300 events. 40,000 audience members. 500,000 social media followers. This is SciFest Dubai, co-founded by social entrepreneur and science journalist Raya Bidshahdri. “The goal is to really bring culture back to science; to make it fun and exciting through the arts,” says Bidshahdri. The festival is a massive undertaking in itself, but it symptomizes a greater trend in education as an industry. Namely, it shows where education is failing. The rise of festivals like SciFest Dubai—along with alternative education companies and ed tech companies—demonstrates a reaction to the Industrial Age’s factory model of public, standardized education. It’s not working. Bidshadhri explains. “Currently, our education system is just not fit for purpose: student mental health is at an all-time low; student debt is at an all-time high; and traditional schools are dominated by uninspiring curricula, and an over-emphasis on short-term knowledge.” Tune in to learn more about SciFest Dubai, and other disruptions in current education technology. Be sure to review and subscribe. And as always, if you can, consider donating a few BitCoins to the cause.
