Today, as we celebrate International Day of Education, we reflect on the incredible impact education has in shaping individuals, communities, and the future of our world. We asked our SUMS Group team why education is important. Here's what they said...

Joel Arber, SUMS Group CEO

Quote from CEO Joel Arber about the importance of education in his life

Education opens doors, changes lives. It’s the ultimate enabler. If I look at my own journey, I can point to key elements of my education that have shaped not just my career, but the person I am today. If I look at the things that made the greatest impact, A-Level English taught me how to really read and A-Level History taught me how to really argue. Studying history at the University of Edinburgh was a fantastic grounding in the discipline required for independent learning and research – skills I come back to again and again. And a couple of pieces of CPD are things I put into practice on an almost daily basis: Olivier Mythodrama was humbling, turning me from a confident presenter into a more engaging and effective one, and Cornell University’s certificate in public sector leadership made me far more attuned to the motivations of my team, and ultimately a better leader. Working in the Higher Education sector is an absolute privilege: to be surrounded by people who share my passion for education and share my belief in its power to create fuller lives and better futures. Education is a constant – a lifelong commitment – and I see it as the most integral of the UN sustainable development goals, the key to unlocking the others.

Emma Staveley, SUMS Group Office Manager

I am a believer in lifelong education – we are never too old to learn something new, which might benefit us or the people around us. I don’t believe education is always about books and computers either.

I spent some time in Niassa Province, in northern Mozambique, working as a volunteer during the late 1990s. I got there when they were starting to rebuild after a 15 year civil war.

I worked with a Spanish nun, Sister Carmen,  and together we delivered small education programmes to various groups of women from a long abandoned schoolroom on the edge of the town of Lichinga.

These included sewing classes, using sewing machines donated by Oxfam,  teaching them how to use these foot-pedalled machines to make clothing  for their families, or to sell at the market. There was a programme for women who had babies – who often died as they were so extremely vulnerable to illness such as diarrhoea  – and we taught the ladies some basic hygiene tricks, such as washing hands with soap, and giving the babies only boiled water – and almost immediately the survival rates started to improve.

These were mainly very young women and girls, who had never had the opportunity to receive any kind of formal education due to poverty and conflict. These types of educational programmes provided a foundation from which they could begin to support their families and keep their children alive.

There is nothing as fulfilling as sharing knowledge to benefit someone else, whatever the classroom looks like.

David Becker, Executive Director SUMS Global

My education has been the bedrock for so many positive things in my life. I met my best friends at primary school. I developed my love of wine and fine dining during college trips to France (before they raised the legal drinking age!) The languages I learned have helped me visit and engage with communities across the world, and when I’m sat waiting endlessly on platforms for a delayed train it’s poetry I learned at school that often runs through my head. I visit the RSC at least three times a year, with my love of Shakespeare initiated at secondary school by the most brilliant teacher who invested his time in me and helped me develop my own passion for learning as a continuum and not a one-off. Time away at university taught me resilience, determination and opened my eyes to hundreds of different perspectives and ways of seeing the world, instilling in me from an early age a respect for alternative viewpoints and a distrust in ‘black and white’ ways of seeing complex issues.  My time at Warwick Business School gave me an enormous network of like-minded friends who I’m still in touch with to this day, often in a professional capacity as much as personal one. One of my friends from Warwick is now CEO of my own district authority, so if we have a problem with the bin collection we know how to escalate the issue! Another is a director at the County council.

Fundamentally, I believe in education because of its vast capacity for good; the potential it has to broaden horizons, foster creativity and bring people together. Without it, my entire life would be different and it’s hard to see how it would be a good kind of different.

Aya Ferguson, SUMS Head of Consulting

I’m studying for a MSc in Business Psychology at the moment – a chance to get back into formal education (nerve wracking!) to build knowledge and skills that really help in my job both as a leader, but also in advising clients. I was terrified of the Advanced Research Methods module, but got my highest mark in that! Clearly the adrenaline kept me going. I’m loving delving into areas that I’ve been interested in and worked with for decades, but now getting a chance to understand the research and evidence for different approaches and methodologies.

Izzy Mackenzie, SUPC Assistant Supplier Relationship Manager

I was enthusiastic to complete CIPS Level 4 when presented with the opportunity through SUPC. I think it’s important to continue learning and challenging myself post-university and I know this qualification will support me in my job currently, and my future career in procurement.

Lorren Harvey, Marketing, Communications and Business Development Officer

I’ve always enjoyed learning – whether it be at school, university, learning new languages or experiencing different cultures. Which is why when I graduated in 2023, I knew I needed a new challenge! I’ve been studying for my CIM Level 4 in Digital Marketing for just over a year now, and completed my final module in November 2024. I’m still waiting for that final grade, and if all goes well (fingers crossed), will be pleased to have a professional marketing qualification under my belt! After 2 month’s rest, I’m ready for the next challenge. Any ideas?

What does education mean to you? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn!