The Future Report

Students, parents, employers, and policymakers all have growing and shifting expectations for schools and educators.

From curriculum updates to wellbeing initiatives, career preparation to technological integration, education is being asked to do more than ever before.

In this week's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with Director of Strategy at McCrindle, Grant Dusting, to explore what’s driving these changes and what educators need to be prepared for.

As we look toward 2035, we are on the cusp of a new era in education - one that will be shaped by the emergence of Gen Beta, the first generation born entirely into a world of advanced technology and digital connectivity.

These young learners, born from 2025, will experience an education system unlike any before, offering exciting opportunities to rethink how we teach, learn, and support future generations.

At McCrindle we have just launched our annual education future report, which this year is focused on reimaging education towards 2035.

In this week's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle’s Founder and Principal, Mark McCrindle, to explore what education could look like in the future.

You can access our 2025 education report here, or on McCrindle Plus:

https://mccrindle.com.au/resource/report/reimagining-education-towards-2035-report

Today, the journey to parenthood is influenced by a complexinterplay of career aspirations, financial considerations, and evolving cultural norms.

While the desire to have children remains strong, many people are reevaluating the timing and feasibility of starting a family.

Recent research by McCrindle sheds light on these shifting dynamics, revealing how modern life is redefining what it means to become a parent.

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with Managing Director at McCrindle, Sophie Renton, to delve into these insights.

Welcome back to another season of The Future Report!

Have you ever wondered how popular your name is?

Or perhaps you’re about to welcome a little one, and you are deep in the world of name lists, baby books, and family opinions.

Each year, McCrindle analyses the top baby names across Australia — and the 2025 results have just been revealed!

In this week's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with Research Executive at McCrindle and key author of this report, Abby Robinson, to unpack these results, including the trends, the surprises, and what they tell us about today’s parents.

The charities and not-for-profit sector is a significant contributor to Australia.

For decades, charities have been making an impact and caring for those in need.

The operating environment for organisations, however, is increasingly complex.

Organisations are navigating technological change, tightening regulations and reporting, demographic and generational change, and cost-of-living pressures, which are altering the giving landscape.

Understanding the psyche of donors, therefore, is critical to ensuring sustainability and future impact.

In this week’s episode and to wrap up Season 14, our host,Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle’s Managing Director, Sophie Renton, to discuss some brand-new research about how and why people give to not-for-profits.

Many people are intimidated by data, believing that withouta background in mathematics or statistics, they are not equipped to engage with it.

However, most data is not the heavy, academic material - and you don’t need to be an expert to effectively use data in a presentation.

In this week’s episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle’s Founder and Principal, Mark McCrindle, to discuss how data can be used as a storytelling tool.

Consumer behaviour is evolving faster than ever, shaped by economic pressures, technology, and generational preferences.

In this week's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with Marketing and Insights Strategist at McCrindle, Luke Davies, to dive into how different generations are spending, saving, and shopping—and what this means for businesses and brands.

The generations as consumers infographic: https://mccrindle.com.au/resource/infographic/generational-consumer-profiles/

Have you ever worked with someone of a different generation and found it to be a bit of a challenge?

Well, you’re not alone.

In a recent study, we uncovered the different priorities, expectations and preferences of each generation at work.

In this week's episode, our podcast producer, Holly Schaaf, sits down with Social Researcher and Director of Advisory at McCrindle, Ashley Fell, to discuss these insights.

The pace of generational change is accelerating, with each new cohort bringing fresh perspectives and reshaping the world faster than ever before.

We call this phenomenon, “Generation Acceleration.”

In this week's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle's Principal and Founder, Mark McCrindle, to discuss what this acceleration means for society and organisations.

We live in an increasingly connected world, with that set to only continue in the future as we undergo what some call “the third digital revolution”, driven by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

Despite this, people are seeking balance by stepping away from their screens — a movement we have labelled the “Digital Detox.”

This trend highlights a growing awareness of the need for mental and physical well-being in the digital age.

In this week's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle’s Managing Director, Sophie Renton, to explore this phenomenon.