😰 Skills mismatch? Universities feel the pressure. Join us in Sept at the Back to School Summit!

Hello 👋

Institutions are under mounting pressure to align more tightly with labor market needs, as policymakers and employers scrutinize job outcomes. In China, universities are building direct pipelines into growth sectors. Beijing Sport University’s wellness career track is one recent example, while in the US, initiatives such as ASA’s Career Exploration Network and DEWALT’s skilled trades partnerships reflect a broader push to embed career-connected learning earlier in the education journey. Studies show that employer skill expectations go well beyond technological or administrative skills, highlighting year over year persistent gaps in communication, professionalism, and leadership. Expect more universities to adopt skills intelligence tools and sector-specific pathways to make employability outcomes more visible.

Explore Career-connected learning trends in HolonIQ’s platform. Click here to request a demo.

📊 Big gaps in career readiness: employers see critical skills as essential, but graduates fall short—especially in leadership and communication.

🗽 2025 Back to School Summit, Sept 9-11,NYC

👉 Register now 👈

Spotlight: Higher Ed & Workforce Track How are universities rethinking their role in a fast-changing job market? Join leaders from higher ed, workforce, and industry as they dig into skills-first models, employer partnerships, and the new credential landscape. Join top leaders in the field working at the intersection of learning and work. Connect with us for the 2025 Sponsorship Brochure for deeper partnerships.

🚨 1 August Deadline for QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025 - calling all educators, edtech innovators, and changemakers!

This is your chance to showcase your innovative solution on a global stage – driving transformation in education and employability for future generations.

🏆 2 x Prizes valued at $25,000 each
📢 Pitch to experts and get valuable feedback
🤝 Meet 1:1 with Investors

👉 Apply now! 📅 Deadline: 1 August 2025

💪 Power Moves

📱 Alef Education signed a partnership with Microsoft and G42's Core42 to develop AI-powered learning platforms.

🌐 Khan Academy partnered with Karnataka and the Philippines to support online learning. 

⚙️ The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee introduced a new AI lab in partnership with Microsoft, focused on manufacturing applications.

💰 Education Funding

💸 Zanichelli Editore, an Italian publishing company, invested $69.1M in ZNEXT, a new venture focused on edtech and the future of work.

🧠 Acorn, a Canadian AI-powered learning management platform provider, raised $12.3M to build and map skill capability frameworks to job descriptions.

📚 Galaxy Education, a Vietnamese EdTech startup, has raised $10M to scale its digital English Language offerings addressing teacher shortages and learning outcome gaps.    

🏅 Pro Athlete Community (PAC), an education and community platform for pro athletes, secured $7.6M to support post-career transition programs.  

🛡️ Pangram, an AI text detection startup, has raised $2.7M to expand its presence in education and media by enhancing its tools that identify AI-generated content.

📺 Brave Bison, a UK-based digital media company, has acquired MiniMBA, marking its entry into the professional training and EdTech space.