SUSTAINING
FUTURES Request an Invitation Education and Sustainable Development

Sustaining Futures: Schools for a Changing Planet

BY INVITATION ONLY – no fees or living costs

1-3 November 2026, Udaipur, India

Partnering with the Vidya Bhawan Society

For Senior Educators, School Owners, Trustees, Governors, and Principals

What must schools do to help young people live, work and lead amid constant global flux?

The SUSTAINING FUTURES programme explores what it means to educate for a world being remade, in which the general belief in abundance is giving way to the reality of scarcity. As information becomes instantly available and its synthesis almost instant, schools can help young people understand context, ask better questions, and find purpose amid uncertain employment futures and extraordinary, if unevenly shared, possibilities.

Over three days in Udaipur, an opening debate on mastery and adaptability leads into sessions on ecology and food, discussions on AI, assessment, and sport, and participant dialogue that fosters understanding for school change. The learning sessions are designed and led by Hearth Advisors, featuring outstanding guest speakers and real-world experiences. Hosted by the Vidya Bhawan Society in Udaipur, this invitation-only event will enable reflection, deep sharing, and the chance to experience the best this marvellous city of lakes has to offer.

For whom is this programme intended?

SUSTAINING FUTURES is an exclusive, invitation-only programme for school owners, trustees, governors, principals, educators, policymakers and institutional leaders committed to meaningful educational change. There is no cost once you arrive in Udaipur. Just turn up in the city, and the programme costs are on us from 1st November to 3rd November. VBS is bearing the entire cost of the programme, including stay, local logistics, etc., and there is no programme fee.

Sustainable Infrastructure Development

Why is this programme different?

Engage with speakers and programme leaders whose experience spans national policymaking, international development, climate education and employment futures, alongside domain experts who put these ideas into practice.

Learning in context: A leading agricultural research centre, an environmental learning space encompassing two hills, and more staid rooms become living learning spaces.

Employment futures as a connecting thread: Ecology, food systems, technology, assessment and sport offer distinct perspectives on how schools can prepare young people for evolving work and livelihoods.

Dialogue over prescription, moving from ideas to implementation, and a deliberately focused cohort create space for candid discussion, collaboration and lasting professional relationships.

Experience Udaipur through an insider’s eyes, with the generous hospitality of Vidya Bhawan and a few surprises woven into the programme.

Vidya Bhawan offers a distinctive setting for this conversation. Founded in 1931, it has long linked education with democracy, equality, inclusion, practical work, social responsibility and environmental awareness. Today, its wider ecosystem comprises schools, teacher education institutions, an education resource centre, rural and technical education, a Krishi Vigyan Kendra and a Prakriti Sadhana Kendra.

Request an Invitation

Programme Overview

Sustainable Infrastructure Development

As climate change, technological disruption, shifting employment pathways and pressures on wellbeing reshape students’ lives, schools must ask not only what young people should know, but also how they can adapt to evolving knowledge paradigms.

The SUSTAINING FUTURES programme explores what it means to educate for a world being remade, in which the general belief in abundance is giving way to the reality of scarcity. As information becomes instantly available and its synthesis almost instantaneous, schools can help young people understand context, ask better questions, and find purpose amid uncertain employment futures and extraordinary, if unevenly shared, possibilities.

Vidya Bhawan offers a distinctive setting for this conversation. Founded in 1931, it has long linked education with democracy, equality, inclusion, practical work, social responsibility and environmental awareness. Today, its wider ecosystem comprises schools, teacher education institutions, an education resource centre, rural and technical education, a Krishi Vigyan Kendra and a Prakriti Sadhana Kendra.

Over three days, the conference will feature keynote conversations, focused sessions and site-based engagements. It will examine the links between education, ecology, technology, employability, wellbeing and the future of school leadership.

Logistics and Costs

Urban and Cultural Rejuvenation

The Royal Retreat Resorts & Spa in Udaipur will serve as the accommodation base and venue for selected conference sessions. The programme also includes the inaugural session at the Vidya Bhawan Auditorium and field engagements at the Prakriti Sadhana Kendra and the Krishi Vigyan Kendra.

Please arrive in Udaipur by 2 pm on 1st November 2026 (Day 1) to check in to the hotel ahead of the 4 pm inaugural session. Our teams will be in touch to arrange airport transfers.

Check-out is after lunch on 3rd November 2026 (Day 3), following the closing session. We will arrange airport transfers.

Also, to reiterate, the entire programme is free once you arrive in Udaipur. There are no costs for learning sessions, accommodation, food, local hospitality, or local logistics.

The Three-Day Journey

Urban and Cultural Rejuvenation

Day 1 | Inaugural Session and Gala Dinner (1 November 2026)

The programme opens at the Vidya Bhawan Auditorium with a keynote-led panel: Masters or Generalists? What Should Schools Prepare Young People to Become? The conversation explores the evolving meaning of expertise, adaptability, and cross-disciplinary thinking, then continues over a gala dinner.

Day 2 | Learning for Employment Futures (2 November 2026)

Participants move through our wider conference ecosystem and return to the Royal Retreat Resorts & Spa for an afternoon of dialogue. Four connected sessions examine how schools can prepare young people for employment futures that are practical, adaptive, collaborative and human:

  • Land, Water and Living Systems: Exploring how ecological systems shape livelihoods and how observation, systems thinking and practical judgement prepare students for future work.
  • Food Futures: Connecting agriculture and food systems through resilience, enterprise and practical learning for local, technical and ecological livelihoods.
  • Academic Futures – Technology, Pedagogy and Examinations: Examining how AI is changing learning and assessment, and the judgement, adaptability and responsible use of technology needed for future work.
  • Sports and Employment Futures: Exploring career and enterprise pathways in sports, fitness, recreation and allied services, alongside collaboration, discipline, resilience and leadership.

Morning wellness sessions and evening experiences in Udaipur complement the conference, offering participants additional activities.

In the evening of the 2nd day, a special event/dinner awaits the participants. Be prepared for a surprise (and carry a warm layer!)

Day 3 | Synthesis, Presentations and Closing (3 November 2026)

On the final day, participant groups turn the programme’s ideas into practical proposals for implementation in schools. Short presentations are followed by a closing plenary, certificates, lunch and informal departures.

Participant Outcomes

Education Quality Audit

Participants leave with practical ideas for linking school learning to ecological change and emerging employment pathways, informed by field engagement, discussion and collaboration with peers.

We hope you will leave with more than a few friends!

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can attend the programme?

SUSTAINING FUTURES is an exclusive, invitation-only programme for school owners, trustees, governors, principals, educators, policymakers and institutional leaders committed to meaningful educational change.

What are the participation fees or other charges?

There is no cost once you arrive in Udaipur. Just turn up in the city, and the programme costs are on us from 1st November to 3rd November. VBS is bearing the entire cost of the programme, including accommodation, local logistics, etc., and there is no programme fee.

What does the programme explore?

The programme explores ecological futures, food systems, technology, pedagogy, examinations and sport through a shared question: how can schools prepare young people for evolving employment and livelihood opportunities?

What should participants expect?

Expect keynote conversations, field engagement, focused discussions and collaborative work across venues in Udaipur, culminating in practical ideas for school implementation.

Will the programme lead to practical outcomes?

Yes. Participants work in groups to translate the programme’s main themes into practical ideas that schools can implement, adapt or strengthen.

How can I join the programme?

This is an exclusive, invitation-only programme. To request an invitation, please complete this form: https://zfrmz.com/hW1ZRp2dyMGsYIyisAyb

Request an Invitation