Abstract:

The paper focuses on the implications of the fourth technological revolution (i.e. the digital revolution), for the development process, and for education. We start by showing that this new revolution is about to surpass the others in scale and impact and will reshape the world in fast and spectacular ways. The new revolution will reform not only the most obvious areas, such as industry, marketing, business management, but also development models, which implies a different vision regarding education, leadership, administration, and human resources.

The core argument of the analysis is that, in order for states to develop under this new paradigm, the education system must adapt to particular contexts arising from digitalization. By referring to recent reports, statistics and studies, we highlight some key elements in this regard. Firstly, the fourth technological revolution includes all the technological vectors of contemporary life; it marks the considerable progress made in various fields of research and specialization, while blurring the boundaries between them. Secondly, the role of the largest technology companies is growing, as their leaders put forward an ambitious yet startling agenda of reformation in all aspects of life. States have two ways to react: to become the hosts of competitive tech companies, or to establish themselves as pioneers in the ethical regulation of the digital services and AI (as the EU is currently attempting to do). Thirdly, experiences from the recent past show that countries with surprising development trajectories, especially in high-tech fields, placed an extraordinary emphasis on education in conjunction with the development process. South Korea is a prime example of this.

In conclusion, the education systems must adapt to three dynamics inseparable from the digital revolution:
(1) the demand for advanced specializations at the crossroads between Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Big Data, Internet of Things, genetic engineering, increasing computing capacity, etc.;
(2) the demand for a new type of leaders and technocrats capable to grasp the power of Big Tech and to bring forward adequate regulation to limit known negative impacts in society;
(3) the need to put forward education strategies in conjunction with the changes in the development process.

Keywords:

Human capital, development, digital revolution, leadership, education system.