Global Education Leaders Converge at HEI Schools Summit 2025 in Phuket

Phuket, Thailand – The HEI Schools Summit 2025, the annual and exclusive gathering for HEI partners worldwide, was held over three days at the HEI Schools Phuket campus. The event brought together school founders, educators, administrators, and education leaders to share knowledge, review current challenges, and discuss strategies for improving early childhood and K–12 education.

Day One: Building Foundations – The K-12 Education Path

Photo collection: a snapshot of speakers and attendees captured during Day 1 of the HEI Schools Summit 2025

The opening day examined the role of early childhood education as the starting point for a child’s learning journey and how HEI Schools can offer clear pathways beyond the early years. Key sessions included:

• Inkeri Aimonen, CEO, HEI Schools HQ – HEI Schools Goes to School: What Makes Finnish Primary School Special and How It Can Be Implemented Outside of Finland
  
  
• Permkiat Ketkul - HEI Schools Phuket, Vice President of Kajonkiet Schools Group, shared the success story of establishing HEI Schools Phuket to offer the world famous Finnish education model to the Phuket community
  
  
• Karoliina Nygren, Director of Pedagogy, HEI Schools HQ – Exploring Ways to Communicate Innovative Teaching Methodologies
  
  

The day also included a tour of HEI Schools Phuket and concluded with a welcome dinner hosted by HEI Schools HQ.

Day Two: Curriculum, Branding, and Leadership

Photo collection: a snapshot of speakers and attendees captured during Day 2 of the HEI Schools Summit 2025

The second day featured keynote presentations and case studies:

• Professor Lasse Lipponen, Professor of Education at the University of Helsinki, presented a keynote on Moving toward World-centered Education in Early Childhood Education during times of crises, offering thought-provoking perspectives. Instead of us asking what the world can do for us, he challenged us to ask “what can we do for the world?” He also urged educators to ensure they provide the “horizon of hope” for children.
  
  
• A case study from HEI Schools Senayan (Jakarta), featuring its founder Teddy Koentjoro,  highlighted methods for achieving school growth, engaging local communities, and maintaining operational quality.
  
  
• Heidi Tynkkynen, Director of Customer Success of HEI Schools, explored in her keynote speech about Nordic Leadership Principles and how adopting those help schools retain their talent.
• Panel discussions and workshops addressed Branding offering participants practical frameworks for communicating Nordic pedagogy to families and adapting leadership approaches to different cultural contexts.
  
  
• Karoliina Nygren, Head of Pedagogy at HEI Schools HQ, facilitated Educators at the Core, an interactive forum on teacher well-being, professional development, and the role of educators in school leadership.
  
  

Day Three: Addressing Sector Challenges

Photo collection: a snapshot of speakers and attendees captured during Day 3 of the HEI Schools Summit 2025

The final day focused on structural and workforce-related issues in early childhood education:

• Carolyn Choo, Head of Education Department, SEGi University, Malaysia, spoke on The Challenges within Recruitment in the ECE Field Today, providing recommendations for attracting and retaining qualified educators.
  
  
• Jayne Nadarajoo,Social Entrepreneur, Diversity & Inclusion Advocate, Founding Director at ASPIRE Centre for Inclusive Education and Training, The GUILD International College and Melbourne International School, Singapore, inspired attendees with her session on Empowering Inclusive Changemakers: Transforming Early Childhood Practice through Inclusive Teaching Practices.

Continuing a Global Dialogue

This year’s summit followed the 2023 edition in Helsinki, Finland, which gathered over 25 partners and administrators for keynote sessions with Professor Lipponen and Dr. Pilvi Torsti, former State Secretary of Education of Finland.

“HEI Summit is more than an event – it’s where global education leaders unite to share, support, and shape the future together,” said Inkeri Aimonen, CEO of HEI Schools. “The ideas and strategies born here travel home with our partners and make a real difference in classrooms worldwide.”

The Phuket summit concluded with participants returning to their home countries with new contacts, case examples, and strategies aimed at improving the quality, inclusivity, and sustainability of early childhood education within their own communities.

More information

The HEI Schools Summit is a biennial, exclusive event that unites HEI Schools® partners from around the world. This gathering brings together early education leaders, school owners, and education entrepreneurs to share insights, exchange ideas, and foster global collaboration in a designated location each year.
 
The HEI Schools Summit 2023 edition, held at HEI Schools HQ in Finland, brought together over 25 school partners from multiple continents for an unparalleled exchange of ideas. Participants gained world-class insights from Professor Lasse Lipponen, Professor of Education at the University of Helsinki and one of the foremost authorities on early childhood pedagogy, and Dr. Pilvi Torsti, former State Secretary of the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture (2013–2015) and a leading voice in international education policy. Together, they addressed the evolving needs of early education, visionary leadership, and the role of Nordic pedagogy in shaping the future of global learning.