AGP Executive Report

PISA Shock (Europe): New OECD PISA 2025 results released Sept 8 show a worldwide drop in reading and maths, with UK performance steady but warning signs for literacy. PISA Standouts (Ireland & UK): Ireland’s 15-year-olds rank first in reading across EU states (and top overall in reading), while the UK places near the top internationally; results also vary sharply by home nation. Global Context (Australia & Singapore): Australia reports its worst maths and reading outcomes, while Singapore tops reading and ranks second in maths and science, including new digital problem-solving measures. Youth to Work (UK): Britain plans up to 100,000 short work placements for 18–24 “NEET” young people via major retailers, aiming to cut youth joblessness. Education Policy (EU): France pushes for an EU-wide under-15 social media rule after its national ban was blocked by courts. Higher Ed (UK): Cambridge professor Dr James Orr resigns from Reform UK policy role after an investigation into foreign donation handling. Student Housing (UK): Scape submits plans for an 851-bed student tower near Elephant & Castle, targeting mid-2027 construction.

Border Controls: The European Entry/Exit System’s flexibility for some congestion is expiring, with stricter biometric checks returning at 29 European borders—an issue for African students, travellers and short-stay visitors. Education Disruption: In Cyprus, parents at Ypsonas public schools threaten action after they say deteriorating prefabricated classrooms leave children in unsafe conditions, with a response deadline set by Sept. 10. Learning Abroad & Exchange: University of Minnesota graduates are heading to Belgium and other countries via Fulbright grants, highlighting continued demand for international teaching and research pathways. Student Safety & Inclusion: A workshop at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan trained 14–16-year-olds to counter cyberbullying through values-based campaigns and scenario work. School Term Recovery: In Caracas, crews are repairing the Cecilia Núñez Educational Unit ahead of the new term, including roofs, electrical systems and sports spaces for 750 students. EU Funding & Arctic Education: The EU announced a €200m Greenland package that explicitly includes education support alongside connectivity, fisheries and housing. Higher Ed Costs: Spain’s university loans have surged, now making up 14.2% of consumer credit as students increasingly rely on borrowing for tuition and living costs. Germany Politics & Schools: Germany’s AfD lands a major Saxony-Anhalt win, raising fresh questions about future education and integration policy as the far right pushes “separate schools” for refugees.

Far-right Politics & Education Climate: Germany’s Saxony-Anhalt election delivered a historic AfD surge (43.8%) but fell short of an outright majority, keeping the “firewall” against governing with the far right in play and raising fresh uncertainty for schools and youth policy as immigration and school culture become campaign flashpoints. Back-to-School Health & Safety: UK weather turns wetter and cooler as the new term begins, while a separate “back to school” push argues for fewer cars at drop-off to cut risk and improve routines. Learning Support in Luxembourg: Luxembourg’s free summer school for over 7,400 pupils shows how short, teacher-supported catch-up can smooth the transition into the next year. Education Policy Legacy (Ireland): Tributes marked Donogh O’Malley’s 60-year legacy of free secondary education, credited with widening access for a generation. AI in Training: A study on generative AI at Portugal’s military academy finds it can support learning if it doesn’t replace independent thinking. Student Life & Mobility: A UN-backed push to correct world maps could affect classroom materials worldwide, with Africa’s true size now set to challenge long-used projections.

German Education Politics: Germany’s far-right AfD is projected to win 44% in Saxony-Anhalt, with education and culture in the spotlight if it can form a government; protests in Berlin and Frankfurt are calling to ban the party. Democracy & Rights: An EU Greens MEP says Serbia’s alleged spyware surveillance of students and activists is a criminal attack on democracy, urging EU action. School Policy France: France’s school-uniform trial is being wound down nationally after mixed, limited results. Higher Education & Work: A report on Melbourne universities says degrees are being redesigned to plug students into jobs via industry-linked start-ups. Tech & Learning: A warning about PaperCut security flaws highlights risks to schools and universities, while AI chatbots are flagged for wrongly reassuring sleep-apnoea patients. International Education: Sweden’s rules for student residence permits and a push for foreign-university expansion in India point to shifting mobility pressures.

Security & Schooling: Prince Harry’s return to Britain has sparked fresh questions over whether the family should receive taxpayer-funded police protection, with reports that they’ve been using private security while children prepare to start private school in the Cotswolds. Health & Public Finance: A leading economist warns Brexit losses could be large enough to wipe out NHS waiting lists if recouped, arguing the “Brexit bus” NHS claims were wrong. Language & Identity: Malta’s Maltese-language debate is reframed around everyday community choices rather than top-down campaigns, with Kurt Meli urging practical use at home. Education Policy: A debate piece argues vocational secondary schools risk premature segregation, even if vocational learning is valuable. Politics & Schools: Germany’s Saxony-Anhalt election could reshape education policy too, with AfD proposing measures including segregated classes for children of asylum-seekers. Tech & Learning: EU-backed work on AI safety and education is in focus as schools and universities grapple with new tools and rules.

Far-right Education Agenda: Germany’s AfD closed its Saxony-Anhalt campaign with a push to take power, promising a deportations task force, segregated classes for asylum-seekers’ children, and a ban on rainbow flags in schools—raising the stakes for how education could be reshaped after Sunday’s vote. Student Mobility Rules: Sweden published five conditions for a student residence permit in 2026, including full-time admission, upfront tuition payment, and proof of financial self-sufficiency and health insurance. Skills-to-Work Link: Egypt joined an EU-backed AlignVET effort to align technical and vocational education with labour-market needs, with industry input shaping curricula for garments and textiles. Teachers’ Day Spotlight: In India, September 5 is marked as Teachers’ Day, commemorating Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s call to honour all teachers rather than celebrate his birthday. Climate & Learning Safety: A fire-science report warns wildfires in Europe and North America are growing in size and severity, with warmer, drier nights making them harder to contain—an emerging risk for school communities.

German Politics & Education: AfD is poised for a historic state-level breakthrough in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, with polls putting it around 40%+ and raising fears of knock-on effects for education and culture as Germany’s “firewall” against coalition with AfD is tested. AI in Schools: New York City’s one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI for pupils up to eighth grade spotlights the growing policy fight over how AI should be used in classrooms. Higher Ed Capacity: Dutch universities and the government have agreed a “self-regulation” approach to international student intake, including limits on new English-language bachelor programmes—sparking debate about transparency and access. Student Safety & Access in War Zones: Sumy (Ukraine) opened an EU-supported underground school for 500 students, while more protected facilities are under construction in the region. World Maps & Learning: The UN backed an African-led push to promote equal-area maps (Equal Earth) over Mercator in education and official communications, arguing it corrects long-running distortions. UK Literacy & Curriculum: UK authors and education voices argue for stronger reading-for-pleasure and a rethink of GCSE English book choices as participation rises from a recent low. Privacy & Tech: A Netherlands-based travel app Polarsteps faces scrutiny after investigators say weak protections allowed tracking of users’ locations and even likely home addresses.

Platform Regulation: The EU has designated Roblox a “Very Large Online Platform” under the Digital Services Act, triggering extra duties on child safety, risk assessments, audits and possible data access for regulators and vetted researchers. Cartography & Education: The UN General Assembly backed a new world map that makes Africa bigger and shrinks North America and Europe, arguing maps shape education and perceptions; France says it will move away from Mercator. Research & Health: Concordia University researchers report that certain sleep brain waves may protect people with Alzheimer’s from cognitive decline linked to orexin levels. Politics & Security in Schools: Germany’s far-right surge in Saxony-Anhalt is raising alarm for educators and Jewish and migrant groups, with new security protocols described by staff running political and antisemitism education programs. Higher Ed & Governance: Cambridge University launched a probe into associate professor James Orr after allegations of breaching political donation rules tied to Reform UK. Student Life: UK guidance clarifies when in-country students can apply for a new student visa—starting three months before the course begins and requiring a tight link to current visa expiry.

Ukraine Recovery & Youth: A new push at Ukraine’s Recovery Conference in Gdańsk puts education and work at the centre of rebuilding for the 1.7 million young people who have left since 2022, with EU-backed partners urged to help create a future for those at home and in exile. Education & EU Accession (Ukraine): Ukraine’s deputy PM says a bill is set to be submitted to parliament to deliver education-related reforms tied to EU membership, focusing on national minority protections. School Safety (Ukraine/Europe context): Ukraine continues expanding protective schooling, with 15 more underground schools and renovated shelters opening so thousands of students can attend in person. UK Immigration & Erasmus+: The UK outlines October 2026 immigration rule changes, including definitions for Erasmus+ activities and new rules for visitors linked to the programme in state schools and academies. Germany Far-Right & Students/Communities: As Saxony-Anhalt votes, reporting highlights how an AfD breakthrough could reshape policy affecting Ukrainians and wider education-related integration priorities. Italy Politics (education backdrop): Giorgia Meloni’s government becomes Italy’s longest-serving since the republic began, setting the tone for the 2027 campaign amid ongoing tensions over Ukraine support and coalition priorities. AF Exercise Rehab (health education link): At ESC 2026, the NEXAF trial reports a personalised long-term physical activity programme cut atrial fibrillation arrhythmia burden by 45% after a year, reinforcing the role of exercise-based rehabilitation.

Education Reform in Moldova: Parliament approved a second-reading bill to create Territorial Education Agencies that will take over school management, financing, staffing and oversight (with kindergartens and extracurriculars staying local). AI Literacy in France: Université Paris-Saclay is expanding its BrevetAI AI training beyond the university via the FUN MOOC platform, opening access to other universities, companies and the public. University Funding & Research: A University of Bath-led project won €8m to design more climate-resilient, liveable neighbourhoods using data from 14 European cities. Back-to-School Tech & Access: Reports highlight growing pressure on education systems as AI tools and online shopping change how families find information, with accessibility concerns rising. Student Mobility: Erasmus is reported to be returning to Hungary, letting Hungarian students study abroad again. Campus & Student Safety: A reform-approved education governance shift in Moldova comes alongside ongoing school-safety concerns, including a weapons incident at a U.S. high school.

AI & Schools Policy: New York City will temporarily ban student-facing generative AI for grades through 8th, while rolling out AI literacy for high schoolers and supervised pilots—another sign Europe and the US are tightening classroom tech rules. Student Support & Costs: Ireland’s purpose-built student accommodation lobby is urging VAT removal on construction to boost supply, citing a sharp slowdown in new student beds. In Britain, personal finance expert Martin Lewis highlighted options for wiping Plan 2 student loans, as debate over debt spirals continues. Access, Recruitment & Staffing: Swiss schools abroad are struggling to meet quotas for Swiss-trained teachers; lawmakers are pushing to standardise employment conditions to make overseas posts more attractive. Student Mobility & Compliance: Italy’s embassy in Pakistan warns of a surge in forged documents in study visa applications. Politics & Education Culture: Germany’s far-right AfD is targeting the Bauhaus legacy and is set for a major east German state election—where AfD also proposes bans on LGBTQ pride flags at public schools. Learning Outcomes: Cyprus spends heavily on education but still sees weak PISA results, with large declines in core skills.

School Safety Policy: The Philippines’ DepEd will drop “active shooter” reenactments from nationwide safety drills, citing concerns about children’s emotional trauma, and will instead trigger drills via alarms. Disaster Preparedness Tech: DepEd also urged schools to use Project Ligtas+, an AI-powered hazard assessment tool that turns weather and geohazard data into school-level safety alerts. AI in Classrooms: New York City approved a one-year ban on generative AI tools for students through eighth grade, with pilots and critical-thinking lessons for older students. Higher Education & Disruption: Ukraine reported Russian drone strikes hitting a Kyiv university during classes, with students sheltering as attacks continue. Education Governance & Rights: Alberta’s top court overturned a Catholic school division’s order for a trustee to publicly apologize over a Pride-related Nazi comparison. Back-to-School in Europe: France introduced nationwide phone bans in high schools as the new academic year begins, while Poland moved to phone restrictions in primary schools. Higher Ed International Mobility: A University of the Azores summer programme welcomed Bermuda’s first two participants, awarding bilingual certificates equivalent to 6 ECTS.

AI in the classroom: A major study on generative AI and homework finds students may finish assignments faster and score higher, but exam performance without AI can drop—raising questions about what “learning” really means when homework is automated. School safety planning: The Philippines’ education ministry is rolling out Project Ligtas+, a hazard-tracking tool to help schools act earlier on disaster risks, and it’s also dropping “reenactments” in drills after concerns about children’s emotional safety. Water stress and schooling risk: Britain’s risk assessment warns a “catastrophic” water infrastructure failure could disrupt drinking water for over a million people and force closures of schools and hospitals. Health education and communication: A European Commission-backed STI piece highlights rising diagnoses and urges clinicians to improve how they talk about sexual health, especially with young people. Back-to-school tech and media: Vodafone Spain is bundling free streaming subscriptions with fibre and mobile plans for new customers. Labour and school-term supply: A strike at a Northern Ireland sausage factory threatens supermarket shortages just as the new school term ramps up demand.

France’s Phone Crackdown: France has extended its school phone ban to lycées, with students required to store devices in pouches/lockers and only limited exceptions for medical or supervised educational use, as officials warn of a “screen vs learning” crisis. Ukraine’s School-Year Shock: Russia’s strikes hit Kyiv as the new term began, forcing “first bell” ceremonies underground and disrupting schooling for hundreds of thousands of pupils. EU Security Warning: EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas says Russia’s hybrid attacks are meant to “scare” Europeans and shake support for Ukraine, citing incidents including a foiled drone attack linked to Russia. Belarus Crackdown on Education: Amnesty says Belarusian authorities are intensifying pressure on European Humanities University students and staff in exile and on families back home, including searches and detentions. Moldova’s Romanian-Language Schools: Moldova’s reintegration deputy PM attended a “First Bell” ceremony at Evrica Theoretical Lyceum, reaffirming support for Romanian-language education in Transnistria. Poland School Rules: Poland introduces nationwide phone restrictions in primary schools. EU Health Policy: The European Commission approves a new first-line HER2+ metastatic breast cancer regimen (T-DXd plus pertuzumab). Learning Access: A new free, AI-animated “Al-Khwarizmi” series is released on YouTube for teachers and students.

Kurdish Language Rights: Kurds in Syria fear Damascus control will roll back Kurdish-language schooling that expanded after 2012, while a KRG official warns demographic shifts in Khanaqin could breach constitutional guarantees. Education Policy & Access: In Armenia, a new government agenda argues schools should build capabilities for state strength, linking teacher certification and content reform to what kind of person education produces. Student Mobility & Partnerships: Kakatiya University in Telangana signs a “3+2” master’s MoU with Germany’s Reutlingen University, sending 20 students a year to complete graduate study abroad. International Education Under Pressure: US sanctions framed as “economic D-Day” for Iran are reported to target education, raising fears for students and schools. AI & Learning Governance: A US push for light-touch AI regulation is set to be debated at a G20 meeting in North Carolina with major tech leaders, shaping how education tech may be governed. School Year Disruptions: Across Canada, school boards cancel or adjust international field trips amid conflict, health and travel uncertainty. Higher Education Funding Debate: Commentary warns a new university funding model could deepen inequality.

School Disruption in Ukraine: Russia’s strikes have destroyed at least 12 million school books and hit publishing and printing sites, leaving many children facing a new term with missing textbooks. Education Policy & Access: Britain’s forced-marriage watchdog data shows at least 100 girls under 12 flagged as likely victims over 2021-2025, raising pressure on safeguarding in schools. Student Life & Learning Abroad: A French-language book drive is sending children’s literature and classroom materials to Kazakh schools, including French translations of Kazakh authors. Higher Education & Research: University of Idaho has hired Erika Consoli as its inaugural Saad Hafez endowed chair for nematology, based at the Parma Research and Extension Center. Digital Civic Skills: Ghana’s civic education body warns that misinformation, deepfakes and hate speech are undermining democratic stability, urging stronger media partnerships. Migration & Causes: Germany’s foreign minister met Tunisia’s leadership, pushing for tackling migration drivers in Africa and targeting smuggling networks.