DOHA: WISE 2010 Innovative Education Practice Award laureates were hounoured by
H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development at a gala dinner, yesterday.
Six laureates from different parts of the world were given the award for their innovative educational projects under the theme of "Transforming Education: Investment, Innovation and Inclusion."
Mushtaq Shabra, Board Chairman of Citizens Corporation, Pakistan, Cecilia d' Oliveira, Executive Director of the Centre for Owen OpenCourseWare at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US, Ayla Goksel, CEO of Asef, Turkey, Nemeka Aichegono, Executive Director of the Foundation Smallholders, Nigeria, Neil Turok, Board Chairman of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, South Africa and Tove Romsaas Wang, Save the Children, UK, were chosen for their outstanding projects.
Designed to reward, showcase and support outstanding and innovative educational projects from across the world and from all educational sectors, the WISE Awards 2010 panel examined over 400 applications from 89 countries and chose 30 finalists. The International Jury selected six winners from these finalists.
"The awards offer strong evidence of true innovation taking place on the ground in a variety of locations throughout the world. This is precisely the spirit WISE encourages: creating a worldwide network and encouraging collaboration," said Sheikh Dr Abdulla bin Ali Al Thani, Chairman of WISE and Qatar Foundation's Vice President of Education.
Earlier the WISE summit explored innovative funding options as a solution to economic recovery in education system.
The experts discussed funding challenges faced by the education system. They examined how best to address and overcome these difficulties.
As a sub theme of WISE 2010, 'Funding Education' with the impact of the international downturn generating widespread concern, high profile stakeholders expressed their views and shared experiences. Irina Bokova, Director-General, UNESCO said: "Education is the way to invest out of the economic crisis."
"The way ahead will entail a shift in focus... Innovative financing clearly has a role to play in this shift," said Steen Jorgenson, World Bank Sector Director.
© The Peninsula 2010
