PBL in School Education

One-Day Event on Advancing PBL in School Education

PBL is transforming school education by moving learning beyond passive knowledge acquisition towards active inquiry, exploration, and real-world problem-solving. It enables students to develop critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills that are essential for the 21st century.

Aligned with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023, the event will bring together educators, school leaders, researchers, policymakers, industry experts, and sustainability advocates to exchange ideas, showcase innovative practices, and build meaningful collaborations that advance learner-centred, competency-based, and experiential education in India and beyond.

Recognising the growing importance of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in school education, a one-day event dedicated to advancing PBL in school education will be held on 19 November 2026 at IISER, Pune. The event is hosted by MIT Vishwaprayag University, Solapur, India , in collaboration with the Aalborg Centre for Problem-Based Learning in Engineering Science and Sustainability, Aalborg University, Denmark , and in partnership with the Agastya International Foundation.

The event is organised as part of the Fourth Regional Research Symposium on Problem-Based Learning (RRSPBL 2026), bringing together educators and practitioners to share innovative practices and experiences in PBL for school education.

The event seeks to serve as a catalyst for innovation in school education by encouraging the meaningful integration of PBL into curricula, classroom practices, and teaching approaches. It aims to empower educators and other school education stakeholders to create interdisciplinary and authentic learning experiences that strengthen students' problem-solving, critical-thinking, creativity, and innovation skills, while supporting a smoother transition from school education to higher education.

The event brings together India's rich educational heritage and global best practices to explore new possibilities for the future of school education.

Confirmed Speakers

Meet the confirmed speakers for PBL in School Education. Select a speaker to view their details.

Dr. Niels Erik Ruan Lyngdorf Associate Professor, UCPBL, Aalborg University, Denmark

Associate Professor, UCPBL
Aalborg University, Denmark

Expertise: Digital and Cultural Transformation of Higher Education

Dr. Sizwe Errol Nxasana Founder and CEO, Sifiso Learning Group, Future Nation Schools, South Africa

Founder and CEO, Sifiso Learning Group
Future Nation Schools
South Africa

Expertise: PBL, Leadership, Strategy and Entrepreneurship

Dr. Sizwe Errol Nxasana is a renowned South African business leader, social entrepreneur, and education innovator with a distinguished career spanning corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and social impact.

He earned his PhD in Education from the UNESCO PBL Centre at Aalborg University, Denmark, in May 2025. He founded Sizwe & Co, the first black-owned audit practice in KwaZulu-Natal, and later co-founded Nkonki Sizwe Ntsaluba, now SizweNtsalubaGobodo (SNG Grant Thornton).

He subsequently served as CEO of Telkom SA and later as CEO of FirstRand Banking Group before retiring from corporate life in 2015.

He is the founder of the Sifiso Learning Group, an integrated education ecosystem focused on reimagining African education, with project-based learning at its core.

Dr. Zhiying Nian College of Education for the Future, Beijing Normal University (Zhuhai), China

College of Education for the Future
Beijing Normal University (Zhuhai), China

Expertise: Comparative Education, PBL Theory and Teaching, PBL Training

Prof. Xiangyun Du Director and Professor, UCPBL, Aalborg University, Denmark

Director and Professor, UCPBL
Aalborg University, Denmark

Expertise: Institutional Transformation via PBL

Key Highlight of the Event

Super-start PBL Experience

Biomimicry and Bird Flight

Led by Dr. Prashant Dhawan

Co-Founder, Biomimicry India
Biomimicry Educator, Innovation Consultant and Architect

Prashant Dhawan is a biomimicry educator, innovation consultant, architect and Co-founder of Biomimicry India, the country's pioneering organisation dedicated to biomimicry education, research and innovation.

He is the first Indian—and among the first 18 professionals globally—to earn a Master of Science in Biomimicry from Arizona State University, USA, and the first Indian to be recognised as a Biomimicry Professional by the Biomimicry Institute, USA. He also holds an MBA from the Indian School of Business and a Bachelor of Architecture from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi.

Since co-founding Biomimicry India in 2012, he has delivered more than 250 lectures, workshops, keynote talks and university courses, reaching over 25,000 students, researchers, educators, designers, engineers, architects, entrepreneurs and industry professionals at institutions including IITs, IISER, NID, CEPT University, VIT, ISB, NCBS and international organisations such as INCOSE.

His work spans education, research, consulting and innovation, helping organisations apply nature's 3.8 billion years of evolutionary intelligence to develop resilient technologies, sustainable products, regenerative systems and interdisciplinary innovation frameworks. His mission is to help researchers, innovators, educators and decision-makers learn from nature to create sustainable, resilient and future-ready solutions.

Biomimicry

Bird Flight

Participant Model-Making

Call for Posters

Themes for Poster Presentation Session:

Important Dates

Registration Details for Schools / NGOs / Freelancers