In February 2025, some of our schools took part in our second-ever international conference —this time in the vibrant city of Barcelona. Hosted by the amazing Col·legi Montserrat and run in partnership with Compass Education, the Barcelona Conference 2025 brought together students and educators from across Europe for a few unforgettable days of deep learning, connection, and inspiration.

Why it stood out
This year’s conference introduced a powerful and practical approach to driving meaningful change: systems thinking. Through hands-on, thoughtfully facilitated activities, students explored tools like the Systems Iceberg, Behaviour Over Time Graphs, and the Sustainability Compass. These tools helped them look beyond surface-level challenges to uncover root causes and identify leverage points for sustainable impact.

One of the highlights was the Compass Education workshop led by Nicole Swedlow. Students were guided througheach stage of the problem-solving journey —from identifying key issues in their school communities to unpacking the systems behind them, and finally designing and pitching innovative solutions. The process was empowering, creative, and deeply engaging. Col·legi Montserrat also inspired participants by sharing their own student-led work in entrepreneurship and leadership. It was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when young people are given the tools and trust to lead change.

Why it mattered
For many of the students, this was a rare opportunity to zoom out and see the bigger picture. Rather than tackling isolated problems, they learned to recognise the interconnectedness of systems —and their own capacity to be changemakers within them. Many left with not just a deeper understanding of sustainability, but a clear action plan for creating change back in their own schools. Barcelona itself was an ongoing source of inspiration —from a joyful cultural evening and international food exchange, to exploring Gaudí’s architecture and the historic Gothic Quarter. These shared experiences added a rich layer of cultural learning and sparked friendships and memories that will last long after the conference ended.