Global Leaders Achieve Major Outcomes at First World Innovation Summit for Education - WISE

Declaration of 10 Core Education Priorities for the 21st century

DOHA, Qatar, November 18 - Please click on the following link to access the full version of the
Digital Press Release:
www.digitalnewsroom.co.uk/wise09/closing-statement/

The closing plenary session of the first World Innovation
Summit for Education - WISE has produced a number of ground-breaking outcomes
that signal the beginning of a new era in global collaboration on education.
WISE concluded with a declaration of 10 core education priorities, an
announcement of two initiatives and a renewed commitment to the three main
areas of focus for WISE in the future.

Held in Doha, Qatar and attended by 1,000 influential opinion
leaders from diverse sectors across the globe, the Summit, through its theme
of "Global Education: Working Together for Sustainable Achievements" has
created a new dynamism towards addressing the most challenging educational
issues in the 21st century.

Highlighting the importance of reaching agreement on key
educational priorities on a global scale, Dr. Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani,
Chairman of WISE and Qatar Foundation's Vice-President of Education, said
that achieving such a consensus among the international community in an
inaugural summit was a clear indication of the commitment and focus among
delegates.

Dr. Abdulla explained: "This Summit represents the beginning
of a long-term process of innovation. The approach of WISE to date has been
comprehensive and wide-ranging, however action springs from a focussed
approach. Throughout the series of plenary and breakout sessions, we have
been listening very closely to the contributions and the key concerns of the
participants with a firm commitment to move from debate to concrete outcomes.
The identification of 10 strategic priorities is a milestone as it represents
a convergence among global educational leaders on the key issues that will
affect and shape education in the 21st century."

The 10 strategic priorities declared at the Summit were:

    1. Access to 'quality' education
    2. A fully integrated approach
    3. Global citizenship
    4. Education embedded in the local community
    5. Protecting education and educators
    6. Reconciliation
    7. 'WISE pioneers' to monitor progress
    8. Innovating new ways to learn
    9. Pursuing sustainable development
    10. A future built on multi-stakeholder partnership

The identification of 10 priorities constitutes a crucial
preliminary step in a process that leads to research of innovative and
relevant solutions, adaptation and implementation of international best
practice on a sustainable basis.

In addition, two initiatives were announced that exemplify the
declaration of priorities: (i) a partnership between the Al-Shafallah Centre
for Children with Special Needs and the University of Southern California to
develop innovative, international practices and tools for children with
special needs, in particular those with autism; and (ii) the creation of 'The
Institute for Education Leadership' to offer a number of dedicated training
seminars around the world to newly-appointed educational leaders at all
levels.

These newly-formed partnerships complement the WISE Awards in
terms of devising fresh, targeted enterprises that address some of the most
pressing educational challenges faced in the 21st century.

Based on the 10 priorities which were defined during the three
days, WISE also refined how it will contribute to drive educational changes
in the future.

    - WISE will be an agenda-setting forum which will define areas
      requiring actions across all sectors of education and will seek
      involvement of appropriate partners.
    - WISE will promote innovative practices, methodologies and
      partnerships, making best use of modern technology.
    - WISE will seek to build on the momentum of the inaugural
      summit to inform public opinion and put education as a priority on the
      political, social and economic agenda.

Confirmed as an annual event, WISE, in advance of the 2010
Summit, will seek with confidence and determination to create and sustain a
pragmatic and powerful international community that will help to shape the
future of global education.

ABOUT WISE

WISE (World Innovation Summit for Education) is a global,
groundbreaking collaborative initiative established by Qatar Foundation under
the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned. WISE
seeks to monitor and contribute to 21st century challenges and their impact
on education. With 1,000 leading education stakeholders, opinion leaders and
decision-makers from 120 countries and from the spheres of education,
politics, international institutions, NGOs, grassroots movements, the private
sector, media and multimedia, culture and the arts. WISE endeavours to
propose visionary thinking on education, offer new ways of addressing current
global challenges and untapped opportunities and anticipate future education
models. The WISE Forum will take place in Doha, Qatar, from November 16th to
18th, 2009. Sponsors of the Summit are ExxonMobil, Qatar Petroleum and
Microsoft Corporation.

Full details on the WISE website: www.wise-qatar.org

ABOUT QATAR FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Founded in 1995 by decree of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin
Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, Qatar Foundation is a non-profit
organization focusing on education, scientific research and community
development. Under Qatar Foundation's umbrella are Education City, which
comprises elite universities, several academic and training programs and
Qatar Science and Technology Park, which boasts more than twenty-one
world-class companies involved in scientific research and development.

Chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned,
Qatar Foundation also aims to enhance lives through community development
initiatives including Doha Debates, Reach out To Asia and Al Jazeera
Children's Channel.

Joint venture partnerships in the areas of design, ICT,
telecommunications, policy studies and event management contribute to
fulfilling the objectives of the Qatar Foundation.

For more information, please visit: www.qf.org.qa

    For further information, please contact :
    Emilie Demange / Constance Lozet
    Tel: +33(0)1-47-42-19-54 / +33(0)1-47-42-92-78
    Email : wisepr@fleishman.com

For further information, please contact : Emilie Demange / Constance Lozet, Tel: +33(0)1-47-42-19-54 / +33(0)1-47-42-92-78, Email : wisepr at fleishman.com