Education Affairs Office of Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi

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 , the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Prince Court today announced that the second edition of Qudwa, the global teachers’ forum, will take place on 7th and 8th October 2017, at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.

Drawing the participation of more than 800 inspirational educators from over 65 countries around the world, the 2017 edition of Qudwa, which means ‘role model’ in Arabic, will tackle the challenges facing the education sector today and celebrate the vital role that teachers play in preparing students for the future.

In collaboration with local partners like the Ministry of Education, the Abu Dhabi Education Council, Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, ACTVET, and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, KHDA, as well as global partners like the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, the Varkey Foundation and Teach For All, a global non-profit organisation engaged in the education field, Qudwa aims to equip teachers with new tools, experiences and shared knowledge.

This year’s theme, 'Teaching for Tomorrow', will focus on the educational trends that are being shaped by the global digital economy. With educators taking centre stage at the forum, Qudwa 2017 recognises the value of empowering teachers as leaders in their societies, tasked with guiding and inspiring young minds to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.

Technology in the classroom and creative approaches to teaching in a digital age are some of the core themes that will be addressed during the two-day forum that brings some of the biggest names in the education sphere to the UAE.

Julia Gillard, former Prime Minister of Australia and current chair of the Global Partnership for Education, a multi-stakeholder partnership and funding platform that aims to strengthen education systems in developing countries in order to dramatically increase the number of children who are in school and learning, will be one of the speakers on 8th October.

In his comments ahead of the forum, Muhamed Khalifa Al Nuaimi, Director of Education Affairs Office at the Crown Prince's Court of Abu Dhabi, said, "Qudwa 2017 articulates the keenness of the UAE and our President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to ensure a quality education for all. It also highlights the effort and commitment of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in establishing a world-class education system that meets the bold national objectives of the UAE Vision 2021 and Plan Abu Dhabi 2030."

A priority of these strategic plans is to transform education in the UAE by preparing a generation of teachers that intuitively understand how their profession is changing and make the required efforts to adapt to the changing educational needs.

Acknowledging the UAE’s long-standing priority to education as a core aspect of national development, Al Nuaimi added, "Qudwa 2017 is a global forum that will seek out new ideas and new approaches while remaining true to traditional values. We believe this is an ideal platform to bring together teachers from all corners of the world, to discuss best practices and shared experiences to enable future generations to maximise their potential and ensure a positive impact in their communities."

As the UAE joins the world in commemorating International Literacy Day on Friday, 8th September, the country continues to make significant strides in enhancing global literacy. Qudwa 2017 reinforces the UAE’s commitment to addressing the key educational challenges of the 21st century.

One of Qudwa’s core priorities is to underscore the intrinsic link between the socio-economic development of a country, and a strong educational system. Experts at the forum will also address the role that ethics and values play in this equation.

This year’s programme is organised along three core tracks: Ask, Share, and Advance. Designed to take participants on an educational journey, each of these streams is a critical component of a larger conversation on the future of education, and more specifically, 'Teaching for Tomorrow'.

To generate ideas and find solutions for the challenges that lie ahead, participants will aim to identify the questions that preoccupy teachers today. Some of these include - 'what are the anxieties teachers shy away from?', and 'what are the breakthrough ideas that need some prodding and probing to make their way to the surface?', among others.

The Ask track will feature plenary sessions hosting inspirational figures who have put forward new and disruptive approaches as alternatives to traditional classroom learning.

Participants will also have an opportunity to discuss top-of-the-mind questions on the future of education, in interactive panel and Q&A style mentor sessions that encourage open and spirited dialogue. Throughout the forum, questions that emerge from different sessions will be captured on a 'digital wall', thus encouraging participants to continue these conversations on social media.

Knowledge-sharing is an effective method to help teachers grow, gain inspiration, and develop new methods of teaching. By sharing the techniques and insights that teachers use in their classrooms, educators are empowered to help them implement new ideas and solutions for the benefit of their students. Through sharing knowledge and best practices and experiences, teachers can inspire one another, and build a sense of common purpose and community.

Sessions themed 'Inspirational Stories', will provide participants with invaluable guidelines from renowned educators. This track will also feature Coffeehouse Sessions, offering teachers a chance to shape the real-time agenda of Qudwa through selecting topics of greatest relevance and interest. Teachers can vote on topics via the Qudwa mobile application. Furthermore, this track will convene tailored networking sessions entitled 'Building Bridges', enabling individuals with common interests to connect with one another.

The Advance Track aims to enable teachers to continue exploring new ways of improving their teaching methods to better empower their students. Teachers can interact with, and learn from, some of the brightest minds in the field and reinforce the culture of values in the classroom. Expert Masterclass sessions led by researchers and educators will feature interactive discussions on how the education landscape is changing, and how teachers must adapt effectively to stay relevant and impact the knowledge economy of the future. In addition, this track will include a Teacher Lab session, comprising workshops focused on disruptive innovations in the education space.