Significant new educational initiatives from major educational institutions and global companies have been announced throughout the Summit. 

WISE is proud that these major institutions and companies have chosen the 2011 Summit to announce their new initiatives. 

Each announcement reflects the ethos of WISE: forming connections, sparking innovation, and inspiring educational transformation.


Skills training for teachers [ExxonMobil and Qatar University]

ExxonMobil and Qatar University have revealed an exciting new partnership to pilot a program helping educators enhance their math and science teaching skills. This innovative training program, called the Qatar University ExxonMobil Teachers Academy, is an intensive, one week professional development program for third through fifth grade teachers in Qatar. 

The pilot will be held during the summer of 2012 in Doha and is modeled after the successful Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy, which has trained more than 3,200 teachers across the United States since 2006.


Integrating technological innovation [IAUP and Microsoft]

The International Association of Universities Presidents (IAUP) and Microsoft are collaborating to help integrate innovation into the classroom and the research environment. Their partnership is designed to promote the place of advanced technology in the provision and management of higher education. 

IAUP and Microsoft will together guide universities in how to make appropriate use of technology, especially in regard to helping with their key workloads of teaching, research and administration. 


A new network for African and European students [ACU and Erasmus Mundus]

An exciting joint initiative has been announced between The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and the EU Erasmus Mundus. The partnership will create a unique network of communication and links between African and European doctoral students. This will be facilitated by a website to facilitate greater opportunities for effective collaboration.


Assistance for students in emergencies [Institute of International Education]

A much needed Emergency Student Fund has been launched by the Institute of International Education (IIE) to provide assistance to students and scholars facing emergency situations around the world. This endowment will be supported by the public and private sectors, providing a permanent and flexible mechanism for ensuring that students worldwide have emergency support for tuition, books and living requirements, in response to natural disasters, conflicts and other emergencies.