WISE Global Summit Puts Multi-Sectorial Collaboration at the Forefront of Education Innovation

PARIS, November 4, 2011 -

WISE 2011 offered increased evidence that education reform will progress faster, when stakeholders from multiple sectors connect, share and exchange ideas and innovations - setting the roadmap for WISE 2012

The WISE 2011 Summit which was held in Doha, Qatar, from November 1^st to 3^rd, was  formally closed today by His Excellency Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani, Chairman of WISE, following three days of collaborative engagement on the future of education.

In his closing address he said: “These 3 days have been intense and energizing. I am sure there have been many opportunities for fruitful collaborations, among people from different countries and different sectors. I look forward to hearing of the results of these partnerships at WISE 2012.”

This year’s summit, under the theme “Changing Societies, Changing Education”, explored the success factors of innovation and took inventory of prospects for the future. Over three days, the 1,300 participants of the WISE Summit exchanged a diverse range of ideas, best practices and experiences from around the world. One of the recurring conclusions was that collaboration on a multi-sector level is most beneficial. It can make a major contribution to progress in education and lead to the development of prosperous societies.

His Excellency Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani ended proceedings by announcing the plans for next year. He said: “WISE is about actions and outcomes. I am pleased that I can announce some important decisions which we intend to enact in the course of the coming year.” 

The main announcements from WISE 2011 are: 

• At a special session of the Summit focusing on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser announced that from next year, one of the 6 annual WISE Awards would specifically recognize achievements helping to advance the realization of the MDG which calls for universal primary education - MDG 2.

• Learners Voice, launched at the WISE 2010 Summit to inspire and empower young learners, will become a full year program, making youth fully recognized advocates of education progress;

• The WISE Haiti Taskforce, created at WISE 2010 to help re-build the education system in Haiti, will now become a catalyst for action, creating synergies between existing local initiatives and international best practices;

• WISE will commission a new publication, following the release of “Innovation in Education: Lessons from Pioneers around the world” by Charles Leadbeater, continuing the exploration and promotion of best practices in innovation in education on a global scale.

This Closing Session started with a panel discussion between Mr. Jimmy Wales, Founder of Wikipedia, Prof. Dr. Fasli Jalal, former Vice-Minister of National Education of Indonesia, Michele Pierre-Louis, President, Fokal Foundation; former Prime Minister of Haiti; and Sara Buhmaid from Learners’ Voice. This was followed by a speech from the first WISE Prize Laureate Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, Founder and Chairperson, BRAC, Bangladesh.

The Fourth WISE Summit will be held in Doha November 13-15, 2012.

USA: Janelle Moritz / +1-212-453-2238 / janelle.moritz at fleishman.com ; UK: Tania Chuppe / +44(0)20-7395-7078 / tania.chuppe at fleishmaneurope.com ; India: Sanghamitra Bhargov / +91(0)22-43546694 / Sanghamitra.Bhargov at fleishman.com ; South Africa: Nomathemba Thobani Malinga / +27-11-548-2004 / nomathemba.malinga at fleishman.co.za .