Teacher Represents Cronton at International TEDAI Conference in Vienna

Following the success of TEDxCronton Sixth Form College Youth earlier this year in which Cronton students delivered thought-provoking talks on a global platform, Matt Plant, Drama teacher and organiser of the event, was invited to attend TEDAI 2026 in Vienna, Austria.

TEDAI is Europe’s official TED conference dedicated to artificial intelligence, bringing together leading thinkers, innovators, educators and TEDx representatives from across the globe for a three-day programme exploring the future impact of AI on society.

Speaking about his experience in Vienna, Matt said, “It was an incredible experience to be able to meet so many people from the global TED community, and to listen to so many perspectives on AI and how it will transform education. As a college, we will benefit enormously from these connections, and it has given me many ideas regarding how we might develop our TEDx Youth events in the future.”

The conference began with an opening gala at Vienna’s Imperial Palace, opened by Austria’s Chancellor, Christian Stocker, where Matt joined members of the worldwide TED community for an evening celebrating collaboration, innovation and the exchange of ideas. Over the following days, attendees took part in discovery sessions, workshops, panel discussions and the main TED Talks programme, featuring more than 20 speakers sharing insights on the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence.

Matt also participated in a TEDx workshop alongside representatives from around the world, where he stepped onto the iconic TED red carpet to discuss the success of TEDxCronton Youth and the impact it has had on the students.

The inaugural TEDxCronton Sixth Form College Youth was held at the Cronton Playhouse in January 2026. The event saw students take centre stage to deliver engaging and thought-provoking talks inspired by their passions, experiences and perspectives, with the theme focusing on education.

Planning is already underway for the next TEDxCronton Sixth Form College Youth event, which will take place on Thursday 4th February 2027 at the Cronton Playhouse. Students are currently pitching their talk ideas, with further details about speakers and the event programme to be announced in the coming weeks.