“A good teacher is one whose students can answer three essential questions during class: What do I know? What can I do? And why is what I’ve learned important?”
These were the words of Prof. Daniel David, PhD, Minister of Education, the special guest of the seventh edition of the “What’s Worth Learning?” conference, held on October 2, 2025, at Avenor College.
“What’s Worth Learning?” is an educational and cultural initiative through which the school brings remarkable figures from academia and society to engage the community in dialogues meant to inspire reflection and change. The main guest of this first meeting of the school year, Prof. Daniel David, PhD, an internationally recognized cognitive psychology expert, discussed how education can remain relevant for the future and what competencies schools should cultivate.
Relevant Education for the Future
What does relevant education look like in a rapidly changing world? What skills help students become confident, adaptable, and prepared for future challenges?
At Avenor College, these questions lie at the heart of our dialogue about learning. Together—with students, teachers, parents, and special guests—we explore the answers. The “What’s Worth Learning?” conference provided an opportunity to exchange ideas on how schools can nurture not only knowledge but also essential life competencies.
Developing Skills for the Future
The conference theme, Developing Competencies in Education from the Perspective of Cognitive Sciences, emphasized that education is not just the accumulation of information, but the co-creation of skills and the ability to apply them in practice. The Minister highlighted eight key competencies: language and communication, multilingualism, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), digital skills, civic education, self-awareness and emotional intelligence, entrepreneurial mindset and cultural sensitivity.
“We cannot know what the job market will look like in 10–15 years. But if students are prepared through these competencies, they will be able to adapt and build their future.”
The Minister stressed that these competencies cannot be developed in isolation but require an integrated approach combining declarative knowledge (theory), procedural skills (practical abilities), and personal values.
“A good teacher is one whose students can answer three essential questions during class: What do I know? What can I do? And why is what I’ve learned important?”
Values-Based Education and Cooperation
Drawing from his book The Psychology of the Romanian People, Daniel David highlighted the importance of personal values and collective trust, explaining how low trust levels among people limit cooperation and the building of strong institutions:
“Distrust among us prevents us from cooperating effectively. And because we do not cooperate well with one another, we have failed to build strong institutions in our psychocultural evolution as a civilization. Instead, we have lived in a collectivist logic, where interpersonal relationships prevailed over institutional rules… If each of us defined two or three core values, life would gain meaning and significance. It’s simple, it costs nothing, but it requires honesty and consistency.”
A Conference That Inspires
Prof. Daniel David’s visit to Avenor College not only gave students, teachers, and parents the opportunity to engage with an expert in cognitive sciences but also reaffirmed our commitment to relevant, competency- and values-centered education that prepares young people for the challenges of the future.