Unprecedented problems call for unprecedented solutions. The multi-dimensional problems confronting humanity today have their roots in an outdated industrial era education system that was designed to produce obedient, unquestioning workers to fill standardized job positions and perform standardized repetitive tasks. The Service Economy we have transitioned into necessitates a paradigm shift in the way we educate present and future generations. To address this momentous issue, the World Academy of Art & Science and World University Consortium organized a high profile international conference in Rome last November in collaboration with Roma Tre University and other partners. The conference brought together a broad array of educational administrators and academicians, policymakers, government officials, civil society representatives and students and those envisioning the much-needed change. The participants explored the current problems facing the sector, the changes needed to overcome them and the role of universities in the process. It called for a shift to active, transdisciplinary, student-centered, value-based, contextual, experiential learning pedagogies designed to promote independent thinking, innovation and creativity, leadership and self-guided continuous learning. As a followup to the conference and inspired by its conclusions, The Mother’s Service Society, a WAAS center and WUC charter member, conducted a national level conference in Pondicherry, India in January 2018 where participants focused on how to apply the new paradigm to primary and secondary level of education. The current issue of Eruditio comprises a wide range of articles from the Rome and the Pondicherry conferences.

We hope you enjoy this issue.

Winston P. Nagan 
Chairman of the Board, World Academy of Art & Science
Chair, Program Committee
Editor-in-Chief, Eruditio