Over 150 education professionals, policy experts, and decision-makers from around the world will gather in Dubai this month at the 2022 Qudwa-PISA Global Competence Forum, which is set to take place at Expo 2020 Dubai. Those in attendance are expected to discuss the importance of global competence for living in an interconnected world, exploring its adaptation for the classroom and its wider implications for society.
The forum, which will take place on the 19th of February, will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
It is organised by the Education Affairs Office at the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Bussola Institute.
The forum will also serve as a platform for the launch of a new OECD PISA report on teaching for competence in various contexts, including engagement on global and intercultural issues.
“From emerging technologies to interdisciplinary curriculums, educators today have a wealth of data, strategies and opportunities at their fingertips,” said Mohammed Al Nuaimi, Director of Education Affairs Office at the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi. “The challenge then, is with continuously integrating these approaches so that students today have the necessary tools to not only live fulfilling lives but are also table to find solutions to the most pressing obstacles that we face as a collective, whether it is related to global public health or climate change.”
A series of renowned speakers, including several UAE officials, and Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director for Education and Skills, are expected to address forum attendees during a number of sessions throughout the day.
“The pandemic showed us just how interconnected we are as a global society – in today’s world, one country’s problem can quickly become everybody’s problem,” said Andreas Schleicher. “But the same goes for solutions: through technology, one big idea can revolutionise the way we live. So we need to support students in understanding their role not just in their local community, but also in the global community. That’s what makes education for global competence so important.”
“Educators today have tremendous resources to pull from,” said John Dennehy, Secretary General, Bussola Institute. “However, with the inundation of resources, the roadmap to creating the individuals and leaders of tomorrow is a challenge. With Qudwa, we hope to solve this issue through dialogue with experts who can draw from data and experience to show us the way forward.”
Qudwa is an important part of the UAE’s forward-thinking, multicultural educational environment, and positions the UAE as a global leader in education as it focuses on advancing global competence skills and practices in the classroom, which aligns with the goals of Abu Dhabi Government Accelerators Programme “Ghadan 21”.
Held biennially, the forum is also being supported strategically by a number of partners including the Ministry of Education, the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority of Dubai, and the Sharjah Private Education Authority.
Source: Emirates News Agency