encompassing term for any collection of data sets so large and complex that it becomes difficult to process using traditional data processing applications), 88% of experts agree it will play a role in education.

About the financing of education, 43% think parents will fund, 30% expects the State to pay and 27% anticipate companies will foot the bill.

The “2030 School Survey” was conducted between June 3 and 30, 2014, among 645 experts representative of the global Wise community, which comprises more than 15,000 individuals.

The 2014 Wise Summit will be held in Doha from November 4 to 6 under the theme “Imagine-Create-Learn: Creativity at the Heart of Education.”

WISE was established by Qatar Foundation for Science, Education and Community Development in 2009 under the leadership of its chairperson, HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, in an endeavour to place innovation in education at the forefront of the global agenda.