DSB International Symposium 2025 - Run of Show

Creativity: Rethinking Education | November 15-16, 2025 | Euro Campus, Lower Parel, Mumbai

Main Stage (Ground)
Keynotes
Room 802 (8th Floor)
TEDDYx Only
Room 803 (8th Floor)
Talks + Workshops
Room 804 (8th Floor)
Talks + Workshops
Room 807 (8th Floor)
Talks + Workshops
Lab 1 (6th Floor)
Research Team 1
Lab 2 (6th Floor)
Research Team 2
Lab 3 (6th Floor)
Research Team 3
Music Room 1 (3rd)
Research Team 4
Music Room 2 (3rd)
Research Team 5
TBD
Closed Sessions
Saturday, November 15, 2025 - Conference Day 1
Time Session Type Session Details Speaker/Presenter Room/Location
08:30-09:00 Breakfast Breakfast Meet & Greet All Attendees Patio
09:00-09:30 Welcome
Welcome to DSB's Symposium Day 1
Opening Address (9:20am)
Dr. Howard Gee, Principal, DSB International School
Dr. Howard Gee Main Stage
09:30-10:00 Keynote
Purpose & Passion
Dominic Tomalin, Founding Headmaster, Shrewsbury International School
Introductory Partner: Dr. Howard Gee
Dominic Tomalin Main Stage
10:00-10:30 Talk
Creative Education: How can it Help Schools to Thrive
Chris Bullough, Headteacher, Walkington Primary School, UK (Teacher Track)
Introductory Partner: Richard Holt
Chris Bullough Room 803
10:00-10:30 Talk
Why Leaders Need to Think Differently: The Impact of Complexity Thinking on the Leadership Paradigm
Ian Davies, Head of School, Garodia International Centre (Leadership Track)
Introductory Partner: Dr. Howard Gee
Parallel Session
Ian Davies Room 804
10:30-11:00 Keynote
How AI has Shattered the Illusion of Learning
Stephanie Holt, Director of Learning and Teaching, Global Leader for AI, DSB International School
Stephanie Holt Main Stage
10:30-11:00 Talk
Designing Lessons That Spark Student Curiosity and Imagination
Priyadarshini Mitra, IB MYP English Facilitator, Finland International School
Introductory Partner: Jigna Patani
Parallel Session
Priyadarshini Mitra Room 807
11:00-11:30 Break Coffee & Networking All Attendees Patio
11:30-12:00 Workshop
Seeing the Child, Not Just the Student
Rupal Patel, Child Psychologist, Parenting Expert, Founder of Only Parenting
Introductory Partner: Esther Pottakkal
Rupal Patel Room 803
11:30-12:00 Closed Session
Curating a Creative Skills Ladder
School Leaders Only
Parallel Session
Leadership Team TBD
11:30-12:00 Research Groups
Carousel Workshops - Research Groups 1-5
All 5 Research Teams deliver simultaneously
5 Parallel Sessions
Research Groups 1-5 Labs 1-3 (6th)
Music 1-2 (3rd)
12:00-12:30 Fireside Chat
Why Music Matters with Seema Ramchandani
Olav Hekala, Head of Music, Wellington College International, Pune (Host)
Olav Hekala (Host)
Seema Ramchandani
Main Stage
12:30-13:30 Lunch Lunch Break All Attendees Patio
13:30-14:00 Workshop
Is This Real Life or Is This Just Fantasy
Malcolm Nicolson, Head of School, Sreenidhi International School
Introductory Partner: Tejal Bhatt
Malcolm Nicolson Room 803
14:00-14:30 Panel
Is There Really Room for Creativity?
Arjun Rao (Moderator), Principal, Bombay International School
Panel: Seema Ramchandani, Bernard Dafney, Olav Hekala
Arjun Rao (Moderator) Main Stage
14:00-14:30 Research Groups
Carousel Workshops - Research Groups 1, 2, 5 & 6
Research Teams deliver simultaneously
Parallel Session
Research Groups Labs 1-3 (6th)
Music 1-2 (3rd)
14:30-15:00 Talk
Teenpreneurs: Building the Future Now
Meike Krautscheid, Director, Finland 2030 Education Initiatives
Introductory Partner: James Holt
Meike Krautscheid Room 803
14:30-15:00 Talk
The Use of Theatre in the Everyday Classroom
Helen Bowen, Head of School, King's College, India (Teacher Track)
Introductory Partner: Bernard Dafney
Parallel Session
Helen Bowen Room 804
15:00-15:30 Workshop
The Backpack of Burdens: Rethinking Mental Health Through Emotional Intelligence
Byron Hopkins, Chief Wellness & Performance Strategist
Byron Hopkins Room 807
15:30-16:00 Break Coffee & Networking All Attendees Patio
16:00-16:30 Talk
Learning Space Design: How to Build in Schools
Yogendra Patidar, Founder | Systems Thinker | 40 under 40 Changemaker
Introductory Partner: Maneesh Singh
Yogendra Patidar Room 803
16:30-17:00 Student Panel
Global Edge on Creativity
Moderated by Student Leaders
Student Leaders Main Stage
Sunday, November 16, 2025 - Conference Day 2
Time Session Type Session Details Speaker/Presenter Room/Location
08:30-09:00 Breakfast Breakfast Meet & Greet All Attendees Patio
09:00-09:30 Welcome
Notes for DSB's Symposium Day 2
Day 2 Opening (9:20am)
Dr. Howard Gee, Principal, DSB International School
Dr. Howard Gee Main Stage
09:30-10:00 Keynote
The Global Mental Health Crisis
Anthony Wright, Principal, Manchester Global School
Introductory Partner: Rachel Waters
Anthony Wright Main Stage
10:00-10:30 Workshop
Setting Up a Parent Research Programme
Phil Whitehead, Research Facilitator, Educational Consultant, Creative Practice
Phil Whitehead Room 803
10:00-10:30 Workshop
AI for Learning
Stephanie Holt, Director of Learning and Teaching, Global Leader for AI, DSB
Parallel Session
Stephanie Holt Room 804
10:00-10:30 Closed Session
Responding to Acute Well-being Issues
School Leaders Only
Parallel Session
Leadership Team TBD
10:30-11:00 Workshop
Empathy in Action: Understanding Differences, Celebrating Super Traits
Aditi Bhansali, International Behavior Analyst, MSc Clinical Psychology
Aditi Bhansali Room 803
10:30-11:00 Workshop
Preparing Learners to Thrive in a Changing World
Akash Raut, Head Academic Advisor, Cambridge International Education, South Asia
Parallel Session
Akash Raut Room 807
11:00-11:30 Break Coffee & Networking All Attendees Patio
11:30-12:00 Talk
Be the Architect of Your Life
V. Pradeep Kumar, Author, Visiting Professor, Management & Career Consultant
V. Pradeep Kumar Room 803
11:30-12:00 Workshop
Multisensory Teaching: Early Literacy
Rima Shah, Dyslexia Therapist, Founder - Kidomagic Centre of Learning
Introductory Partner: Shaagrika Kohli
Parallel Session
Rima Shah Room 804
11:30-12:00 Talk
Creativity in the Everyday Life of Students
Azmin Mistry Vania, Deputy Head (Student Life), Bombay International School
Introductory Partner: Guy French
Parallel Session
Azmin Mistry Vania Room 807
12:00-12:30 Special Talk
Creativity in Schools after the PISA Report
Phil Whitehead, Research Facilitator, Educational Consultant, Creative Practice
Phil Whitehead Main Stage
12:00-12:30 Talk
Education / SDG
Dr. Ushavati Shetty, Founder - C4CYNERGY & Former Principal
Introductory Partner: Dwayne Dcosta
Parallel Session
Dr. Ushavati Shetty Room 803
12:30-13:30 Lunch Lunch Break All Attendees Patio
13:30-14:00 Panel
Mental Health & Well-being
Fatema Agarkar (Moderator)
Panel: Edward Lawless, Meike Krautscheid, Chris Bullough
Fatema Agarkar (Moderator) Main Stage
14:00-14:30 Talk
The Gift of Conflict
Daisy Rana, Principal, Heritage International Xperiential School (HIXS Gurgaon)
Introductory Partner: Jahn Peters
Daisy Rana Room 803
14:30-15:00 Workshop
Leadership for Gender Sensitivity
Shrutija Saxena, Founding Director, Kala Aur Vakalat
Introductory Partner: Usha Hariharan
Shrutija Saxena Room 803
14:30-15:00 Closed Session
Rethinking School Leadership
School Leaders Only
Parallel Session
Rikke Mikkelsen TBD
15:00-15:30 Special Talk
UCAS & Creative Approaches to University Admissions: Green Shoots
Becka Horsley, Customer Success Partner for International Advisors, UCAS
Introductory Partner: Birgit Bery
Becka Horsley Room 807
15:30-16:00 Break Coffee & Networking All Attendees Patio
16:00-16:30 Talk
Preparing learners to Thrive in a Changing World
Akash Raut, Head Academic Advisor, Cambridge International Education
Introductory Partner: Anisha Seth
Akash Raut Room 803
16:30-17:00 Closing Keynote
Education, Creativity, and Innovation for the Next Generation
Dr. Howard Gee, Principal, DSB International School
Dr. Howard Gee Main Stage