Khalifa Award for Education conference sets out to ‘meet, think and inspire’

An upcoming educational conference aims to introduce best international practices and new technology to educators and policymakers in the UAE.

ABU DHABI // A conference for educators and policymakers aims to encourage nationwide innovation and creativity in all levels of education.

The Khalifa Award for Education will this month hold its first international conference to review research in education and to share experience locally and from abroad, the programme announced on Wednesday.

Organisers hope the event will help to introduce international best practices in developing education while preserving national identity, as well as introducing technological developments, improving communication between institutions, and consolidating efforts among institutions with similar goals. Held under the slogan, “We meet, think and inspire”, session topics include international experiences in education and educational technology.

“The nice thing here is that the focus is not only on technology, but also about how to [use] experience from each country,” said Amal Al Afifi, secretary general of the Khalifa Award for Education.

“It is good to share together these efforts.”

Speakers will include representatives from the Ministry of Education, Abu Dhabi Education Council and the Khalifa Award for Education, she said.

“This is to see what we can do for the future for teachers and for students,” said Ms Al Afifi.

International speakers include educators from the US, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

Keynote speakers include Sun-Geun Baek, president of the Korean Educational Development Institute, who will speak about learning experiences in South Korea.

David Marsh, a researcher in higher education at the Jyvaskyla University Continuing Professional Development Centre, is scheduled to speak about Finland’s educational development and innovation.

Local keynote speakers include Marwan Al Sawaleh, undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, and Hamad Al Dhaheri, executive director of private schools and quality assurance at Adec.

The Khalifa Award for Education International Conference runs from September 16 to 17 at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

It will be held under the auspices of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Khalifa Award for Education’s board of trustees.

More information is available at www.khaward.ae and www.kaeic.com.