ABSTRACT
Much has been written about globalization and the challenge of preparing young people for the new world of work and life in times of complexity and continuous change. There has been a tendency for writers in education to be critical of the effort, especially about associated policies and priorities and the profound change in professional practice that these entail. In some places there is a view that current approaches are unsustainable, and that people will no longer seek appointment to or remain in the profession, especially at the senior levels of leadership in schools. In some respects these are concerns in the West, whereas observers sense there seems to be greater stability and sustainability in education in the East. They hold to a view that enduring cultural values bring coherence and calmness to systems of education where tests of student achievement in Shanghai and Hong Kong, China and Singapore place them at the top of international rankings on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) or the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).
