OECD Project Infinity: Empowering Youths as Global Citizens
Grounded in the belief that youths are the changemakers of tomorrow, “Project Infinity” – an initiative launched in 2023 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – brings together students and teachers from over 100 schools worldwide. As these students forge closer connections online, they tackle issues within their local communities and gain insights into challenges faced by the broader global society. Two teachers from Hwa Chong Institution, one of the participating schools in this initiative, share with us their experiences.
Enhancing Student Agency
“Project Infinity is underpinned by key constructs of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Learning Compass, a learning framework that identifies key competencies students need to thrive in an increasingly complex and evolving world,” Dr Edwin Lim, Lead Teacher (Character & Citizenship Education) at Hwa Chong Institution (HCI), shares.
He notes how Project Infinity has an overarching focus on student agency, competencies and well-being – which are also key concepts central to the Learning Compass. “The main goal of Project Infinity is to empower students to apply and demonstrate agency-building competencies in practical, real-world contexts working towards the well-being of their school and society,” he says.
Adopting an interdisciplinary project-based learning approach, Project Infinity saw HCI students undertaking projects that connected them with underprivileged children and Vietnamese migrants in Singapore as well as their own HCI peers.
“Education is not only about academic success, but it is also about empowering individuals to lead flourishing, fulfilling lives and contribute to a more inclusive society,” he emphasizes.
Nurturing Youth Leadership through Community Projects
“Schools involved in Project Infinity are first organized into clusters, with each cluster comprising a number of schools from different countries,” Mrs Lim-Huang Shufen, Subject Head (Chemistry), explains. “HCI, the sole representative from Singapore, has been grouped with schools from Estonia, Israel, Romania and Ukraine.”
Out of 50 HCI students who interviewed to be part of Project Infinity, 12 were selected and divided into three global teams (GT 1, GT 2 and GT 3). “Each team began with a kick-off meeting via Zoom, where students introduced themselves and shared insights about their countries, cultures and traditions, before progressing into project discussions in subsequent meetings” she says.
Drawing from the 11 key dimensions identified by the OECD Better Life Index as contributors to well-being (such as education, health, environment and life satisfaction), each team selected one area as the focus of their project.
GT 1
“GT 1 focused on tackling educational inequality,” Shufen shares. “The HCI students from this group centred their efforts in helping local children from less privileged or low-income families enhance their digital literacy skills.”
The students partnered with the Providence Care Centre in Jurong to organize workshops during the November school holidays. “The initiative received positive feedback from both the participants and the centre, prompting a second round of workshops during the following March school holidays,” she remarks.
To extend the impact within their own school community, the students are developing instructional packages for their schoolmates on the effective use of common applications such as Padlet and Kami.
GT 2
“GT 2 focused on improving life satisfaction,” Edwin shares. “The HCI students decided to focus on supporting the children of Vietnamese migrants in Singapore.”
The students applied positive psychology concepts, including the PERMA™ model, to motivate and help the children with their academic performance and overall well-being. With the knowledge and experience they gained, the HCI students went on to extend their efforts to the broader school community by conducting workshops on well-being for their schoolmates as well as volunteers.
“In the workshops for their schoolmates and volunteers, the students introduced the principles of positive psychology, explained the PERMA™ model and PROSPER framework, and guided the participants in discovering how to apply these models to enhance their own well-being,” Edwin explains.
GT 3
“GT 3 focused on jobs and income. The HCI students decided to work on building financial literacy among their schoolmates,” Edwin says.
The HCI students organized financial literacy workshops for their peers and invited financial experts to share their expertise. To extend their reach, they also leveraged social media to promote the workshops and share key takeaways that they have learnt.
Why Global Competence Matters
“Building empathy among students cultivates a sense of responsibility and compassion. This emotional connection can inspire them to advocate for social justice and contribute positively to the betterment of society.”
– Shufen, on the importance of fostering empathy in youths
HCI collaborated with the Singapore Centre for Character and Citizenship Education to track and evaluate students’ growth in their values, intercultural competencies and global citizenship development.
One notable observation is that the experience has broadened the HCI students’ perspectives and exposed them to the various challenges their global counterparts are facing.
“For example, through their interactions with students in Ukraine, they learn what it is like living amidst a conflict and having to sit through lessons while hiding in an underground bunker for safety, where electricity and Internet connection are regularly disrupted,” Edwin says. “This cultural awareness fosters empathy among students, allowing them to forge deeper connections with others.”
Shufen echoes this sentiment and hopes that the HCI students’ involvement in the three community projects will shape them to become future leaders who create meaningful and lasting impact within their communities and beyond.
“Building empathy among students cultivates a sense of responsibility and compassion. This emotional connection can inspire them to advocate for social justice and contribute positively to the betterment of society,” she remarks.
The experience has also strengthened HCI students’ global competencies, including their ability to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries.
“They have learnt how to adapt their communication styles and engage with people from various backgrounds, which are essential skills in today’s globalized workforce,” Edwin says.
Future Directions
Project Infinity culminated in a year-end global event that was held at the OECD HQ in Paris, France. “The ‘OECD Students and Teachers Summit’, held in December 2024, gave students the opportunity to showcase the projects they have been working on,” Edwin shares. “The event also featured a multi-stakeholder dialogue where stakeholders discussed and reflected on the lessons learnt and the implications on education policy internationally.”
Discussed at the summit, besides the OECD Learning Compass, was the upcoming OECD Teaching Compass, a professional development framework currently being designed for teachers.
“The OECD Teaching Compass highlights the types of capacities teachers need in order to empower their students to flourish in a rapidly changing world. Built around the three pillars of teacher agency, well-being and competencies, the Teaching Compass emphasizes that teachers are central to educational innovation and impact, and the need for capacity building and lifelong learning,” Edwin remarks.
The OECD work in 2025 will focus on the applications and implications of generative AI on student and teacher agency, competencies and well-being.
“It’s exciting to be part of this international networked learning community of educators who are shaping the future of education and skills together. It’s an open, inclusive global family, and any of our Singapore teachers and school leaders who are keen to learn or contribute are welcome to participate,” he concludes.