“Civilisation is under threat. Large numbers of people who are thoughtful, ethical and brave are required to protect it. Education ought to be the incubator of such people. Educationists who can see clearly what’s needed, and show schools the way back to their fundamental purpose are in short supply – but Olli-Pekka Heinonen has emerged as the leader of this small but crucial pack. In this wise, lucid and heartfelt book he offers us hope and direction, not just for the regeneration of education, but for the preservation of our planetary home.” – Guy Claxton

---

“To find the path to a sustainable future, we must go back to the roots of our worldview”

 – Olli-Pekka Heinonen

> Order Learning as if Life Depended on it here.

A bold and hopeful new book by Olli-Pekka Heinonen, Director General of the International Baccalaureate and Finland’s former Minister of Education and Science, will be available on 2 November, 2025.

Part reflection and part provocation, Learning as if Life Depended on it challenges us to radically reframe the way we have been trained to perceive the world and our influence in it. When we recognize the stories we tell ourselves — about our ability to predict, divide, and control the natural world — as anthropocentric illusions, we open the door to reimagining education’s role. This shift allows us to envision a more sustainable and humane future.

The book opens with a sharp diagnosis of today’s global uncertainty. “Information is not the friend it used to be,” he writes — a warning for educators and citizens alike.

He explores how confusion and risk demand a radical rethinking of how we learn, lead, and live together. Through the lens of education, he addresses climate change and inequality while urging a reflective, collaborative transformation.

Drawing on his Finnish roots, he shows how systems built on trust and well-being — not exams and over-scheduling — can produce both strong outcomes and responsible citizens. The book explores the illusions that limit our understanding: the illusion of control, permanence, even of knowledge itself. In their place, he invites us to embrace the unseen and unknown — spaces where new meaning and collective learning can take root.

Olli-Pekka’s vision — he calls for curiosity, courage and inner growth — aligns closely with the IB’s mission. In the book’s final section, he outlines hopeful educational pathways. “Our chances of generating well-being and prosperity, of reinforcing humans’ spiritual growth and humanity’s welfare in unprecedented ways, are better than ever,” he writes.