Speakers

2026-06-24T14:18:02+03:00

Mikaela Nylander
State Secretary to the Minister of Education, Finnish Government

Master of Laws (court trainee) and Master of Economics Mikaela Nylander became State Secretary to the Minister of Education in July 2023. Prior to that, she served as State Secretary at the Ministry of Justice starting in August 2021.

Nylander was a Member of Parliament for the Swedish People’s Party from 2003 to 2019. All that time she was a member of Parliament’s Education and Culture Committee. She served as Chair of the Swedish parliamentary group during the period 2011–2015. Before her parliamentary career, she worked, among other roles, as a special adviser to the ministerial group. In addition to these, she has been the Chair of the Board of the Swedish Cultural Foundation from 2020 to 2026. State Secretary Nylander was born in 1970 and lives with her family in Porvoo.

Anja Meierkord
PIAAC Analyst, OECD

Anja Meierkord is an adult learning expert and PIAAC analyst at the OECD's Directorate for Education and Skills, where she plays a central role in shaping the next cycle of the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). Her work spans the design and development of the survey, the analysis of its data to inform evidence-based policy, and the broader question of how PIAAC can remain responsive to rapidly evolving skills challenges. Before joining her current team, Anja served as a Labour Market Economist at the OECD's Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, where she focused on megatrends, emerging skill needs, and adult learning policy. She has also held research positions at Ecorys and Eurofound. Originally from Germany, Anja holds a degree in econometrics from the University of London and a degree in social policy from the London School of Economics.

Prof. Dr. Anke Grotlüschen
Professor for Lifelong Learning, University of Hamburg

Anke Grotlüschen is an expert in adult learning and education (ALE), literacy, and lifelong learning. Her research focuses on socio-political participation and adult skills, vulnerable populations, digital media in lifelong learning, and evidence-based policymaking for SDG 4. She initiated the German national large-scale study of low-literate populations through an innovative assessment framework (LEO Level One Surveys 2010/2018). She advised German government on the National Literacy Strategy (2011) and the Literacy Decade (2016-2026). The University of Hamburg's recent associate membership in the Global Alliance for Literacy reflects her longstanding partnership with UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), rooted in joint projects like the Hamburg Numeracy Project and the current "Under Pressure: Literacy and Discrimination" initiative.

Glenda Quintini
Head of Skills and Future Readiness division, OECD

Glenda leads the Skills and Future Readiness division at the OECD looking at how skill needs are changing in the labour market and identifying effective policy responses, particularly in the area of adult learning and on-the-job training for the AI and green transitions. Glenda’s team provides advice to countries, carries out comparative analysis and contributes to the development and analysis of the OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) and the accompanying employer module on skill gaps. Glenda also leads the Global Deal Support Unit, hosted by the OECD to promote social dialogue and sound industrial relations and foster inclusive growth. Glenda holds a PHD in Economics from the University of Oxford.

Renno Veinthal
Deputy Secretary-General of the Ministry of Education and Research of Estonia (MoER)

He is responsible for the fields of research and development (R&D), higher education and adult training and is directly in charge of the departments of R&D, higher education and lifelong learning and skills of MoER.

Prior to his role in the Ministry, he worked as a professor in composite materials at the Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech). At TalTech he also served in different managerial positions (head of department, vice-rector for research).

He is currently a member of several boards and governmental committees, including the Estonian Research Council (funding of basic research); Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (responsible for supporting entrepreneurship and developing the startup ecosystem); Estonian Quality Agency for Education (responsible for quality assessment of educational institutions), steering group of Just Transition Fund (JTF) and governmental working group on nuclear energy.

Li Andersson
Member of the European Parliament, Chair of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

In Finland, she has served as leader of the Left Alliance, Member of Parliament, and Minister of Education in the Sanna Marin government between 2019 and 2023.

Andersson's political work combines a strong stance on fundamental and human rights, an ambitious environmental and climate policy with policies such as strengthening workers' rights and reducing economic and social inequalities.

Dr Riikka Heikinheimo
Director, Green Growth, Confederation of Finnish Industries
(Kuva: EK.)

Current roles:
Chair, Skills Working Group, BusinessEurope (2022–)
Director, Green Growth, Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK)
Member, Research and Innovation Council (chaired by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo)

Dr Riikka Heikinheimo is a leading voice in shaping European and Finnish policies on skills, education, and research & innovation. She focuses on addressing the critical challenge of equipping companies with the right skill sets amid disruptive transformations such as the green and digital transitions. Traditional education systems often lag behind these rapid changes, and Riikka works to influence legislation and practices to bridge this gap.

With extensive experience in research and innovation strategy, funding, and management, Riikka combines practical insight with policy expertise. Her work spans national and European levels, aiming to create productive education systems and robust RD&I + deployment processes that meet future skill demands.

Experience
Riikka has served as an executive director in national public funding organizations and has chaired or participated in numerous boards and advisory committees developing strategies for education, research, and innovation. She continues to contribute internationally and holds several board positions as chair or member.
LinkedIn: https://fi.linkedin.com/in/riikka-heikinheimo-3670134

Sarah Jameson
Senior Policy Advisor, Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD

Sarah Jameson is a Senior Policy Advisor at the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC), the official body representing trade unions at the OECD. Sarah leads TUAC’s work on education and skills, digitalisation and artificial intelligence, gender, and tax policy, advocating on issues related to labour and workers’ rights in a range of OECD forums.

Prior to joining TUAC in 2022, Sarah was Senior Programme Officer at a global NGO working on economic and social rights, where she led a number of advocacy initiatives related to public services and human rights. She also worked as a lawyer and policy advisor for the New Zealand Government for eight years, providing legal advice and representation on tax, public law and social policy issues.

Sarah holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and a Master’s in Advanced Global Studies from Sciences Po, Paris. She is an adjunct lecturer in human rights law at Sciences Po, Paris.