Teachers to discuss challenges facing them at Qudwa Forum

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, and organised by the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi, Qudwa 2019 has announced key government ministers as speakers.

The Forum will host creative teacher-focused activities including Poster Exhibitions, in which teachers from the UAE present their own learning journeys in 10-minute, highly interactive sessions that connect their experiences to the themes of Qudwa. These presentations will encourage collaboration between peers and reinforce a passion for lifelong learning. Other sessions at Qudwa include Teacher Talks, in which moderated panels of teachers discuss challenges facing their profession in the UAE and methods to help tackle these issues.

With the full agenda revealed, participating government ministers including Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister for Tolerance, Hussain Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister for Education, Noura Bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister for Culture and Knowledge Development, Jameela Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Public Education, Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency and Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi will highlight the significance of adopting innovative teaching methods to enhance the future of education.

Held under the theme of "Teaching for Global Competence," the event topics are set to highlight internationally recognised best practices and teaching methods that teachers in the region can adopt in the future, with more than 70 local, regional and international speakers and leaders in the education sector participating in the Forum.

In his opening address titled Classroom Coexistence: Teaching for Tolerance, Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak will discuss how tolerance is an open-minded approach, a respectful attitude, and a curiosity about different cultures that pervades everyday life in the UAE’s multicultural society. He will also shed light on how the National Tolerance Agenda intersects with the UAE’s agenda for education, and the ability of teaching global competence to strengthen social cohesion and prepare students for an interconnected future.

The Forum will attract key international speakers in fields related to knowledge including Dr Beau Lotto, neuroscientist and founder of Lab of Misfits neuro-design studio, USA who will participate in a panel discussion with Noura Bint Mohammed Al Kaabi titled "The Power of Culture in Knowledge Development." The discussion will explore the power of cultural participation in promoting an open society and consider how schools can use technology to promote cultural creativity and innovation.

Mohamed K. Al Neaimi, Director of the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi, will kick off the Forum, highlighting the change in the UAE’s education landscape. He will provide an overview of the Education Affairs Office’s key education projects and its future plans to improve the quality of teaching, and how these projects will improve teachers’ professional development, shift the mindset of educators, and promote lifelong learning in teachers and students.

The Forum will also include Masterclasses with some of the world’s leading education pioneers, Qudwa Therapy sessions focusing on the wellbeing of teachers and facilitated by an array of experts, themed Al Majlis Networking sessions managed by teachers, and Edge of Ed, a series of rapid-fire presentations on the latest technologies and innovative practices in education.

Qudwa Forum 2019 will also host the prestigious Mohamed Bin Zayed Award for Best GCC Teacher, which honours exceptional teachers from the GCC region. Qudwa provides an opportunity to recognise teachers for their countless achievements, and both Qudwa and the Mohamed Bin Zayed Award for Best GCC Teacher celebrate the region’s teachers and position them as vital role models who support students in reaching their potential. Qudwa Forum 2019 seeks to position the UAE as a global leader in the education sector with a future-ready education system by enhancing the ability of students to thrive in a rapidly changing global environment.

Qudwa is a forum for teachers, by teachers that aims to elevate the teaching profession in the UAE. It connects teachers and education leaders to share ideas about the innovative teaching methods and classroom practices that will shape education in the 21st century.

Qudwa was established in 2016 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. An initiative of the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi, Qudwa seeks to position the UAE as a global leader in the education sector.