GEF & WISE @Medellín

Facing the biggest disruption to education in recent history, we have the unique opportunity now to reform education to create stronger societies for a better world. WISE 2021 gives a voice to the generation that has been the most impacted by the pandemic and global crisis and seeks to understand what today’s young people want from education and for the future. This generation protests the inaction of governments regarding climate change, they use social media to voice their hopes for social justice and equality, and they are globally unsatisfied with their education. What is the education we need to build a better future?

Speakers: 

• Dareen Abughaida
• Mariam Al-Dhubhani
• Debora Kayembe
• Mathieu Nebra
• HH Sheikha Intisar AlSabah
• Gitanjali Rao

Shocks can be a powerful catalyst for innovation. It is difficult to imagine a bigger shock to education than the COVID-19 pandemic. Billions have been unable to access classrooms or any schooling for extended periods of time. Many countries have canceled national examinations and reduced curricula, and students have resorted to remote learning on an unprecedented scale.
Will technology lead to long-expected reforms in education? How can we reinvent relationships between students, teachers and parents for better learning outcomes? What impact can education reform have on societies on a larger scale? What are the opportunities for civil society actors and other institutions to contribute to education reform?

Speakers: 

• Marc Brackett
• Zhou Yijun
• Dareen Abughaida
• David Moinina Sengeh
• Monique Chism
• Sidharth Santhosh

Embracing the challenges that education faces today requires insight, innovation, and investment. In order to unmute the voice of vulnerable populations, utilizing technology and funding in a sustainable and economical manner can help to empower not only leaders in education, but also children themselves, in providing them with autonomy over their learning journey. Coming together to share their insights on the future of education, our keynote speaker, panelists and 2021 WISE Awards winners will discuss how their work is helping to shape the educational landscape, shedding light on the education of tomorrow.

Speakers: 

• Dareen Abughaida
• Tanmay Bakshi
• Ameena Hussain
• Lydia Wilbard
• Emiliana Vegas
• Shannon May
• Andrew Ashe
• Magdalena Brier
• Suchetha Bhat
• Pablo Jaramillo Villegas-Gerente
• Esra Özsüer
• Daniyal Zia

In partnership with Qatar Foundation, TEDinArabic is hosting its inaugural event on December 9th in Doha as part of the WISE Summit, featuring renowned TED speakers who will be sharing their talks in Arabic with a live global audience. This event is the first in a series of TEDinArabic events hosted in the region. TEDinArabic is a joint initiative with TED and Qatar Foundation designed to provide a global platform for thinkers, researchers, artists, and change-makers across the Arabic-speaking world. TEDinArabic is TED’s first initiative to focus on amplifying solutions, inventions, and stories from the Arabic-speaking communities.

Speakers:

• Mohamad Bahri
• Asma Al-Hammadi
• Rana Dajani
• Farah Altaweel
• Mohammed Al Janahi
• Aziza Chaouni
• Taoufik Mirkhan
• Tuleen Naame

After setting an audacious objective of reaching and enrolling more than 10 million OOSC, Educate A Child, a global programme of the Education Above All foundation is now poised to undertake another bold goal. EAC will demonstrate that it is possible, even in some of the most challenged countries, to educate every child and reach Zero OOSC. EAC is working with selected governments and partners on solutions that work for OOSC, aiming to reach another historic milestone in education. This is a bold approach that encourages multi-sectoral contributions and facilitates children’s ability to realise other rights as well as their right to education.

Speakers:

• Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Founder and Chairperson, EAA
• President, Mr Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda
• Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General, UNESCO
• H.E. Dr Isatou Touray, Vice President, The Gambia
• H.E. Mr José Manuel Barroso, Chair of the Board, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
• H.E. Mr Simai Mohammed Said, Minister for Education and Vocational Training in Zanzibar
• H.E. Mr Moustapha Mohamed Mahamoud, Minister of Education and Professional Training, Ministry of Education and National Training, Djibouti
• Ms Carmen Burbano, Director of School-Based Programs, World Food Programme
• Dareen Abughaida (moderator)

Young people face great challenges, whether it is curtailing climate change and dealing with its adverse effects or addressing the growing social inequalities pervasive in many societies. In facing these global challenges, what is the role of education? How can education systems help prepare students for an uncertain future and provide more equal opportunities? What are the skills, qualities and knowledge that education will help them develop? How can sports and arts contribute to strengthening the bedrock of values that unites peoples, generations and cultures?

Speakers: 

• Dareen Abughaida
• Sir Anthony Seldon
• Wendy Kopp
• Nadia Nadim
• Kathleen Rogers
• H.E. Buthaina bint Ali Al-Nuaimi
• Malek Jandali
• Stavros N. Yiannouka

There is great potential when it comes to unpacking some of our long-standing teaching and learning challenges through edtech, and it is worth discussing what personalized learning in this new era of digital education looks like. However, technology should not be the beginning and end of the modern learning experience, but rather, should provide teachers with enough space to humanize the learning experience for their students. How are teachers’ roles evolving as a result of increased technology in the classroom? How does it change the way we leverage EdTech?

Speakers:

• Alison Wood (moderator)
• Ravi Sreenath
• Danielle de la Fuente 

Higher education faces many issues: a mismatch between the skills graduates learn and those their prospective employers seek; a contribution to amplifying social inequalities rather than reducing them; a diminishing return on investment for university degrees; a limited contribution towards sustainability and the rising competition from new actors in education, including private companies. Yet, no common alternative to universities has clearly emerged. As the COVID-19 pandemic puts our health, economic and education models under stress, how can universities reinvent themselves? How can they contribute not only to skilling young graduates to start their careers but also participate in lifelong learning?

Speakers: 

• Joe Sallustio (moderator)
• Francisco Marmolejo
• Ben Nelson
• Nieves Segovia Bonet
• Archika Dogra 

Well-being is critical for leading a meaningful and productive life. Fatigue, lack of motivation and burnout among students, teachers and school leaders are more common than ever before due in part to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, we must ensure the well-being of the school community members who constantly deal with stress, overwork, and competing demands in and out of school. Join us to explore factors that impact the well-being of the school community, strategies that can be used to enhance it, and lessons learned from experiments in different parts of the world.

Speakers:

• Dominic Regester (moderaor)
• Alhassan Susso
• Jigyasa Labroo 

Education is one of the key levers to change poverty into opportunity, yet, the most disadvantaged suffer from the greatest lack of access to quality education. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this through an unprecedented disruption to education. In this context, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are playing a growing role to fund and deliver education across the world. This presents both great opportunities and challenges: How can PPPs be leveraged to get funding where it's needed the most? How can they be a force for equity rather than inequality? How should the monitoring of results improve to ensure the best outcomes?

Speakers: 

• Emad Al-Khaja (moderator)
• Jörg Dräger
• Asif Saleh

Recent social justice movements like #MeToo, #BlackLivesMatter, and #FridaysForFuture have demonstrated the increasing public demand, particularly among youth, for leadership driven by ethics and accountability. In education, like in politics, ethical leadership requires respect for values and the dignity of others. It calls for schools to nurture cultures of equity, fairness and respect for our community and planet. In a world that is afflicted by multiple ongoing "pandemics" beyond COVID-19 – including environmental devastation and climate change, social injustice, poverty, and financial inequality – how can we ensure that schools are places where ethical leadership is being both modeled and taught?

Speakers:

• Dominic Regester (moderator)
• Patrick Gyimah Awuah Jr
• David Moinina Sengeh
• Nedgine Paul Deroly

Our entry into the fourth industrial revolution has been driven by rapid advances in digital technologies such as AI and big data. As a result of this tech disruption, education has begun to accelerate its efforts toward supporting an increased demand for skilled and tech-savvy employees through the development of emotional intelligence rather than cognitive ability alone. This session's objective will be to understand how we can leverage edtech to change the way we approach teaching and learning experiences to advance these skills.

Speakers: 

• Anthony Maddox (moderator)
• Chibeza Agley
• Sue Attewell

In 2015, Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO, anticipated the disruption wrought by the COVID-19 crisis when she said education today must be about "learning to live on a planet under pressure." This entails cultivating skills to thrive in all facets of life – socially, economically, physically, and mentally. Six years later, spurred by the pandemic, educators around the world are deploying innovative solutions to shape the next class of global citizens and leaders. What are the building blocks of future-literate leadership? How can we use this once-in-a-generation crisis to reimagine learning to be both relevant and impactful today and tomorrow?

Speakers:

• Anthony Mackay (moderator)
• Tracey Burns
• Kiran Bir Sethi
• Mehdi Benchaabane

During school shutdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of students relied on digital and physical assets from different sectors of society. This highlighted how much collaboration among the private sector, civil society and government can offer learners a more diverse range of opportunities. This collaboration also benefits the institutions themselves through knowledge sharing and the optimization of resources and infrastructure. But solid multi-stakeholder partnerships face significant hurdles before they can be successful. Experts will discuss what it takes to create a shared vision among actors from different backgrounds and initiatives—who may even operate in different geographic locations.

Speakers:

• Sébastien Turbot (moderator)
• Ana María Raad
• Karima Grant

The recent pandemic has allowed for a proliferation of online programs and new edtech that has redefined the modern learning experience. Over the next decade, we could continue to see significant transformations within the education sector, but this requires a cohesive ecosystem that includes well-designed policies, funding to support access to new innovation, and above all else, effective models of partnership building between schools and technology providers. This session will explore how we can build multi-level ecosystems capable of leveraging broad networks of expertise that empower all education stakeholders to be drivers of innovation.

Speakers:

• Robert Hawkins (moderator)
• Tsepo Ngwenyama 
• Gang Lu
• Neila Benzina

The capacities to upskill and reskill, to learn, unlearn and relearn, are increasingly important. This is clear in the job market, where the skills employers demand are often mismatched with those of young graduates and where people's careers and competencies are constantly evolving. At the same time, many education systems are still struggling to provide learners with basic literacy. How can we then develop strong lifelong learning frameworks that help the most vulnerable? How can we leverage digital learning and edtech? How must formal education reinvent itself to collaborate with other actors in supporting lifelong learning?

Speakers:

• Derek Newton (moderator)
• Mathieu Nebra
• Shalini Dwivedi
• Fernando Leon
• Denise Amyot

The COVID-19 pandemic put gender inequality in the global spotlight. Women and girls have suffered disproportionately across key indicators—ranging from education and employment to physical welfare—,setting back decades of work and investment towards gender equality. Estimates suggest as many as 20 million girls may never return to school because of prolonged closures. Another 54 million women and girls were eliminated from the workforce in the pandemic's first year, marking the greatest decline in female labor force participation since World War II. How can we shift the trajectory, putting women and girls at the center of post-COVID recovery efforts?

Speakers:

• Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj (moderator)
• Asmaa Al-Fadala
• Zuriel Oduwole
• Jessica Posner Odede

The pedagogies educators adopt in the classroom reflect the priorities of their schools and education systems. Although academic achievements are usually a top priority, well-being has recently garnered more attention than before. Therefore, pedagogies that focus on fostering well-being in our schools and enhancing our students' social and emotional learning are paramount. Teaching competencies such as empathy and compassion require a whole-school approach that involves parents and the community. This panel will discuss the importance of student well-being and how to use pedagogies to foster student well-being and enhance their social-emotional learning.

Speakers:

• Alhassan Susso (moderator)
• Daniela Labra Cardero
• Leslee Udwin

Every year, the WISE Awards celebrate and support the work of outstanding education initiatives. From fostering social and emotional learning to improving teachers' training and basic literacy outcomes across the world, this year's winning projects deliver important contributions to education through innovative solutions. This session is a great opportunity to hear from three of our 2021 WISE Awards winners, as they exchange ideas and explore innovative, practiced approaches to current matters both in and outside of the classroom.

Speakers:

• Niamh Whelan (moderator)
• Magdalena Brier 
• Jamie Stuart
• Suchetha Bhat

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions and those of the people around you. Having emotional intelligence is critical for the success of educators. With many educators working under stress for prolonged periods of time, some can easily get exhausted and demotivated, leading to burnout eventually. Since educators face multiple challenges, it is critical to ensure they are able to manage their daily workloads, meet their expected outcomes, and flourish as individuals in highly interactive settings. Join us as we discuss how to improve schools and the retention of educators through emotional intelligence.

Speakers:

• Dominic Regester (moderator)
• Marc Brackett
• Zarmina Hotaki

Learning does not happen exclusively in schools and universities, so why should we look only at diplomas as proof of knowledge and skills? Recognizing learning experiences delivered beyond the formal education settings can be a powerful tool for equity and inclusion. Join this session to learn how technology has been helping to broaden the paths towards obtaining learning and skill credentials and to discuss the implications of this transformation: how can different stakeholders agree on common standards for the skills acquired by learners in the job market and in different education settings?

Speakers:

• Mark Johnson (moderator)
• Rosie Clayton
• Nerijus Kriauciunas

Every year, the WISE Awards celebrate and support the work of outstanding education initiatives. From fostering social and emotional learning to improving teachers' training and basic literacy outcomes across the world, this year's winning projects deliver important contributions to education through innovative solutions. This session is a great opportunity to hear from three of our 2021 WISE Awards winners, as they exchange ideas and explore innovative, practiced approaches to current matters both in and outside of the classroom.

Speakers: 

• Niamh Whelan (moderator)
• Pablo Jaramillo Villegas
• Gizem Konus
• Daniyal Zia

Women play a fundamental and invaluable role in developing thriving communities and economies. Yet, they continue to face major obstacles to access quality education, which is essential for them to develop and express their potential. This has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw millions interrupt their studies as a result of school closures. Without education, other barriers to gender equality, ranging from work, to health and well-being, are much harder to break through. Join us in this session as we examine on-the-ground lessons and solutions to break through the glass ceiling, leveraging education to empower women and girls as change-makers.

Speakers:

• Ana C. Rold (moderator)
• Eglantina Zingg
• Naza Alakija
• Sarah Wadi Al-Amiry

The research is clear: we need swift and decisive action across all levels to fight climate change and its consequences. But taking care of the planet goes hand in hand with taking care of others. Safeguarding the environment and protecting cultures are intrinsically linked: the notion of “care” is at the heart of any action to ensure a sustainable future. Can care be taught? How can we trigger a durable change in our relationship with others and the planet? And going further, what are the experiences that can help learners become caregivers for others and the planet?

Speakers:

• Anver Versi (moderator)
• Peter Sutoris
• Max McCabe
• Jesse Driver

“Knowledge is power”: this is particularly true concerning climate change. Educating about the corrective actions that we need to take is the real trigger for change. The youth—who will inherit our legacy of success or complacency in fighting climate change—have a unique perspective on the climate crisis. They also have the ability to leverage new creative formats and media to share their knowledge. Join us to explore the unique role played by the youth in harnessing education to promote environmental awareness and drive sustainability.

Speakers:

• Sidharth Santhosh (moderator)
• Ulises Brengi
• Eric Steinberger
• Taanika Shankar

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region represents a total of nearly 600 million people, and an estimate of over 100 million school students. This vast community, characterized by a strong diversity of cultures and languages, is facing steep challenges in terms of learning outcomes, quality education, skills gap, and high unemployment rates. Beyond these structural challenges, the pandemic also transformed online learning patterns and opened new potential markets as some technologies turned into necessities. How is EdTech transforming education for MENA learners? How does it change the acquisition of basic learning or the upskilling process?

Speakers:

• Nayef Al-Ibrahim (moderator)
• Yahya Bouhlel
• Eman Al Kuwari
• Mohammed Al-Janahi

The current challenges—be it pandemic, inequalities or climate change—call for global action. This interconnectivity exists not only at the global level but also locally within our communities. However, collaborating in multicultural environments is not a given. Citizenship education can help foster thoughtful and empathetic citizens who can take active roles in building thriving multicultural societies. Has learning to live together become a core competency? How can the youth grow the skills, mindsets, and abilities to collaborate for a better social cohesion? Speakers from various fields offer key takeaways to explore the assets of citizenship education and the role of advocates in fighting inequalities and building more peaceful communities.

Speakers:

• Yasmine Ouirhrane (moderator)
• Leonardo Parraga
• Jana Degrott

Although everything changed with the pandemic, roles and expectations from students have remained mostly unchanged. Students are still expected to perform academically and socially the same way they did before the pandemic. With that, a new challenge has emerged; how can students perform effectively in school while still trying to process and adapt to the changes caused by the pandemic? What are some changes students can make to enhance their day-to-day lives? How can students use their skills in efficient ways to blend in a post-pandemic world?

Speakers:

• Prerna Kalra (moderator)
• Khalid Yassin
• Maha Yakoub
• Linya Peng

Lockdowns forced by COVID-19 accelerated a global experiment in technology-based learning, and exposed many of its flaws as well as potential benefits. But can technology be better designed to support personalized learning? How will the role of teachers change? Will all students benefit from increased use of technology to drive personalized education? And how will we measure the results?

Be the first to hear the findings of a landmark report and international survey, commissioned by Qatar Foundation, of educators and ed-tech executives from Economist Impact (formerly Economist Intelligence Unit) followed by an expert panel discussion.

Speakers:

• Ana C. Rold  (moderator)
• Isabelle Hau
• Elyas Felfoul
• Mehdi Benchaabane
• Jonathan Birdwell

Similar to the disruption of the school’s dynamic due to the pandemic, students’ lives have drastically changed. The harmonious routine was disturbed; the key role played by social interaction in students’ wellbeing was significantly compromised. Not only so, but that was the case in close to perfect settings. What happened to the children who already lived in difficult circumstances? What impact did online learning, or lack thereof, have on students’ mental health? Which issues have been magnified and which have arisen after the pandemic? We take an expert look into these issues.

Speakers:

• Yousra Shibeika (moderator)
• Shunta Takino
• Gizem Konus
• Greta Rossi

129 million girls are currently out of school. Not even one in two countries has achieved gender parity in primary education. In upper-secondary education that’s a meager 24%. And when enrolled, girls face system gaps that widen the gender divide in learning and skills development. Yet, significant investments have targeted girls’ education in the past decade. Agencies and NGOs have raised the alarm and been heard. So why are we still so far from gender equality in education? We explore the views of specialists on what can be done differently to make girls’ education not only a priority but a reality.

Speakers:

• Roshaan Hajira (moderator)
• Sabeena Abbasi 
• Zuriel Oduwole

The digitalization of industries and services goes hand in hand with a deep evolution of the labor market. The once-golden status of the 9-to-5 employee has lost much of its luster. The entrepreneur’s status is now sought after, associated with freedom and—potential—high gains. The rise of the creator economy further compounds this shift towards self-employment.
Seen from the education field, this transformation in the labor market opens wide new perspectives: Is entrepreneurship education becoming a “must”? How do we help students shift from employees to entrepreneurs? What about developing the skills for this transition?

Speakers:

• Wairimu Mwangi Morine (moderator)
• Shalini Dwivedi
• Samy Chaffai
• Nikita Khandwala

There is a 6,000-hour learning gap between middle-class children in the US and those born into poverty by the time they reach 6th grade. After-school activities, summer camps, weekend trips, family reading time all make the difference. And this applies similarly to other countries. Learning outside the school appears to be a must, for all students. And the best part is that all community members could benefit from it. What does a world where students find enrichment outside of the classroom by making an impact in their communities look like? How does this impact society as a whole?

Speakers:

• Archika Dogra (moderator)
• Kehkashan Basu
• Amit Sharma

All educators have asked themselves, “what is the best way to support my students in their journey?” Building their confidence, many will argue, is the keystone of success. This session gathers practitioners from diverse backgrounds to reflect on the multiple paths to building confidence, developing autonomy and placing students in an active role. While their methods may differ, they all place learners at the heart of their approaches, resulting in fruitful outcomes that are highly inspiring. Join us as we explore paths to nurturing and reviving a love for learning that far exceeds the need to successfully pass examinations.

Speakers:

• Jordan Shapiro (moderator)
• Robert Lobatto
• Jérémie Fontanieu

The youth have emerged as front runners in leading social change, taking up new methods in civic engagement and activism. Some have gone from neighborhood activism to grassroots national or even international movements. The youth are a catalyst for social change, and to meet the challenges of our time, they need to be equipped with 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration and creativity. Join us as we look at the role of innovative education models and social movements in giving the youth a voice and the relevant tools to tackle civic problems, locally and globally.

Speakers:

• Sidharth Santhosh (moderator)
• Kuldeep Dantewadia
• Dina Buchbinder Auron

According to UNESCO, only 35% of STEM students in higher education globally are women and more generally the gender gap in all STEM-related studies and careers remains highly wide. Among other obstacles, the lack of awareness and some recurrent self-limiting beliefs keep girls away from STEM education. As it takes boldness and courage for girls to make it in these fields, some individual journeys set an example and pave the way for change. Join us for an inspirational conversation with the daring students and robotic champions from Afghan Girls Robotic team.

Speakers:

• Yousra Shibeika
• Ayda Haydarpour
• Somaya Faruqi

Our current education systems are responding poorly to the needs of the youth who want to be change-makers in their own communities and beyond. However, new initiatives are addressing obstacles to innovation and disrupting the existing educational models to better serve the needs and aspirations of students. This session will shed light on bold approaches to youth empowerment, sharing ideas to better educate and equip today’s change makers.

Speakers:

• Natalie Magness (moderator)
• Ann Makosinski
• Neeshad Shafi
• Jigyasa Labroo

Young change-makers have motivation, energy, dreams and love. But this is not enough. When taking action, most of them face similar challenges: a lack of 21st-century skills in curricula, a lack of global connections, the scarcity of entrepreneurship education, and tokenism. These challenges cannot be addressed only at the personal level. Could how we educate youth better reflect the saying that one is never too young to make a difference? This panel will discuss reflections on enacting better education policies and practices to support change-makers.

Speakers:

• Natalie Magness (moderator)
• Vivian Leung
• Paul Muller
• Adewale Olasupo

The United Nations has warned that up to half a million Afghans could flee the country by the end of the 2020 year and has called on neighbouring countries to keep their borders open. The current crisis comes on top of the 2.2 million Afghan refugees already in neighbouring countries and 3.5 million people forced to flee their homes within Afghanistan's borders. Due to constant movement coupled with fear and uncertainties, Afghan refugee children are at the risk of losing access to important years of learning and development. Moreover, the status of the efforts to re-settle and educate the refugees remains unclear, owing to the numerous stakeholders involved at multiple levels. Education Above All will host this panel discussion with eminent organisations working towards the education of Afghan refugee children from different countries, to brainstorm solutions to pressing challenges the global community faces in this space.

Speakers:

• Janhvi M. Kanoria (moderator)
• Anthony Bloom
• Lamis Hasan
• Jeffrey Dow
• Arezo Kohistany
• Elisheva Cohen
• Marianne O'Grady
• Tanya Qadir
• Christer Gundersen
• Danielle De La Fuente
• Zabihullah Ghazawi
• Dean Mark Kline
• Neven Knezevic

Education Above All’s programme, Reach Out To Asia (ROTA), Doha Film Institute (DFI) Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative (WPDI) have collaborated to produce a youth film titled “Peacebuilding Through Their Eyes”. Produced using youth cameras, the film is focused on issues shaping peacebuilding in South Sudan and Uganda. Importantly, the making of this film provided youth with the opportunity to record their perspectives on issues related to peacebuilding, and related challenges under the overarching framework of Global Citizenship Education. The film intends, through the youth cameras lens, to capture the views of youth on social issues that shape youth development agendas and sustainable peace. After the film is presented at WISE 2021, a formal discussion between a group of experts will be hosted during the same session in order to draw the youth messages to the world, as well as conclusions and directives that can inform the youth social development and peacebuilding agenda.

Speakers:

• Esther Ambrose
• Yata Ambrose
• Fatma Hassan Alremaihi
• Richard Hoffman
• Mojisola Sonoiki

The round-table discussion will delve into the ways in which quality education (SDG4), inclusive of sports and physical education, can be harnessed to bring about more peaceful, just, and sustainable societies (SDG16), particularly in an era of mass migration, discrimination, economic uncertainty, and resurgent racism/xenophobia. Attendees should leave the discussion understanding the linkages and how education and sports could potentially be used to build a better, more inclusive world.

Speakers: 

• Joannie Bewa (moderator)
• Hon. Mustapha Ussif
• Fabien Dilem
• Nick Sore
• Jojo Ferris
• Mary Joy Pigozzi
• Robert Jenkins

Post-secondary education is no longer a luxury, but a minimum requirement to gain meaningful employment for marginalized youth facing poverty, conflict, and forced migration. We must bridge the gap between higher education and employment, providing youth with transferrable 21st century skills to maximise their full potential, and preparing young men and women to build prosperous and peaceful communities. We must also focus on economic empowerment and equality, accelerating innovative capacity building and digital upskilling, so our beneficiaries, especially women, acquire the skills needed to be competitive and to thrive in future job markets, as well as to contribute to end-to-end value creation in their countries and beyond.

Speakers:

• Rawaa Augé
• Yannick Du Pont
• Ibrahim AlSafadi
• Maha Haidar-Makki
• Filippo Grandi
• Abdulrahman Hesham Al-Sowaidi
• Ana Martinengui
• Husna Ahmad OBE
• Tehmina Akhtar

Education Above All’s Internet Free Education Resource Bank (IFERB) is an internet-free, low resource and interdisciplinary multi-resource library that was created to ensure learning continuity during the pandemic. This panel aims to create a space for partners that have implemented IFERB's project-based learning resources in their community to share their learnings, insights and best practices towards ensuring the effective implementation and sustainability of the approach. This panel will also provide partners with the opportunity to share the challenges that they faced and discuss innovative solutions.

Speakers:

• Janhvi M. Kanoria
• Leena Zaher
• Deborah Kimathi
• Stanzin Saldon
• Arnab Barua
• Hector Swazi
• Mari Lim Jones
• Larry Rosenstock

This interactive session will be led by EAA & Silatech youth beneficiaries from across the MENA region, and aims to showcase the ambition, resilience, and adaptability of marginalized youth affected by conflict, as well as the negative impact of Covid- 19, as they seek to give-back to their communities. The session is divided into two main panels: First, EAA’s youth will highlight the unique skills they have acquired through Al Fakhoora’s Civic Engagement programme, sharing the impact of their initiatives on their local communities and how their pay-it- forward attitude has inspired their peers to do the same; then, Silatech’s beneficiaries will discuss the positive socioeconomic impact they have made within their communities through self-employment, entrepreneurship, and capacity-building.

Speakers: 

• Huda Almzainy
• Radwan Awad
• Yahya Jumaa
• Lina Bassel Shkeir
• Mahmoud Suhail El ghazawi

The session will introduce guidance for governments on how to develop national youth, peace and security (YPS) Strategies and a 5-year roadmap for strengthening youth inclusive peace processes. Participants will have the opportunity to jointly contribute to these outputs and explore ways they can engage with these efforts in their countries. Furthermore, the session is intended to strongly anchor and build momentum around the YPS agenda among a wider spectrum of stakeholders, and solicit more thought leadership and active engagement around the conference outcomes & roadmap.

Speakers:

• Lakshitha Saji Prelis (moderator)
• Celina Del Felice
• Irena Grizelj
• Ambassador Frederic Gateretse-Ngoga
• Aleu Garang
• Julius Kramer
• Roderick-Victor Nyangi Ntsiama
• Dione Sharon Epie
• Saisabel Alruwaidan

The term “involution” (Nei juan) is a word used in China coined the 90s, describing their increasing burnout caused by excessive competition, yet it became one of last year’s “top 10 buzzwords”. Conversely, we find references to people “lying flat” (Tang ping), highlighting the youthful rebellion against “involution”, renouncing such competition.

Facing these pressures, is China’s younger generation “involuting” or “lying flat”? What is China's youth power? How do they prepare for the imminent competition? How can we further empower China’s youth, as we need young people to bring creative contributions to our society?

Speakers:

• Chao Yu
• Kaitian Geng
• Xiaobin Yuan
• Jeffery Lv

This session will be available in English only. Evoke is an award-winning project that supports young people as they develop an understanding of complex global ‘grand challenges’, acquire 21st century skills, socio-emotional skills, and gain the confidence to experiment, collaborate, and create innovative solutions. In this special session for the WISE Summit, the World Bank team, along with partners from Education Above All and World Vision International, will be discussing the outcomes of this most recent iteration of the Evoke project, it’s impact and how similar creative processes can be localised to deliver meaningful learning experiences to young people around the world.

Speakers: 

• Robert Hawkins
• Ruth Wylie
• Marcony Meza
• Janhvi Kanoria
• Santiago Garcia
• Colin Maclay

The 2021/2 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report to be released on December 10, 2021, will provide the first comprehensive review of progress towards the global education goal, SDG 4 since the onset of the global pandemic. While comprehensive data is not yet available to assess the final toll the health crisis has taken on education trajectories, emerging analysis is compiled in the Report to demonstrate the core areas of concern. An interactive discussion will feature insights from education policymakers and youth on the Report’s findings, how they reflect reality on the ground and how the pandemic can be viewed as a turning point to address systemic challenges and inequalities in education systems worldwide.

Speakers:

• Barbara Serra (moderator)
• Manos Antoninis
• Musarrat Maisha Reza

The Internet of Everything, Artificial Intelligence, Augmented and Virtual Reality are beyond-exciting innovations that education systems are embracing with great excitement and hope. However, most societies don’t know how these advancing intelligent systems work or how they will affect the futures of their societies. During the panel session, leading multi-stakeholder communities - including academics and business leaders - will discuss the (still often limited) evidence, existing risks and concerns, weaknesses and limitations of such Edtech systems and products, and how we can judge if these products are safe to adopt for our children’s futures.

Speakers:

• Ionna Noula (moderator)
• Velislava Hillman (moderator)
• Sonia Livingstone
• Doaa Abu-Elyounes
• Steve Smith
• Liz Sproat

The world faces an extensive learning crisis. For low-income countries, this crisis is especially challenging: millions of children have been thrust out of school with no clear path for returning. Stemming the tide of global learning loss will require innovative solutions which leverage multifaceted stakeholder partnerships. This session will shed light on how frontline community members and youth, governments, and NGOs can spearhead innovation together to drive greater positive impact for the most marginalized children and communities and empower the future generation through transformative education solutions.

Speakers: 

• Caitlin Baron (moderator)
• Nikita Khosla
• Benjamin M. Freeman Jr
• Abba G. Karnga Jr
• Kwame Akyeampong 

The Global Seal of Biliteracy and U.S. State Seals of Biliteracy offer students credentials that celebrate and provide evidence of secondary school success in world language learning. These credentialing programs benefit students, schools, colleges, and the workforce. Students are able to show higher education institutions and potential employers that they are at a particular level of real-world language proficiency. The assessments that students take to measure their level may be used to inform instruction and program improvement. Presenters will describe the Seal credentialing programs, testing options, benefits for students, and how they prepare heritage-speakers and first-time learners to succeed.

Speakers:

• Julia Sylla
• Linda L. Egnatz
• Jessica Haxhi

The pandemic that has disrupted our world and exacerbated its inequities threatens to hold back a generation of young people who, in many cases, were already struggling to thrive in an increasingly unpredictable world. Yet there is hope in learning from the incredible leadership and innovations that have kept many of the most vulnerable children learning through crisis. Hear from teachers and educators from across the Teach For All network engaging in a lively discussion highlighting new ways for leveraging technology, engaging parents and communities in students’ learning and development and how to rethink the purpose of education overall, towards enabling students as leaders of a better future.

Speakers: 

• Reem Marto (moderator)
• Mihaela Bucsa
• Womala Ivan Samuel
• Tiany Gamarra

While education reform has been a central focus for decades, in the last five years the conversation has shifted from reform to redesign—to transforming our fundamental model of teaching and learning from that of acquiring knowledge, to learner-driven personalized learning. The drivers for this include global shifts in workforce skills and societal demands, mounting evidence on the science of learning, as well as the impact of emerging technologies which are revolutionizing the field. In this session, you will hear from two WISE Research Fellows, Dr. Jennifer Groff of Learning Futures Global, and Dr. Sarojani S. Mohammed of Ed Research Works, who throughout 2020 explored how schools in both high-resource and low-resource contexts are navigating innovation and change to transform themselves into future-resilient learning environments and address critical issues at the heart of teaching and learning. The session will be moderated by Curt Mould, an expert in innovative learning design from Fielding International.

Speakers: 

• Jennifer Groff
• Sarojani Mohammed
• Curt Mould

Generation Unlimited (GenU) is a global multi-sector partnership that aims to transform education, employment, entrepreneurial and engagement outcomes for young people around the world. UNICEF and the Ministry of Sport and Youth are working on an agenda for this initiative in Qatar; and undertaking a landscape analysis of the current ecosystem for education, employment, and civic engagement of young people in the country. This session will present findings from the analysis; facilitate a discussion on the strategic priorities of a youth-focused agenda; and serve as a call for local public-private and civil society leaders, including young people, to join GenU in Qatar.

Speakers:

• Yasmine Abu Seedo (moderator)
• Khadeja Ahmad Albuhaliqa
• Hamad Al Hajiri
• Faisal Mohd Al-Kohji
• Dalal Al-Ishaq

The pandemic further exacerbated educational inequalities and educators have the daunting task of bridging a growing education gap, while preparing students for the jobs of the future. Over the next decade, one billion global youth will enter the workforce into jobs that do not exist today. How can we drive innovation in education to help increase access and develop future-ready skills? During this session, participants will learn from innovators who are bridging gaps in learning and access by joining forces with leading organizations, investors, and changemakers to deliver impact at scale. Through emotional intelligence, critical thinking, STEM, coding, and beyond, they are preparing tomorrow’s workers, problem-solvers, and leaders.

Speakers:

• Anggaris Anggia Cininta
• Sidy Ndao
• Ananya Agrawal
• Grace David

The session will present key findings from a situation analysis of the barriers to women accessing leadership roles in education in Ethiopia and share progress on a national initiative sponsored by the Ministry of Education to establish a network for women in education, called WomenED. Panellists will also share lessons from another impactful solution deployed in Rwanda to improve gender equity in the role of School Subject Leads, an important middle management role in schools which allows teachers to position for senior leadership roles. Participants will be invited to engage in collaborative problem analysis and problem solving for their contexts.

Speakers:

• Rosalind Hancell
• Sofia Cozolino
• Tigist Tefera

The COVID-19 pandemic thrust family engagement into the spotlight, presenting an opportunity to markedly shift the overall vision for family-school collaboration. At the same time, the Center for Universal Education (CUE) at Brookings has been researching how families and schools can better work together to improve and transform how education is delivered and what it can achieve. Join us this session to discuss insights from CUE’s newly released playbook on family-school engagement, featuring key findings from a global survey of 25,000 parents and 6,000 teachers and a review of more than 500 effective family engagement strategies around the world. Lead author Rebecca Winthrop will moderate a conversation with two leaders from organizations featured in CUE’s study.

Speakers:

• Rebecca Winthrop (moderator)
• Jayanti Sothinathan
• Madhukar Banuri

The goal of this session is to discuss the implications of a recent Brookings report on expanding computer science (CS) education in K-12 education across the world, which, as the report argues, is essential for both individuals to thrive and for economies to grow. We hope to engage with policymakers, experts, and practitioners, in a conversation around the lessons from multiple countries from various world regions that have expanded CS education to shed light for governments that want to move forward in this direction.

Speakers:

• Michael Hansen (moderator) 
• Emiliana Vegas
• Pat Yongpradit
• Panuakdet Suwannatat
• Sue Sentance

A new report from UNICEF, the Learning for Wellbeing Foundation, and the Fetzer Institute reveals nine core capacities and underscores the importance of noticing and nourishing these capacities from birth through adulthood. Often overlooked as innate basic skills, these capacities are underutilized in efforts to promote child well-being, education, and development. By protecting and promoting the development of these capacities, children can better understand and interact with the world around them, for life and for learning, and realize their unique potential. Join this session to learn about these core capacities and why and how every child can cultivate these capacities to thrive.

Speakers:

• Sarah Crowe (moderator)
• David Moinina Sengeh
• Marwan Awartani
• Daniel Kropf
• Dominic Richardson

The structure and curricula of high school have remained virtually unchanged in the last few decades, although the world the youth lives in today has little in common with that of their parents. We have transformed education once before to adapt learning to the industrial age; this session will discuss what changes need to be made to high school in the 21st century. The panellists will give actionable insights on the key components missing from today’s high school education and how we can equip young people with the key, enduring cognitive skills to address the complex challenges society faces today.

Speakers:

• Devin Vodicka
• Robert Lobatto
• Joshua Fost
• Shannon O’Connor

• In the Name of Learning: How Tragedy Led to Consciousness by Komal Shah
• Using social media to accelerate your teaching skills by Jose Alejandro Andalon Estrada
• A case study for open science education collaboration between Latin America and Europe by Reina Camacho

• Quests & Rewards: Gamifying Education by Henri Motte-Munoz
• Smart Science Labs by Edward Keller

• Leadership Lessons Learnt from Connection and Community by Afsha Kohli
• Let them write their tomorrow by Steven Wilbur
• Helping Children Find Their Voice by Peter Nicholson

• Teaching Computational Thinking for general problem-solving, not just programming by Marina Velikova
• Personalised Adaptive Learning with Ei-Mindspark by Ritesh Agarwal

• Shared passion, global goals by Henry May
• Rediscovering Advocacy for Education by Mayssa Rezgui
• Where do we learn about our passions? by Shaikha Al-Kubaisi

• Empowering Young Girls, Destigmatizing Female Hygiene by Rakesh Verma
• How to develop Parents as co-educators in Early Childhood Education by Shruti Manerker

• Revolution Learning Lab by Claire Hazoumé
• Training Teachers in Africa to Help Unmute Young Learners by Michele Raggio
• Generation Unmute and Unleash by Lene Jensby-Lange

• Physical training for emotional strength and other soft skills by Margarita Ortiz Cotro
• What Inclusion Can Look Like in Qatar by Sabika Shaban

• StudyFriend: Study Buddies Around the World by Tamo Chattopadhay
• Putting Education Innovation in the Hands of Teachers by Juan M. Lopera
• Upskilling African Youth with LearnAM by Bola Lawal

• Designing and Sharing Vitality-Centered Education by Jenny Finn
• The role of Non-Formal Education & Learning (NFEL) for the future of Education and Young People by Thomas Shorrock

• Information & Communication Technology in education with TAK-TAK-TAK by Antonio Puron
• Online Arabic Dictionary for Students by Fatima Khan
• An Innovative Edutainment Platform for Young Learners by Nada Al-Musleh

• Moonshot Grants by Tyler Samstag
• State Schools by Rebecca Vieyra

• #ScienceCallsYou by Bryann Avendano 
• Pocket Learn Mathematical Device by Ashwarye Yadav & Omar Abdallah.
• Bridging today's education and future jobs for Arab Youth by Mona Itali.

• Driving Better Outcomes with Empathy in Learning and Education Partnerships by Jac Torres Joined by: Ava Ter, Master of International Development Candidate at RMIT University
• Understand, Celebrate, and Enhance Linguistic and Cultural Assets by Eldijana Bjelcic

• Empowering Young Writers, Improving Language Scores by Lameck Odero
• Integrating Undergrad Online Mentors to Unmute K-5-12 Students by Noora Al-Thani
• Thaki: The key to smart by Rudayna Abdo

• How a Math Problem Shifted our Focus to Reading by Rina Lopez
• Getting Girls into School by Klaudia Khan

• Transparent Thinking Approach (TTA) Solution Factory as an Incubator for Educational Reform by Mohammad Aliedeh
• Digital for Tertiary (D4TEP): Riding the Wave of Digital Transformation in Higher Education by Alejandro Caballero

• Telehealth Arts for Down’s Syndrome Children in Qatar by Alan S. Weber
• Edutainment for underserved groups by Danielle Ochieng

• Breakthrough Facilitation: Practical ways to spark student engagement and motivation by Gwyn Wansbrough
• Reclaiming our future through emotional intelligence education by Oluwadamilola Alade

• How to transform the performance of a country's education system by Jelle Verwer
• Learning at the school that learns by Mireia Xortó Prados

• Reconceptualizing a global school leadership framework by Jenny Lewis
• Unmuting the Potential of Current and Future Leaders by Nadine Trépanier-Bisson

• Investing in 66 million New Seats in Affordable Non-State Schools by Andrew McCusker 
• Generation Global: Unlocking Youth Potential through Dialogue by Lucy Hayter

• The Wellbeing Pyramid by Sean Slade
• Creative Industries and Education: An Opportunity for Young People in Conflict or Migration Zones by Gabriela Arenas de Meneses

• Leveraging Alumni to Strengthen Education by Kathy Edersheim
• Let’s go on a Vision, Program and Space Alignment Journey by Randi Fielding

As the research on educational ecosystems has grown, a growing global trend has positioned “intermediary organizations” in an oversized ecosystem role. Through their direct work with schools, especially the most vulnerable schools, these organizations straddle the larger ecosystem and the local schoolhouse, becoming conduits of external leadership resources into schools. During this research presentation the authors will discuss how their study into intermediary organizations – and their important role as an ecosystem builder – can help other organizations better gain access to the relationships and resources that are likely to prove important to their work and have positive impact on schools and students.

Speakers:

• Shelby Cosner

Throughout 2020-2021, members of WISE ALL-IN explored how the context of a global pandemic was creating opportunities to innovate and transform educational leadership practices to meet the needs of a changing world. Across the globe, educational leaders showed immense resilience in the way they adapted to the pandemic, and through consideration of emerging case studies from innovators in the field, ALL-IN dove deeply into discussions on future-literate leadership and frameworks that included well-being and social and emotional skill development. In conversation with key members of the ALL-IN global community, this session will explore the work of WISE ALL-IN, and how the network is coming together to advance a future-focused agenda.

Speakers:

• Dominic Regester (moderator)
• Deborah Kimathi
• Susan Douglas
• Daniela Labra-Cardero

In Fall 2020, WISE, the Education Commission, and Education Development Trust came together with the aim of generating new evidence on effective school leadership during COVID-19. A learning partnership was developed with the Rwanda Basic Education Board to undertake rapid research on school and system leadership during the pandemic. The aim of the project was to shed light on the role that school and system leaders played during the pandemic in mitigating inequalities for the most vulnerable and to also contribute to the emerging body of evidence of case studies in school leadership in the Global South. In this session the authors will discuss the innovative Learning Partnership Approach to this project and how the findings led to real time policy impact in Rwanda.

Speakers:

• Jean-Pierre Mugiraneza

The importance of technology in our lives has increased significantly, and many of us use digital technologies for various purposes. In some cases, people use digital technologies excessively to the extent that it might affect their health, education, or relationships within their families and with others. In this session, the authors will share preliminary findings from a study recently conducted in Qatar to understand how much adolescents use digital technologies and how these technologies affect their lives. This study aims to shed light on this issue and provide recommendations on how to mitigate any negative impact on education, health or family cohesion for adolescents in Qatar.

Speakers:

• Raian Ali
• Azza Abdelmoneium
• Sana Al-Harahsheh

This session will discuss the learnings from WISE Learners’ Voice, a program that encourages students to think critically about issues that affect their communities and speak about them in creative ways. WISE and its partners Eidos Global and Photo Art Qatar (PA Qatar) will showcase the reflections from our cohort of middle and high-schoolers from various public schools in Qatar; and will invite the audience to debate how to create environments in which young people feel stimulated to express their opinions and interests.

Speakers:

• Shahd Dauleh
• Ulises Brengi
• Ammar Al-Qamash

The current gap between what employers need and what learning institutions provide is rapidly widening. Today, a university degree is seen as less valuable than specific skills or experience and the commercial value of learning is taking precedence. With that in mind, we need more individualized learning strategies which enable us to cover necessary ground quickly. Equally, we need to normalize that non-linear learning is feasible and a highly efficient path for increasing knowledge. This session will explore the potential of non-linear, adaptive learning pedagogy - in person, online and AI-based - and determine the potential for unstructured content like this to disrupt the way we learn and why.

Speakers:

• Chibeza Agley
• Alison Wood
• Laurie Forcier

In a NPR article published in February 22, 2021, journalist Madeline Will quoted a teacher who said "I would rather be a barista at Starbuck right now". That sentiment speaks to a problem that has become all too common worldwide: teachers are tired, fed up, and want to quit. According to UNESCO in 2020 there were 94 million teachers worldwide, however, to achieve SDG4, we need another 69 million teachers by 2030. So how do we keep the teachers we have? This session will discuss how improving teachers' wellbeing is one way to tackle this teacher retention crisis, as explored in a WISE report with Duke University. Report authors will also share their findings garnered from interviews with 90 teachers in three countries and discuss ways to promote teacher wellbeing at the school, ministerial and societal levels.

Speakers:

• Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell
• Hy Huynh

Systematic change requires collaboration beyond our self-interests and towards broader causes. The “Breaking Down Barriers” workshop will be an opportunity for participants to discuss how to collectively work towards addressing systemic issues in education. Through brief interactive activities and an open discussion, participants will first identify the fears and barriers that hinder collaboration, and second, will explore concrete ways to address the challenges in achieving systemic global change in education.

Speakers: 

• Sabeena Abbasi
• Priyanka Varma

Throughout 2020-2021, members of WISE ALL-IN explored how the context of a global pandemic was creating opportunities to innovate and transform educational leadership practices to meet the needs of a changing world. Across the globe, educational leaders showed immense resilience in the way they adapted to the pandemic, and through consideration of emerging case studies from innovators in the field, ALL-IN dove deeply into discussions on future-literate leadership and frameworks that included well-being and social and emotional skill development. In conversation with key members of the ALL-IN global community, this session will explore the work of WISE ALL-IN, and how the network is coming together to advance a future-focused agenda.

Speakers:

• Seungah Lee
• Kate Donaghey
• Maria Spies

The notion of a learning ecosystem recognizes that education and learning, and the provision of support for young people more generally, is a collaborative endeavor. The authors will discuss the findings from a participatory action research approach that aims to better understand the potential of learning ecosystems in Qatar, by mapping the nature of partnership working among different organizations, looking at educational practices and technologies, and identifying systemic structures that incentivize or hinder innovation and collaboration.

Speakers:

• Rosie Clayton
• Aurelio Amaral
• Atif Shafique

Around April 2020, 1.5 billion learners were out of school due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the shutdowns were difficult for all children, it was particularly difficult for the vulnerable groups such as disabled children in low and low-middle-income countries. This report - a joint effort between Cambridge University and WISE - is one of the first of its kind to explore the impact of school closures on the education and wellbeing of children with disabilities of primary school ages in Nepal, Ethiopia, and Qatar. The study involved multi-choice survey questionnaires and interviews with hundreds of parents and teachers. In this session, report authors will discuss the report findings and recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers about what can be done to support children with disabilities in case of another COVID-19 like scenario.

Speakers:

• Omar Zaki
• Asmaa Alfadala

Across the world, leaders of school leadership development organizations are rethinking the ‘why’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ of their program offerings. Many have launched new innovations and prototypes as they have explored the best ways to support the school leaders and educational communities that they serve throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have tried new forms of digital/blended program delivery, and others have sought to help leaders develop adaptive mindsets to solve problems and navigate uncertainty. This session, through a conversation with key stakeholders from WISE’s Empowering Leaders of Learning Program and the Kenya-based NGO, Dignitas, will explore how COVID-19 has opened up new opportunities to rethink leadership development practices and approaches.

Speakers:

• Deborah Kimathi
• Shelby Cosner
• Hissa Al-Aali

Learning Ecosystems, an approach that can make learning opportunities more diverse and accessible through more intentional meaningful collaboration between the formal education system and the civil society. Theoretical foundations of Learning Ecosystems are steadily growing stronger, but education stakeholders often lack the knowledge and tools to bring such an ecosystem to life. The WISE Living Lab is a global community of practice that has, in the past year, mobilized practitioners, experts, policymakers and innovators to share challenges and contextualized solutions in designing and implementing Learning Ecosystems. This session will present the insights collected through thought pieces, workshops and panel discussions around the topic.

Speakers:

• Sébastien Turbot
• Fernande Raine

In facing the challenges of the post-pandemic era, the education ecosystem has both space and capacity to build back better. Combining the strength of adequate leadership with forward-thinking pedagogies and innovation can allow for this time to be seen as an act of rebirth in education. Our previous WISE Prize Laureates and their representatives come together to share their insights on the future of education, discussing how their work is giving voice to the global community.

Speakers:

• Patrick Gyimah Awuah
• Larry Rosenstock
• Audrey Giacomini

Both emerging research and practice are suggesting educated girls and women can have a meaningful impact in addressing the climate crisis. For example, it can support their resilience to the effects of climate change, which has benefits for their wider community. In this workshop, participants will embark together on a journey to explore how educating girls can create change agents in the climate crisis and to imagine together what this change could look like.

Workshop Facilitators:

• Kate Sims
• Jean-Pierre Mugiraneza

The youth of today are key-players in facing and resolving world challenges. It is crucial to empower and equip them with the tools they need to fulfill their potential, design practical solutions and put them to action. In this workshop, attendees will discover a planning tool that players in the education field, including both teachers and students, can use to create simple but impactful action campaigns in their communities. Come join this workshop organized to work collaboratively with other participants, identify a community need related to the SDGs and design an elaborate plan of action to tackle it.

Workshop Facilitators:

• Lisa Martin
• Jaideep Singh
• Shennon Sequeira
• Mohammed Mostapha
• Emmy Josefson

The world is facing emergencies ranging from climate change to the loss of animal and plant species. To make the best choices in their daily lives and catalyze the urgent changes needed, people everywhere need to be properly educated: that starts in school. As education systems worldwide currently stand, neither K-12 schools nor universities are providing students with the knowledge necessary to identify sustainable solutions. Kathleen Rogers, President of EARTHDAY.ORG, will present on the critical role climate literacy and civic skill-building plays in preparing the next generation to take on the climate crisis and join an environmentally minded workforce.

Speaker:

• Kathleen Rogers

Innovation in Education can accelerate climate solutions, empower youth and equip them with the tools and skills needed to make real on-the-ground impact. Innovation in education can also transform businesses, allowing them to operate more sustainably without compromising their financial stability. But is it really possible to bring innovation in climate education to the global population across the continents regardless of their age and interest. In this Ask me Anything session, Eric Steinberger, co-founder and CEO of ClimateScience, will answer all your questions on effectively and creatively delivering climate education through schools and businesses.

Speaker:

• Eric Steinberger

A better world is made of Peace and Justice. One important indicator of progress in the SDGs is the creation of independent national human rights institutions which comply with the international standards. They help address inequality and discrimination by receiving and addressing complaints and advising governments on the rights based legal frameworks. In this masterclass, Debora Kayembe, Rector of the University of Edinburgh will demonstrate how most goals and targets of the SDGs correspond to human rights obligations. She will also highlight how these efforts will build a strong national human rights system and help ensure that SDGs work for everyone.

Speaker:

• Debora Kayembe

Join philanthropist and humanitarian Naza Alakija, Founder of Sage Foundation, for her key learnings on the effects of the climate crisis on both people and the planet. Naza will share her Foundation’s response and what she considers to be the key solutions in the fight against climate change. She will also speak about her experience in the field and the remarkable communities she’s met in her role as UNICEF Advisor.

Speaker:

• Naza Alakija

The Anthropocene is an unofficial unit of geologic time, used to describe the most recent period in Earth’s history when human activity started to have a significant impact on the planet’s climate and ecosystems. In this masterclass, participants will explore the question of what entering the Anthropocene means for education. They will also examine the role of formal education systems, activism and social movements in helping young people reimagine the future. Participants will also discuss how Rob Nixon’s idea of ’slow violence’ and Hannah Arendt’s concept of ‘bureaucratisation’ can help us redefine education’s role in this new era.

Speaker:

• Peter Sutoris

Becoming a climate leader is important because the climate crisis is a global challenge that affects all humanity. Its repercussions will spare no one. In this session, Neeshad Shafi, co-founder of the Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar and voted one of the 100 Most Influential People in Climate Policy in 2019 will share his journey as a youth climate advocate. He will address the latest scientific findings on climate change, but also share the main components to successful and impactful climate leadership. Audience will learn about best practices in public speaking, communication strategies, leadership skills, and approaches to community building.

Speaker:

• Neeshad Shafi

For too long, education has been the neglected child of the climate movement. It is time to realize the great potential of education on the climate. In this workshop, you will discover why education must play such a crucial role in climate change. You will also collaboratively work with other participants to reflect and develop practical recommendations linked to climate literacy and behaviour change, the just transition to a green economy and education for adaptive capacity.

Workshop Facilitators:

• Max McCabe

Do you believe it is possible to achieve better learning outcomes through play? Today scientists argue that active play not only fosters sound emotional and mental health but also allows children to become the agent of their own learning. In this workshop, , you will personally experience learning through play as you discover the 2030 Agenda and explore tools to promote its achievement. You will identify problems experienced locally and in the community and brainstorm effective hands-on recommendations to overcome them. Come and join us on a special Treasure to build a better future for all.

Workshop Facilitators:

• Dina Buchbinder
• Gabriela Lozano Campos

The fast spread of COVID-19 caught many educational institutions by surprise. Though the shift towards online and remote learning was already on the future agenda, it was not expected to happen on such short notice. This shift did not only impact the nature of teaching and learning, but also the monetary value of the services offered. Why pay money for something you can get for free? In this session, Ed-Tech pioneer Mike Feerick explains why and how all future online education and training material will become free and discusses the global social, economic and cultural impact of this shift.

Workshop Facilitator:

• Mike Feerick

As curricula shift towards adopting more modern teaching approaches, gamification has become an integral part of creating an interactive and engaging classroom. But how can teachers select proper educational-digital games and resources to apply in their classes? And how can they properly manage blended classrooms when using digital games? Is there a proven science behind effective edutainment? In this Ask me Anything Session, Diana Al-Dajani, founder and CEO of eduTechnoz, an online curriculum that gamifies and innovates the way students are taught Arabic, will answer all your questions about bringing education technology into classrooms.

Speaker:

• Diana Al-Dajani

How do you make content that not only appeals to children aesthetically, but also helps them take control of their learning and leverage this learning to positively impact their lives? Creating edutainment content for children is a dynamic, vigorous but fun process. In this Masterclass, Christina Stefania Bwana, will discuss the core processes of creating edutainment for children. She will share her insights about what makes certain edutainment contents more successful and appealing to children than others. She will also choose one of the elements involved in creating edutainment for children and turn it into a practical exercise for participants.

Speaker:

• Christina Bwana

The rise of AI and the introduction of the MetaVerse by Marc Zuckerberg will disrupt and reshape education and the job market. This will translate into the loss of millions of jobs but also the emergence of millions of new ones requiring an entirely new and improved set of skills among the workforce. Education has the great responsibility of equipping today's youth with the right set of skills that will allow them to succeed and thrive in the world of tomorrow. In this workshop organized by Tech-Adaptika, you will take a glance into the future. You will interactively discover future skills and jobs but also co-design what education technology means in the MetaVerse.

Workshop Facilitators:

• Hosni Zaouali
• Megan Esopenko

With the evolution of technology and open access to digital information, the importance of helping students think critically about the content and use of information is increasingly needed, especially in the Arabic classroom. In this highly interactive workshop organized by KamKalima, y will participate in a digital escape game. The web quest will be to evaluate online resources shared by the workshop facilitators and identify whether you are handling real or fake news. Attendees will also learn how to replicate this game in your own classroom in order to create an engaging, interactive, technophile learning environment. Don't forget your devices!

Workshop Facilitators:

• Siroun Shamigian
• Bayan Itani

The spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in an accelerated shift towards remote and distance learning. Yet, educators and trainers are still struggling with the transition from face-to-face to online learning. Often, the human factor is underestimated, and technology is embraced inadequately. In this workshop, members of the audience will bring their own "traditional" training programs to the table. They will then collectively choose one of the suggested programs and work collaboratively to convert it. The audience will co-design a blended training (online + in-person) using nothing but a brown paper and post-it technique.

Workshop Facilitator:

• Michiel Klonhammer

STEM education brings science and math to life through real-world applications in engineering facilitated by technology. But what do effective STEM activities look like? And what are the main pillars to integrating STEM activities in classrooms? In this interactive workshop, you will be introduced to the best practices in STEM. You will also participate in an engineering design challenge during which you will work with other team members to use cutting edge technologies and build a small prototype capable of accomplishing a predefined task. It will then be up to you to bring STEM into your own classroom!

Speaker:

• Einas Mohammed
• Basel Al Muree

When answering the question, will robots ever completely replace humans in the workplace, Tanmay Bakshi firmly responds: "No". As according to this young AI expert, machine intelligence does not aim to replicate human intelligence, it aims to complement it. Machine intelligence will help humans complete tasks they are not cognitively equipped to do without technological assistance. But how does that apply to education? And how can next generation technology create new opportunities in the education field in particular? Tanmay Bakshi will answer all your questions in this unique session addressing the future of education and AI.

Speaker: 

• Tanmay Bakshi

In order to achieve a path to Net Zero, we need to educate people about their consumption habits and empower them with new technologies that serve a climate-conscious approach. Today, many ClimateTech companies are working on innovative technology-based solutions to reduce carbon footprint. In this session, Othmane Zrikem, Chief Data Officer and Partner of A/O PropTech will explain the climate change through the lense of ClimateTech. He will inform the audience about the levers to adopt a Net Zero Trajectory and explore the wealth of innovative ClimateTech companies educating the market about what is possible and desirable.

Speaker:

• Othmane Zrikem

In 2014 Aldo de Pape decided to use his knowledge in order to help teachers and students. This led him to build a successful EdTech platform with 55,000 subscribers from over 205 countries. This platform continues to grow with hundreds of new users signing up each day. Through his platform, Aldo has partnered with governments and worked hand in hand with organisations such as UNICEF and the Open Society Foundations. In this session, you will be able to ask Aldo anything about building and developing a successful EdTech Platform as he shares with you his insights, knowledge and experience.

Speakers:

• Aldo De Pape

According to Leslee Udwin, social and emotional value-based education is the only way to comprehensively and sustainably anchor future generations in skills of empathy, compassion, resilience, self-esteem, equality and more. In this highly interactive workshop, attendees will discover and use some of the transformative tools targeting the early years of education which she has developed alongside global experts in the fields of psychology, education, neuroscience and human rights. Through a sample of Think Equal's programmatic tools, participants will reflect with other workshop attendees on key issues such as race and gender equality as well as mental health and wellbeing.

Workshop Facilitator:

• Leslee Udwin

Brain Power is about helping trainees take back their brains and powers! Care for a balance and better management over thoughts, emotions and physical wellness? In this workshop organized by Brain Education ME, you will discover some of the most recent and overlooked scientific findings disapproving common misconceptions about focus and emotional influence. You will also be able to learn brain based exercises to help connect body and cognition, breathing techniques to regulate emotions and awareness meditation to help "open-focus". Come and connect with your brain and body and disconnect from stress and anxiety.

Workshop Facilitator:

• Mohammed Abu Zeinab

“Bareec” is a distinctive values education program that instills the culture of positivity through a set of creative interactive scientific, yet simple and short activities implemented inside and outside classrooms. Schools that have applied this curriculum reported remarkable positive impact on the behavior of their students. In this masterclass H.H. Sheikha Intisar AlSabah and Ms. Rokaya Hussain will introduce this unique model and identify the main elements that have made it such a success. They will also demonstrate how social emotional learning can be practically implemented in schools globally and how it can impact students behavior and achievements.

Speakers:

• H.H. Sheikha Intissar AlSabah
• Rokaya Hussain

Emotions have the power to transform our lives. They play an essential role in learning, decision making, creativity, relationships, health, and performance. People with high emotional intelligence often become change-agents in their environments, they are, among other things, self-aware, empathetic, balanced, curious and gracious. In this "Ask me Anything" session, participants will have the unique opportunity to meet Marc Brackett, Founder and Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and a Professor in the Child Study Center of Yale University and ask him anything about emotions, emotional intelligence and how to use them to achieve your goals.

Speakers:

• Marc Brackett

When faced with Adversity, what determines the outcome? In these unprecedented times, educators are confronted with many uncertainties. Despite the insurmountable challenges to tackle, educators can learn how to develop resiliency and view these challenges as opportunities to create better outcomes for their students. In this workshop, participants will learn successful strategies of identifying opportunity in obstacles and methods of guiding students to turn challenges into opportunity. They will also learn how to develop a clear and compelling vision for the future. and learn methods of leading uncomfortable conversations that initiate creation of deep and connected communities.

Speaker:

• Alhassan Susso

Jordan Shapiro has spent more than a decade working with educators, business leaders, and governments to help prepare the next generation of global citizens for a rapidly changing world. His work has transformed the way we approach the relationship between technology and child development. He has introduced groundbreaking new frameworks for thinking about pedagogy and learning. In this ask-me-anything session, he will answer all your questions about how we prepare our children and students to think critically, advocate for social justice, thrive emotionally, and feel fulfilled in economic, political, and technological contexts that seem to be increasingly chaotic.

Speaker:

• Jordan Shapiro

"Slam Out Loud" believes in the ability of art to foster resilience, well-being, mindfulness, and creativity - especially for young learners. They believe that the mere act of finding your voice and being able to express your emotions, is an experience that empowers individuals to foster their own well-being. In this masterclass, Jigyasa Labroo will teach you how to make and perform some poems. She will take you on a journey of self-discovery through metaphors. You will also experience the role of arts in fostering well-being and discover how to bring such tools to children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Speaker:

• Jigyasa Labroo

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the shortcomings in the education sector when it comes to fostering wellbeing for students and educators. Recipes for Wellbeing is developing a “Wholebeing Framework” to promote wellbeing as a set of skills and competencies that can be practiced, cultivated, and facilitated. This masterclass will introduce the main learning domains of our holistic wellbeing model and will invite attendees to reflect on the idea that learning is also about learning to “be together” differently – and therefore to “thrive together”.

Speaker:

• Greta Rossi

The navel connects with the entirety of the human internal functions, physically, emotionally as well as neurologically. If used correctly, this connection can relieve the entire body and allow reaching mental clarity, focus, emotional and bodily comfort. In this workshop, participants will discover an evidence-based holistic approach looking at the thoughts, emotions and behavior. This session will bring together eastern meridian training and philosophy and western neuro-science aiming to leave participants with a fuller understanding about themselves. The program consists of physical, emotional, and cognitive exercises designed to improve: focus, creativity, memory, confidence, stress management, and physical health.

Workshop Facilitator:

• Mohammed Abu Zeinab

Social emotional learning is a critical component of the solution to multiple challenges that societies, economies and education systems around the world are facing. This workshop will explore ways in which social emotional learning supports and enables student voice and agency and plays an integral role in student well-being. Through interactive activities and discussions, it will investigate why it is expected that SEL-informed approaches will be an increasingly important component of the future of education and the future of work.

Workshop Facilitators:

• Dominic Regester
• Jigyasa Labroo

At only 15, Gitanjali Rao's goal is to create global change by starting an innovation movement of teens looking to make a difference. This movement can only be successful if it is conducted by both boys and girls. Yet, today, many girls and women are still held back by biases, social norms and expectations influencing the quality of the education they receive and the subjects they study. In this Ask me Anything session, Gitanjali will answer questions regarding STEM education and girls and share her young judicious insight on how to encourage girls to embrace STEM education.

Speaker:

• Gitanjali Rao

The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us that, despite the best laid plans, the future likes to surprise us. To prepare education systems for what may come, we have to also consider the changes that we are not expecting. In this masterclass, Tracey Burns, will discuss the megatrends shaping education. She will also explore the future of schooling as regarded in " Back to the Future of Education: Four OECD Scenarios for Schooling" . She will go over the key challenges facing our education systems, and highlight inherent tensions and paradoxes to consider when thinking and planning for the future.

Speaker:

• Tracey Burns

Project-Based Learning allows students to develop deep content knowledge as well as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication skills. In project-based learning, the project contains and frames curriculum and instruction. It becomes the vehicle for teaching the important knowledge and acquiring the skills students need to learn. In this Ask me Anything Session, Larry Rosenstock will answer all questions on project-based learning and will present what young people can do if given the opportunity to create and describe new knowledge.

Speaker:

• Larry Rosenstock

Innovation in digital learning product design has long held great potential to enhance learning outcomes for students, but to date the quality and replicability of these measurable outcomes has proven uneven. This interactive workshop introduces fundamental concepts and techniques related to designing and developing modern interactive learning products. Participants will do a quick tour of the essentials of digital product design and development, from picking the appropriate technology solution to prototyping and marketing. Participation in this immersive workshop will culminate in a paper prototype of an original digital learning solution, ready to go to the next stage of technological development.

Workshop Facilitator:

• Spencer Striker

The uptake of education innovations in public school systems is often hindered by common constraints, especially in rural communities. In this workshop organized by Dalberg Advisors, you will explore some of these constraints. You will also brainstorm and co-create possible solutions that governments can implement to improve access to innovative solutions that have proven to improve the quality of education. All this will be done through an interactive role play that will allow you to experience the process of negotiating the design and implementation of educational solutions from the point of view of various key players in the field of education.

Workshop Facilitators:

• Leonard Mungarulire
• Ana Jiménez

It has been said that today, we live in a world of volatility, of uncertainty, of complexity and ambiguity. The job market is only a reflection of this world. It is in constant evolution as the need for some jobs seizes, the need for new ones appears. Join us for an interactive workshop l to spin the "wheel of occupations" and explore some of the professions that are yet to exist, and find out how it is possible to integrate them in today's curricula and workplaces. But most importantly, don't forget your phone!

Workshop Facilitators:

• Gloria Mercedes Figueroa Ortiz
• Lillyana Uribe Trujillo

The OECD learning compass 2030 is an international learning framework that establishes an aspiration vision for the proximate future of education centered on individual and collective well-being. In this workshop, participants will be invited to discuss this framework. They will reflect and co-create actions promoting student's agency in classrooms, local communities and schools but also at the level of governments and society. This will be done through role playing and rapid prototyping allowing participants to create and share concrete actions to foster student agency from the different points of view of teachers, students, parents, government, etc.

Workshop Facilitators:

• Lucia Burtnik 
• Agustín Alejandro Batto Carol

Many countries have an excellent but outdated school and HE system. The teaching methods of the third revolution era have failed to conquer enduring problems of inequity and lack of individualized learning. In this masterclass, Anthony Sheldon argues that AI is disrupting the way we live, work and interact with the environment and that it will certainly and inevitably impact our schools and universities as well. But we still have time to shape this revolution because if we are not quick, it will start to replace what makes us human – being creative, having beliefs, and loving others.

Speaker: 

• Sir Anthony Seldon

It is becoming increasingly clear that the needs of the twenty-first century ‘learner’ demands new approaches to ‘learning’, approaches that deviate from the "one-size-fits-all" model and value creativity and character. Today, there is an urgent need to equip young people with the required skills to thrive and shape a more sustainable future. Teachers are also key actors in this process and will play an important role in developing and driving change. In this masterclass, participants will discover how design thinking can effectively address these needs and help children to graduate as HumanE Citizens – aware of the world around them.

Speaker: 

• Kiran Bir Sethi

During the pandemic, the world witnessed a considerable shift as parents single-handedly became the only early care and education givers to their children. This shift advanced the need for parents to enhance their educational and care-giving skills thus elevating early childhood education around the world. The importance of early childhood is increasingly regarded as the social equivalent to that of climate change. Public investments and innovations aiming to support early childhood education are under discussion. In this masterclass, Isabelle Hau will discuss the hopeful implications of the current shift and how to optimize it across access, quality and equity.

Speaker: 

• Isabelle Hau

Some might say, all play is serious play. In this highly interactive workshop,, the goal is to prove them right. Come and use the Lego Serious Play method to discuss ways in which social media can be integrated in education. Through this workshop, you will practice skill building, analytical thinking, problem solving and teamwork. You will use special Lego bricks to build models, bridges, vehicles, or even obstacles representing social media and education then reimagine them and design them in a way that allows you to bridge the gap between both.

Workshop Facilitators:

• Evren Tok
• Bayan Khaled
• Alina Zaman
• Duygu Sevar Mehmetoglu

As the fourth industrial revolution unfolds, 21st century skills development has become high on government agendas. As the pandemic has highlighted, however, unprecedented challenges ask for more than skills. To make critical judgments in unchartered territories, leaders need experience translating values into action; they need experience leading with character. In this workshop participants will exercise character as they navigate the unexpected. They will learn to accelerate character development in students by simulating moral and ethical ‘grey areas’. They will be confronted with the limits of their personal judgment and invited to reassess their readiness for decisions that define the century.

Workshop Facilitators: 

• Sam Ray

Imagery, like anything else, can either be healthy or harmful, addictive or nutritious. And now, more so than ever, this has become a massive issue with the huge cultural impact of social media. In this masterclass, Marine Tanguy will take you on a whistle stop tour of the visuals the human species has consumed over time. You will also reflect on what those visuals told consumers about themselves, on the accuracy, the intention, and the emotional, cognitive and behavioral impact of the messages behind them. Join us on a journey of critical thinking to claim back your visual wellbeing.

Speakers:

• Marine Tanguy

Cinema does not only equip young learners with skills to produce impactful audio-visual content, it also arms them with a voice that could resonate loud enough to make change happen concretely. The growing shift towards online education allowed knowledge to expand beyond physical borders, enabling ground-breaking collaborations and bringing informal education into conflict areas more effectively. In this masterclass, journalist, filmmaker and educator, Mariam Al-Dhubhani will share some of her field experience with the audience. She will explain how she is working hand-in-hand with local and international organizations to create opportunities for young filmmakers in countries like Yemen and Libya.

Speaker:

• Mariam Al-Dhubhani

Refugee Education is one of the many pressing issues on the global agenda today. Conflict, climate change and the economic downfalls of COVID are factors contributing to the acceleration of migrant movement. But what happens when refugees and migrants arrive to destination? How do they thrive through it all? What are the challenges that face girls in particular, especially those related to education? In this 'Ask Me Anything' session, famous football player and future doctor, Nadia Nadim, will reflect on her personal extraordinary story answering audience questions on education and resilience and the life skills she learnt as an athlete.

Speakers:

• Nadia Nadim

Education today is marked by rapid technological change and rising complexity and uncertainty. It has become crucial to equip students with problem-solving and inventive skills that will allow them to cope with this reality. This is what Invention Education aims to accomplish. Through interactive and collaborative problem solving, it teaches how inventors find and solve problems. In this session, you will learn how to use invention and innovation to engage students and help them build new identities. Drawing on examples from school and museum-based invention education programs, the session will advance a framework for inventive identity formation and expression.

Speakers:

• Arthur Daemmrich

Music has a magical soft power to unite people and transform communities, yet too many young people have minimal access to arts experiences and music education especially in disadvantaged populations. The positive outcomes of students highly engaging in arts in underserved communities are numerous. They range from higher gainful employment rates to higher educational achievements and higher social engagement. Music also provides personal benefits as it enhances students' feelings of self-achievement, and self-confidence. In this masterclass, Malek Jandali will discuss and explore how we can work together to ensure that music education and arts are accessible to all.

Speakers:

• Malek Jandali

In this session, educator, author, and activist Jose Vilson will discuss how his experience as a middle school math teacher pushed him to think about racial and social justice advocacy, first across the country, and then across the world. He will discuss concrete examples portraying how this advocacy looks like in various contexts such as schooling and climate change. He will explain how it is possible to teach children the truth about racial and social justice from a sociological perspective. Vilson will end his session with a lively and honest Q&A!

Speakers: 

• Jose Vilson

This workshop seeks to provide professionals in the field of education with tools to promote human connection using exercises of interpersonal disclosure, deep empathy, story-telling and community building. By allowing groups to discover their commonalities but also the unique features of each member, the activities provided can be applied in all types of contexts to foster a sense of curiosity, motivation and inner awareness. Come and discover the value of communication in building a common narrative, where everyone can belong and feel that their unique life experience is adding value to the larger community.

Workshop Facilitators:

• Leonardo Párraga

This interactive workshop targets Arabic teachers across the MENA region. It will discuss the teaching of Arabic at “home” (in the MENA region) and “abroad” and how the approaches, and resulting student abilities, may be similar or different. Through a series of discussions, small group, and pair work, participants will explore real student writing and speaking samples to investigate what students from different backgrounds are able to produce in Arabic and extend that to the kinds of teaching happening in classrooms. Come join us to reimagine Arabic teacher training programs and convert issues discussed into practical recommendations.

Workshop Facilitator:

• Fadi Aboughoush
• Rasha Kadry Soliman

The pandemic had severe consequences on economies in the MENA region. Lockdowns affected a large number of businesses and resulted with a fall in GDP in most countries. But this was also a trigger for the rise of new opportunities and a call for businesses to tap into the greatly overlooked digital potential. In this session, you are invited to discuss the intrinsic links between education and entrepreneurship, and how the job market in the MENA region is evolving in and post a COVID context.

Speakers:

• Nayef Al-Ibrahim (moderator) 
• Aysha Al-Mudahka
• Ricardo Karam
• Khalid Al-Khanji

Equity and wellbeing are increasingly a focus of national strategy, with the wellbeing of youth in the MENA and GCCregions ranked as an especially critical priority since children and youth make up a significant portion of the population. It is crucial to give particular attention to how health and education, particularly higher education, are connected to ultimately promote wellbeing and the role that higher education must play to foster equity, more specifically gender equity, among youth.

Speakers:

• Amal Al-Malki (moderator) 
• Hasan Al-Derham
• H.E. Marwan Awartani

Join authors of a WISE report to discuss the notion of a learning ecosystem and how it recognizes that education and learning, and the provision of support for young people more generally, is a collaborative endeavour. The authors will discuss the findings from the research that aims to better understand the potential of learning ecosystems in Qatar, by mapping the nature of partnership working among different organizations, looking at educational practices and technologies, and identifying systemic structures that incentivize or hinder innovation and collaboration.

Speakers: 

• Rosie Clayton
• Aurelio Amaral
• Atif Shafique

Recent research on educational ecosystems has demonstrated a growing trend to position “intermediary organizations” in an oversized ecosystem role. These organizations straddle the larger ecosystem and the local schoolhouse, becoming conduits of external leadership resources into schools. Join the authors to discuss how their research into mature non-system intermediary organizations and their role as an ecosystem builder can help other such organizations to gain access to the ecosystem relationships and resources that might prove important to their work and to positive impact on schools and students.

Speakers:

• Shelby Cosner

Join authors to discuss the findings of research on the overuse of digital technologies among adolescents in Qatar and its impact on their health, education, or relationships within their families. Authors will answer your questions about the preliminary findings from this study and seek feedback from you as they continue to conduct the research. This study aims to shed light on this topic and provide recommendations on how to mitigate any negative impact on education, health or family cohesion for adolescents in Qatar.

Speakers:

• Raian Ali
• Azza Abdelmoneium
• Sana Al-Harahsheh
• Ahmed Baghdady
• Maryam Alkhalaf

Although school shutdowns due to COVID-19 were difficult for all children, it was particularly bad for the most vulnerable groups including disabled children in low and low-middle income countries. Join authors from WISE and Cambridge University to discuss their research on how Covid-19 school closures impacted the education of children with disabilities of primary school children in Nepal, Ethiopia, and Qatar. The report authors will discuss recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers about what can be done to support children with disabilities in case of another crisis scenario.

Speakers:

• Asmaa Al-Fadala
• Omar Zaki

Join a discussion with authors of a WISE report on a unique and innovative Learning Partnership Approach in Rwanda that underpinned a project to undertake rapid research on school and system leadership during the pandemic. Learn how the findings of this report led to real time policy impact in Rwanda. Ask the author questions about the benefits of this partnership approach and consider how you can implement it in your context.

Speakers:

• Amy Bellinger
• Jean Pierre Mugiraneza
• Asmaa Al-Fadala
• Julia Kirby

Teachers around the world are going through difficult times and many are experiencing stress, anxiety, family issues in addition to having low income. This leads many to quit at a time when more teachers are needed worldwide. Join authors of a WISE report with Duke University to discuss how we can improve the wellbeing of teachers to tackle the retention crisis. Authors will share findings from interviews with teachers in three countries and answer questions about ways to promote teacher wellbeing in our schools.

Speakers:

• Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell
• Hy Huynh
• Ahmed Baghdady
• Maryam Al-Khalaf

Most grade 12 students around the world spend their final secondary year cramming for a multitude of high stake examinations. These examinations last a few days, and often dictate the career path students will pursue for the next 40 plus years. Yet, the content of such exams are typically very disconnected from the skills and information required in real world careers. This Spotlight discussion will look at the myriad issues - including equity, value, and purpose - surrounding high stake exams, and how the disconnect between the content and structure of these tests and the real world skills necessary for future success is setting our students up for failure.

Speaker:

• Shereen Hamadeh

Join us at the WISE Summit’s Majlis ‘Spotlight’ stage for an interactive discussion with UNICEF and Qatar’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education to learn how they are partnering to prepare educators in crisis management to address the immediate and emerging needs of schools and learners during the COVID-19 pandemic. This session will explore their partnership and innovative approach to education, child protection, and school community well-being.

Speakers:

• Sajeda Atari 
• Amani Hussein Kamel

Join us in discussion with Qatar Foundation’s Tariq Bin Ziyad school, as they take us on a journey of how they localize the curriculum and environment to empower their students and strengthen their relationship with their immediate community, which inturn prepares them to become successful global citizens eventually.

Speaker:

• Maha Rashid Al Romaihi

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digitalisation of education on multiple fronts, including the evolution and growth of digital financial services with the advent of fintech. This has created an opportunity for increased financial inclusion globally, particularly among underserved populations and youth, through tailored financial solutions. In this Spotlight discussion, QFC will discuss the advent of fintech and how targeted education and financial literacy programs can empower youth to gain better access to high quality financial services and make more informed financial decisions.

Speaker:

• Sarah Al-Dorani

Join us at the WISE Summit’s Majlis ‘Spotlight’ stage for a thought-provoking conversation with Juan Manuel Restrepo, Director of Education and Culture at Confama, Colombia. During this session Juan will discuss Confama’s highly innovative educational model, which is revolutionizing learning for communities across Colombia, including how they are reimagining approaches to merge community and culture to achieve relevant, sustainable and inclusive education.

Speaker:

• Juan Manuel Restrepo

Join us at the Spotlight stage to learn about new and innovative ways to empower youth and boost their science and problem-solving skills development. Presented by the WISE award-winning Young Scientists Center at Qatar University, this session will introduce the audience to new approaches in creating learner-centric science and research environments that ignite students' natural drive to explore, learn and grow to improve their innovative and creative skills.

Speakers:

• Shahad Al Khair
• Ruba Ali

Join us at WISE’s ‘Spotlight’ stage to hear from WISE-Award winning Barefoot College International, who is working to improve the lives of vulnerable children globally, by providing rural communities access to clean and stable energy. From providing education programs that train female solar engineers, to empowering educators with the tools and knowledge to electrify and educate their communities, BCI’s work is impacting millions of people worldwide by providing them with a gateway to sustainable educational access.

Speaker:

• Sue Stevenson

Lack of access to justice impacts billions of people and countless communities around the world. In this Spotlight Discussion, Justice Defenders, a WISE Award winning NGO who is working alongside governments and social and legal stakeholders to provide legal education to prisoners across East Africa, will talk about the global justice crisis and the work they are doing to combat it through targeted education programs aimed at empowering the most marginalized to defend their rights.

Speaker:

• Miriam Wachira

Join us around the Spotlight ‘stage’ as Dadu unveils for the first time their upcoming children’s community garden initiative. This space aims to bring community members together and create a platform for child-led activism in the areas of sustainability, care for the environment, heritage conservation, health and wellness and more.

Speakers:

• Farah Al Taweel
• Eman Abdullah

transformative journey of amplifying learner agency in a journey to foster and nurture change makers. What started from humble roots as a simple leadership group has led the school to question the invisible ceiling preventing students from being truly empowered learners and change makers. The discussion will focus on the impact of student agency and share reflections and learnings from both the school and student perspective.

Speakers: 

• Elizabeth Anne Kennedy
• Al Anoud Al Hitmi

This Spotlight will feature representatives from Qatar Academy Sidra, who will share their recent experience with developing a new role in their learning community - a Chair of Digital Learning. The session will explore the impetus behind creating this role and how the school is using it to support edtech integration into mainstream classrooms. The speakers will also discuss their ambitions for creating a more robust edtech ecosystem in the wider QF learning community and how they plan to help other schools develop similar roles and support.

Speakers:

• Hadeel El Sayed
• Victoria Basma

In this session, we shed the spotlight on the experience of three rural public schools in Medellin – Colombia, in their journey of utilizing the Internet of things in their school farms. This project explores the crosscutting applications of new technologies, in sustainability, health and conscious nutrition, and the role of farmers in contributing to sustainable communities, as well as providing students with a toolkit to redefine their understanding of food, crops and sustainable farming.

Speaker:

• Alejandro Roldan

Following its success in offering an alternative progressive schooling model for 3 to 8 year olds in Qatar, Academyati is working on an expansion project that aims to build a learning hub for youth that moves beyond traditional schooling and empowers a young generation to lead their own learning journeys, discover purpose, cultivate interests and skills, and grow within their communities. Join us to learn more about this ambitious project and engage in a discussion about the power of reimagining learning.

Speakers:

• Abderrahmane Dedeche
• Hind Al-Khulaifi

Join us in exploring the possible applications of game-based learning in the classroom, more specifically, an escape room style game. Testing conducted for this version of the game found a number of benefits, including offering a unique collaborative solution to remote teaching. Additionally, the escape room format consisting of technical questions paired with fun puzzles strikes a perfect balance between academia and amusement to help enhance student engagement. Finally, the game’s simple interface can be easily adapted to other disciplines to tailor the experience to any particular theme.

Speaker:

• Nayef Alyafei

Language gives voice and power. It is the method to share thoughts and accumulate knowledge for the future. It is no secret that Arabic language education in the region remains to be a challenge. Join us at the Majlis’s Spotlight ‘stage’ with Ibtechar as they discuss their innovative Jothoor Alarabiya program, aiming to bridge the gap between children in MENA and their language, opening doors and allowing generations to exchange experiences, culture, and values.

Speakers:

• Nayef Al-Ibrahim

Street Child United aims to place the voices of young, street-connected people at the centre of everything that they do. This session will focus on the experiences of young leaders from the SCU community, giving them a platform to discuss the education challenges they have overcome and the changes they still want to see enacted. SCU is committed to campaigning for access to education for all street-connected young people, who are often the most vulnerable but also the most resourceful.

Speakers:

• John Wroe
• Jasmin Akter
• Sadock John

Sports can be used as a tool for bringing about change and expanding access to education opportunities in disadvantaged communities. Join us as Generation Amazing take the Spotlight Stage to share their post-pandemic reflections and programs aimed at ensuring disadvantaged and refugee communities remain engaged in education and community coaching programs. The session will highlight newly developed online tools, pedagogical approaches and designing social interventions that capture the voice and needs of the communities they serve.

Speaker:

• Davies Banda