Day 2
WISE PROGRAMME
« AT A GLANCE »
November 17th, 2009
PLENARY SESSION: SUSTAINABILITY*
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In the context of education, sustainability encompasses two complementary dimensions. Firstly, the pressing need to guarantee the sustainability of educational systems across the globe. This demands adequate funding, proper governance, suitable accreditation and mechanisms to protect equality, ranging across all levels of public and private education, with clear progression routes from one level to another. Secondly, the role of education in formulating a globally sustainable culture. In the context of rapidly increasing population numbers, a new sustainable and global paradigm must not only be developed but also taught and disseminated around the world. |
Keynote speakers :
Mr Kiyotaka AKASAKA, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, United Nations Moderator : Mr Mike BAKER, Education Broadcaster, Journalist and Author |
Coffee Break
Breakout Sessions: Selected Priorities
Pluralism -
Women’s Education
Traditions can act as a barrier to equality in education. Denial of access can have significant implications for health, development and economic success. Gender inequality takes many forms, such as restricted access to education and socio-economic advancement for women. The issues associated with this phenomenon need to be considered, as do the steps taken by different societies in addressing them.
Speakers :
Dr Jane T. BENBOW, Chief of Party, Education Reform Project in Egypt (EQUIP 1), and Senior Research Director, American Institutes for Research (AIR)
Ms Lorie D. JACKSON, Director, Women's Economic Opportunity Initiative, ExxonMobil
Dr Serra KIRDAR, Director, Muthabara Foundation
Moderator :
Prof. John TARRANT, Secretary General, Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)
Sustainability -
Education and Community Development
Schools, colleges and universities can make an important contribution not only to education for individuals but also to building and sustaining the communities in which they are based. Thus education can help support community cohesion through generating respect and understanding, and its institutions may contribute significantly to the community economy. Conversely, educational establishments can benefit substantially from the skills, knowledge and experience of the community.
Speakers :
Prof. Eberhard BECKER, Rector Emeritus, TU Dortmund University
Dr Iman BIBARS, Vice-President, Ashoka, and Regional Director, Ashoka Arab World
Dr Susan J. BODILLY, Director, RAND Education, and Senior Social Scientist
Moderator :
Dr Barham MADAÍN A., President, International Association of University Presidents (IAUP)
Sustainability -
Sustaining Education in Critical Circumstances, Conflict Zones, and Poverty*
Education is a powerful but underestimated tool that acts as a catalyst in resolving cultural crises and reducing poverty, thus shaping a better future for humanity. As such, it contributes significantly to conflict mitigation, conflict resolution and peacemaking. Developing relevant education models and securing lasting human, technical and financial resources in such unstable contexts and fragile environments are key challenges the international community should face.
Speakers :
Prof. Sultan BARAKAT, Director, Post-war Reconstruction and Development Unit (PRDU),
University of York
Ambassador Kenton KEITH, Senior Vice-President, Meridian International Centre
Mr Scott WEBER, Director-General, Interpeace
Additional speaker to be confirmed
Moderator :
Mr Ramu DAMODARAN, Deputy Director for Partnerships and Public Engagement, Outreach
Division, Department of Public Information, United Nations
Innovation -
Special Needs Education
The challenges of supporting learners with special needs have meant that some of the best and most innovative practice in education has developed in this sector. Mainstream education has much to learn from special needs education both pedagogically and technologically.
Speakers :
Prof. Lizbeth GOODMAN, Founder and Director, SMARTlab Digital Media Institute
Filiz POLAT, Associate Professor in Inclusive and Special Education and Honorary Director
of the Centre for Advancement in Special Education (CASE), University of Hong Kong
Dr Jumana ODEH, Director, The Palestinian Happy Child Center
Moderator :
Mr David L. WHEELER, Managing Editor, The Chronicle of Higher Education
Lunch Break
Breakout Sessions: Solutions
Pluralism -
Managing International Mobility*
The international mobility of staff and students has numerous benefits for individuals and communities, but there are also pitfalls to avoid. It can, for example, exacerbate inequalities between nations by attracting the most talented individuals to leave for better opportunities elsewhere. There is a difficult balance to be struck between the rights of individuals to improve themselves and the national interest of governments in both home and host countries.
Speakers :
Dr Joan DASSIN, Executive Director, International Fellowships Program of the Ford Foundation
Dr Diana DAVIES, Associate Provost for International Initiatives, Princeton University
Ambassador Cheick Sidi DIARRA, Under-Secretary-General, and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing
States, United Nations
Moderator :
Ms Mary E. KIRK, Vice-President – Student Exchanges, Institute of International Education (IIE)
Sustainability -
Education and Governance for Trust and Sustainability
Maintaining and developing public trust in the quality and good governance of education is critical in a rapidly changing world. As education responds to and anticipates change, economic imperatives lead to more sustainable approaches in managing education policies and institutions. Elaborating new visions and involving stakeholders of all kinds from local communities and the public or private sector - all investing in innovative models and managing ever-increasing financial resources - generate greater expectations and obligations in terms of efficiency, transparency and accountability.
Speakers :
Dr Mimi BAER, Senior Educational Consultant, former Executive Director of the California Association
of Independent Schools
Mr Steve MOSS, Strategic Director, Partnerships For Schools
Prof. Michael SHATTOCK, Visiting Professor, Institute of Education, University of London
Moderator :
Sir Graeme DAVIES, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of London
Sustainability -
Accreditation and Quality
Quality and accreditation each play an important role in establishing the value and veracity of education and its opportunities. They are also critical in helping employers and the wider community make judgements and decisions. It can be argued that they are more important than ever before, given our unprecedented access to information and opportunities provided through the Internet. Yet it is also true that quality and accreditation have very possibly never faced greater challenges as a result of the pace at which our world is changing.
Speakers :
Dr Sven CASPERSEN, President Emeritus, International Association of University Presidents (IAUP)
Prof. Luc WEBER, Rector Emeritus, University of Geneva, and President of the Glion Colloquium
Mr Peter WILLIAMS, former Chief Executive, Quality Assurance Agency For Higher Education (QAA)
Moderator :
Prof. Emeritus Ingrid MOSES, Chancellor, University of Canberra
Innovation -
Increasing Access Through Technology
Technology has historically been used to increase access to knowledge and education in underserved areas. Today, many people, countries, organisations and schools are turning to the Internet to reach populations that would otherwise not have this access, or at least the breadth of access that Internet technology is providing. Developments in the field of cloud computing could further the use of the Internet in remote education.
Speakers :
Prof. Emeritus Tan Sri Gajaraj DHANARAJAN, Vice-Chancellor and CEO, Wawasan Open
University
Dr Paul KIM, Chief Technology Officer, Stanford University School of Education
Dr Buhle MBAMBO-THATA, Executive Director, Library Services, University of South Africa
Moderator :
Mr Adrian BLIGHT, Director, Imagine Education
Gala Dinner and WISE Awards Ceremony
All speeches will be in English. Translation will be available in Arabic, French and Spanish for all sessions
*Additional translations in Chinese, Japonese and Russian
