PMI and Cannes Lions launch educators forum

Forum aims to align education with industry needs

Project Management Institute (PMI) has partnered with Cannes Lions to launch the LIONS Educators Forum, a global initiative designed to strengthen connections between academia and the creative industries.

The initiative aims to help educators align teaching with the skills increasingly required in an AI-enabled economy, including creativity, collaboration, adaptability and problem-solving.

Forum focuses on education and employment

The LIONS Educators Forum will focus on developing future-ready curricula and improving pathways between education and employment. The programme will bring together educators and industry leaders through discussions, shared insights and ongoing collaboration.

Educators worldwide are invited to join the network, which aims to encourage the exchange of best practice and support preparation for careers in the creative industries.

The Forum will be chaired by Vann Graves, Executive Director of VCU Brandcenter, alongside a leadership team from Cannes Lions.

Programme combines virtual and in-person events

The programme will include two virtual global roundtables each year, scheduled for Spring and Autumn, bringing together educators and industry professionals to discuss opportunities and challenges facing the sector.

An in-person forum will also take place during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity from 22 to 26 June 2026 at the PMI Cabana. The event will provide educators with access to industry perspectives and international case studies.

The initiative also includes a year-round network intended to support collaboration and resource-sharing between educators and industry professionals.

PMI highlights workplace skills development

Steve Latham, Global Head of Strategic Learning Initiatives, Cannes Lions: “Creativity is now one of the most important skills in the global economy, yet the connection between education and industry has never been more critical. The LIONS Educators Forum is designed to close that gap by creating a space where educators and industry leaders can collaborate, share insights and shape the future together.”

As founding partner, PMI will contribute to the Forum’s agenda with a focus on workplace skills required in technology-driven environments, including project management, collaboration and resilience.

Menaka Gopinath, Chief Marketing Officer, PMI: “The future of work will reward people who can do more than generate ideas. We need to equip students and the educators who guide them with the skills to bring people together, make sense of complexity and turn creative ambition into real-world impact. Through the LIONS Educators Forum, PMI is proud to help prepare the next generation with the capabilities to not only imagine what is possible, but to make it happen.”

PMI said it currently works with thousands of academic institutions globally, providing educators and students with industry-focused tools and training resources.

www.pmi.org

www.canneslions.com

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