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The SICI theme for 2026, “Future-Ready Evaluation – Innovation, Improvement & System Leadership,” explores how evaluation systems can remain relevant, responsive and trusted in an increasingly complex educational landscape. As education systems face rapid change and growing uncertainty, the theme invites SICI members to look ahead while also reflecting critically on their own role, practice and impact.

Being future-ready is understood not as predicting future challenges, but as building the capacity to listen, learn and adapt. The theme emphasises innovation in external evaluation and inspection as a way to strengthen improvement and system learning, rather than as an end in itself. It encourages approaches that support professional dialogue, learning and sustainable change, while continuing to provide credible public assurance.

Central to the theme is the balance between accountability and trust. Future-ready inspectorates must hold both: offering assurance without surveillance,  and fostering trust without losing rigour. In doing so, inspectorates and external evaluators act as system leaders, shaping conditions for improvement and helping education systems evolve with confidence and purpose.

The SICI theme for 2024 and 2025, "Inspecting in a Rapidly Changing Educational Environment," addresses the unprecedented challenges faced by education systems, including technological advancements, teacher shortages, and the lingering effects of COVID-19. Schools are also grappling with an increasing number of students facing mental health issues and the need for skill development over traditional knowledge acquisition. This theme encourages SICI members to reflect on how inspectorates can effectively support and enhance educational practices amidst these dynamic changes, while also exploring new opportunities for innovation in teaching and learning.