Borghino spoke about ‘Educational Publishing’s Impact on Global Student Ranking’. He compared textbook policies around the world in terms of the level of government regulation over educational publishers — ranging from no regulation or completely free markets, to total government control of textbook production. And he related this to the results of the OECD’s 2018 PISA results, which broadly revealed that students performed better in those countries where publishers are able to develop a wide range of innovative resources in open, competitive marketplaces, and students performed worse in countries with strict government domination of the sector.

‘A healthy educational publishing industry is a vital, strategic asset to any democratic society and an essential element of a competitive, knowledge‑based economy,’ Borghino said. 

Borghino concluded by stating that publishers produce the tools that teachers need to deliver effective learning and to raise academic standards in the classroom, and that publishers are ideally positioned to support and implement government education programs by delivering high‑quality solutions. But to ensure this happens, governments must adhere to the following key policy principles: 

  • Create an open, competitive marketplace featuring a range of publishers’ products and services that give teachers choices fitting the needs of their students;
  • Maintain strong, respected copyright laws with adequate enforcement to ensure ongoing investment in high-quality local content and technical innovation;
  • Promote close relationships between governments, publishers and teachers to ensure collaboration and sustainable business environments;
  • Ensure respect for the freedom to publish.