Swiss student delegation visits The World Innovation Summit for Education

The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), recently welcomed a delegation of Swiss students to Education City. During the visit, the students learned more about the international, multi-sectoral initiative, which acts as a global incubator for creative action, debate, and collaboration.

The delegation, who represented the School of Management and Law at Zhaw Zurich University of Applied Sciences, visited Doha to learn about Qatar’s education system and economy, as well as to discover more about Arab culture. The comprehensive briefing discussed various aspects of the WISE programme, which was founded in 2009 and supports QF’s endeavour to unlock human potential in order to foster a progressive society.

Welcoming the students and thanking them for their visit, Elyas Felfoul, Head of Administration at WISE, described the origins of the organisation, noting that the initiative had grown steadily since its establishment under the guidance of its Chairperson, Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. He mentioned that Her Highness has long been a passionate advocate of education, believing it to be a source of empowerment, holding the key to the success of individuals and communities everywhere.

Mr Felfoul remarked that the initiative was “A leading voice not only in raising awareness about the crucial educational issues of the day, but also in challenging the global community to take action and make a difference.” He added, “WISE acts as both a platform for debate on the most pressing challenges we face, and is a growing source of information for a diverse group of global stakeholders. We see WISE as a dynamic initiative committed to ‘thinking and doing’.”

Members of the WISE team gave further details of various key WISE programmes and initiatives including the Learners’ Voice, the WISE Prize for Education, the WISE Awards, and the new WISE Research Series.  The latest WISE research, currently under procurement, follows a series of reports released at WISE 2015, produced in collaboration with key authorities and institutions. The documents focus on fundamental topics, including early childhood development, entrepreneurship education, supporting innovation and leadership in public education systems, reform in the Arab Gulf region, and best teacher practice.  

The briefing was followed by a lively question and answer session. The WISE team and visitors exchanged ideas and thoughts about how they might become involved and collaborate with the WISE community.