The emphasis of this paper is on public education - education enabled by public funds for public good. The "beautiful risk" of education, as framed by the educational philosopher Gert Biesta, is that it can unleash the creativity of people, enabling them to become significant in their own right by finding and then developing the talents that matter to them, but this work is undertaken in a social context: ultimately the bigger purpose of education is advancing the social good. However, given the environmental crises we are facing alongside of the growing precarity of civil societies at the end of the Anthropocene^[1], we must also recognize that the threats to public education are ultimately rooted in the breakdown in the consensus of what is meant by 'the public'.

We believe we are in danger of losing "public education" as its purpose is being corrupted and abducted by corporate interests. And so, the key challenge we'd like to address at basecamp:London is:

How do we change the way we think, talk about, support and resource schools and those who function within them. How do we build an agreed commitment to the purpose of public school (or higher education institutions)? One that:

1. provides quality free public education for all;
2. ensures students are given the opportunity to refine their problem solving skills through the development of core global competencies.
3. Ensures individuals are given the opportunity to develop their whole self in order to be socially responsible citizens within the local and global communities.

INPUT REQUEST #1: Key Challenge

• What additional clarification would help you better understand the Key Challenge we are trying to address in this dialogue?
• What key ideas or questions did the Key Challenge statement spark in your mind?

Please use the comment section to provide input.