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FRI Global School Leadership and Teacher Development Conference 2026

TWENTY-FIRST-CENTURY ASSESSMENT: BEYOND REMEMBERING? Assessing what students truly know and can do in the age of generative AI

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Time & Location

16 Nov 2026, 09:00 – 17 Nov 2026, 15:00

University of Cambridge, UK

About the event


The FRI Global School Leadership and Teacher Development Conference 2026, organised by UniHive’s Future Researcher Initiative (FRI) and taking place in University of Cambridge from 16th to 17th November 2026, brings together school leaders, educators, researchers, and education professionals to explore one of the most pressing challenges facing education today: how we assess what students truly know and can do in the age of generative AI. Twenty-First-Century Assessment: Beyond Remembering? Education is entering a period in which traditional approaches to assessment are being fundamentally challenged. Generative AI can now write essays, solve problems, and produce work that can appear to demonstrate understanding, raising an important question for schools and universities: How do we know what students truly know and can do? This year's conference will explore how assessment can move beyond measuring factual recall to better evaluate how students apply knowledge, reason critically, solve problems, communicate effectively, and respond to unfamiliar and authentic situations. While factual knowledge remains an essential foundation for learning, the ability to use that knowledge meaningfully is increasingly important. At the same time, the growing use of generative AI has challenged traditional forms of assessment and the assumption that submitted work always provides reliable evidence of a student's own understanding and capabilities. Through keynote addresses, expert panel discussions, invited delegate presentations, and subject-specific assessment forums, the conference will bring together different perspectives on how schools can preserve academic integrity while developing more meaningful and verifiable approaches to assessment. Beyond the academic discussions, delegates will also experience the unique setting of Cambridge through university visits, a formal dinner, and punting on the River Cam, creating opportunities for reflection, collaboration, and meaningful connections with fellow education leaders.





Twenty-First-Century Assessment: Beyond Remembering? How do we assess what students truly know and can do in an age where generative AI can write essays, solve problems, and mimic understanding? Twenty-first-century assessment must go well beyond checking what students can remember. Factual recall — such as number bonds, irregular verbs, or grammatical rules — remains an essential foundation for later learning. However, education increasingly needs to evaluate how students use knowledge in unfamiliar and unscripted situations: critically appraising evidence, reasoning under uncertainty, writing with precision, and applying ideas in new contexts. Traditionally, schools have relied on proxies such as essays, assignments and projects as evidence of a student's understanding. Generative AI, when used as a cognitive substitute rather than a learning scaffold, has disrupted the assumed link between the development of the learner's mind and the work they submit. This challenges the verifiability of assessment judgements and threatens the signalling value of certificates as indicators of genuine human capital. At the same time, schools and universities are increasingly asked to judge broader attributes such as communication, problem solving, teamwork, resilience, creativity, initiative and enterprise — skills that are highly context-dependent and cannot be assessed through generic tests alone. This conference will explore these assessment dilemmas with heads of schools and education leaders, focusing on how to preserve academic integrity and make genuinely verifiable judgements about a wider range of human attributes in the age of generative AI.


Dear Colleagues, It is with great pleasure that I invite you to the Annual Global School Leadership and Teacher Development Conference 2026, organised by the Future Researcher Initiative (FRI) of UniHive, and proudly hosted at the University of Cambridge. With the theme ‘Twenty-First Century Assessment: Beyond Remembering?’, this conference will explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the design, delivery, and interpretation of assessment, moving us beyond rote recall towards deeper understanding, higher‑order thinking, and authentic application of knowledge. It will bring together school leaders, teachers, and international education partners to collaborate on one of the most pressing challenges in contemporary education: how to harness AI responsibly to create fair, meaningful, and future‑ready assessments that genuinely capture students’ learning, skills, and potential. This event will bring together a global community of educators, policymakers, and researchers for thought-provoking discussions, hands-on workshops, and meaningful collaboration. It will be an opportunity to exchange ideas, reflect on emerging challenges, and shape a shared vision for the future of education in an era defined by rapid technological change. There is no better place for this conversation than Cambridge - a place renowned for its commitment to academic excellence and educational leadership. I warmly encourage you to join us for what promises to be a truly inspiring and impactful event. Warm regards, Prof. Jason Robinson

Meet Our Speakers

The conference brings together education leaders, researchers and practitioners to share perspectives on the future of assessment, teaching and learning.




Free Admission | Certificate Awarded

Fully Funded Event at UniHive Future Researcher Initiative






UniHive Education is a global academic platform founded in 2012 in Cambridge, by a network of Cambridge University alumni and scholars. Dedicated to fostering academic excellence and cross-cultural exchange, UniHive partners with prestigious universities worldwide to deliver a diverse portfolio of educational programmes. These include joint academic research bases, student and faculty exchanges, research internship training, language and cultural integration, innovation in higher education, global student mobility, and professional development initiatives. As its charitable arm, the Future Researcher Initiative (FRI) champions research-based learning for school students. By collaborating with leading academics and institutions, FRI makes high-quality research opportunities accessible to young learners across the globe. Through free educational events and research-oriented activities, FRI empowers students with critical thinking, independent inquiry skills, and a strong foundation in ethical academic practice –preparing them to become the next generation of scholars, innovators, and global leaders.

Learn more about FRI and UniHive Education →



Collaboration Examples:





Participation in the conference is complimentary for representatives from participating schools, with support provided to help delegates make the most of their Cambridge experience. Complimentary Conference Participation - Includes access to all conference sessions, the Cambridge Formal Dinner, meals, and scheduled activities. Funded Accommodation - One representative per participating school may receive two nights of fully funded accommodation at a Cambridge University College. 30 funded places are available. Additional Accommodation - Additional representatives may arrange single en-suite accommodation at a Cambridge University College at a rate of £150 per night per participant, subject to availability. Certificate of Participation - All participating delegates will receive an official Certificate of Participation recognising their attendance at the conference.
The FRI Global School Leadership and Teacher Development Conference 2026 brings together school leaders, senior educators, researchers, and education professionals to explore the future of assessment in the age of generative AI. Interested participants are invited to register their interest through the online form. Please note that submitting an expression of interest does not confirm attendance. Places are subject to review and confirmation by the conference organising team. Registration deadline: September 30, 2026

Visa Assistance Delegates who require a visa to attend the conference may request an official invitation letter from the organising team following confirmation of their participation. Further information regarding the visa process will be provided to confirmed delegates.

Contact Us For enquiries about the conference, registration, or participation: Website: www.unihive.education Email: admission@unihive.education Telephone: +44 1223 776118



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