UNESCO Education Beyond 2030 Global Youth & Student Consultations 2026: Young People Invited to Shape the Future of Education
Young people around the world are being given an important opportunity to influence the future of global education through the UNESCO Education Beyond 2030 Global Youth & Student Consultations 2026. The initiative invites young people, students, educators, youth organizations and community groups to share their views on what education should look like after 2030.
The consultation comes as the international community begins considering what should follow Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which focuses on inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. UNESCO aims to ensure that young people are not simply recipients of education policies but active contributors to the development of the next global education agenda.
What Is the UNESCO Education Beyond 2030 Consultation?
The Education Beyond 2030 initiative is designed to collect perspectives from young people across different countries, cultures and communities. Through surveys, youth debates and community consultations, participants can contribute their ideas to the development of the Post-2030 Youth Education and Learning Agenda.
The initiative recognizes that today’s young people will experience the long-term consequences of decisions being made about education systems today. Their experiences, priorities and expectations can therefore provide valuable insight into how education needs to evolve.
The consultation explores three central questions:
- What kind of world do young people want to build?
- What changes are needed in education and learning?
- What actions are young people willing to take to help create that future?
Responses will contribute to discussions involving governments, educators, civil society organizations and international development partners.
Who Can Participate?
One of the major strengths of the UNESCO consultation is its broad eligibility. The initiative is open to young people aged 11 to 30, including students and youth leaders.
Eligible participants include:
- Young people aged 11–30
- Primary and secondary school students
- University and college students
- Youth organizations and student associations
- Community groups and youth networks
- Teachers and non-formal education facilitators
Participants can respond individually or take part in a group consultation organized by a school, university, youth organization or community group.
UNESCO is particularly encouraging organizations working with marginalized communities, refugees and displaced young people, young people with disabilities, and youth living in remote areas to participate. This can help ensure that the future global education agenda reflects a diverse range of experiences.
Multilingual Global Survey
To make participation more accessible, the global survey is available in numerous languages. These include English, French, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, German, Turkish, Italian, Vietnamese, Nepali, Russian, Danish, Greek, Catalan, Macedonian, Persian and Melayu.
The multilingual approach allows young people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds to contribute their perspectives and experiences.
The survey deadline is 30 September 2026, giving eligible participants time to review the questions and submit their responses.
How Youth Organizations and Teachers Can Participate
Schools, universities, NGOs, museums, community centers and youth organizations can organize structured discussions around the consultation.
Facilitators can follow a simple process:
- Review UNESCO’s official survey questions and guidance.
- Identify and invite appropriate participants.
- Use UNESCO’s communication materials to promote the consultation.
- Organize the youth debate or community discussion.
- Prepare and submit the group’s response using the appropriate reporting template.
UNESCO has also developed facilitator resources for different age groups, including guides for participants aged 11–14, 15–18 and 19–30.
What Happens After the Consultation?
The consultation forms part of a wider process extending beyond the survey deadline. Following the collection of responses, members of the SDG 4 Youth & Student Network will analyze contributions from young people around the world.
The findings will inform the development of the Post-2030 Youth Education and Learning Agenda, which is expected to be presented at the 2027 Global Education Meeting.
The process provides an opportunity for young people’s ideas to become part of broader international discussions about education policy and priorities beyond the current SDG framework.
Why This Opportunity Matters
Education systems are experiencing major changes driven by technology, artificial intelligence, climate change, inequality, evolving labor markets and new approaches to learning. These changes are creating both opportunities and challenges for students and young people.
The UNESCO consultation provides a platform for young people to discuss issues such as digital inclusion, equitable access to education, lifelong learning, skills development, quality teaching, civic engagement and sustainable development.
Most importantly, participation gives young people the opportunity to turn their experiences into recommendations that can contribute to international education policy.
Key Dates
- Consultation launched: 10 April 2026
- Survey deadline: 30 September 2026
- Youth agenda drafting: Late 2026
- Presentation of the agenda: 2027 Global Education Meeting
Young people, students, teachers and youth organizations worldwide are encouraged to participate before the deadline and contribute their perspectives on the future of learning.
How to Apply or Participate
Interested participants should access the official UNESCO Education Beyond 2030 consultation information and survey resources for the latest eligibility requirements, guidance and participation instructions.
Deadline: 30 September 2026.
This is more than a survey—it is an opportunity for young people to have a meaningful voice in shaping the education systems of the future.
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Disclaimer: Remote Job Opportunities (RJO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the responsible organization directly. Please do not send your applications to RJO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.
