Programme

World Schools Summit Programme 2024

Our programme offers a variety of engaging and interactive sessions designed to deliver valuable insights, spark meaningful discussions, and strengthen networking opportunities. Each format is carefully crafted to provide unique experiences that encourage active participation, ensuring you gain practical knowledge and make lasting connections.

23 November 2024

Time	Hour/Min	Stage	About	Speakers
08:00 - 09:00	60 min		Registration
09:00 - 11:25	2h25min	Main stage	Opening Plenary Welcome Remarks	Vikas Pota Founder & CEO, T4 Education, UK Simon O’Connor Chairman, WSS Leadership Council & Director, Deira International School, UAE
			What makes our schools great	Rashid Al Nuami Hartland International School, UAE Orlagh Traynor Student, The British School Al Khubairat, UAE
			Keynote address	Andreas Schleicher Director of Education, OECD, France
			Presentation of the certificate of honour	Alex Crossman Headmaster, London Academy of Excellence, UK
			Commitments to action
			Leading fron the front, a conversation with H.E. Aisha Miran	Simon O’Connor Chairman, WSS Leadership Council & Director, Deira International School, UAE Mariam Alawadhi Deputy Head Girl, Deira International School, UAE HE Aisha Miran Director General, KHDA, UAE
			A call to action	Charles Odong Headmaster, Wakadogo School, Uganda
11:25 - 11:45	20min	Break

Breakout Sessions: 1

Time	Hour/Min	Stage	About	Speakers
11:45 - 12:35	50min
		Yellow stage	Masterclass: Unlocking the hidden curriculum - learn about the latest strategies for measuring and improving your school culture.	Mike Fisher COO & Head of Insights, T4 Education, UK Laura Gibson Senior Partnerships Manager, T4 Education, UK
		Purple stage	Debate: This house believes universities perpetuate a world that no longer exists	*Moderator:* Mayank Dhingra Senior Education Business Leader, HP, UAE *For the motion:* Pratham Mittal Founder, Masters’ Union, India H.E. Rossieli Soares da Silva Minister of Education, State of Pará, Brazil *Against the motion:* Mosharraf Zaidi Founding Partner, Tabadlab, Pakistan Asma Siddiki Exec Director of Education and Research, Diriyah Gate Development Authority, Saudi Arabia
		Red stage	Scholastic EdTalk: How we are implementing Malaysia’s first digital school Working with businesses won us the World’s Best School Prize	Shahnaz Al Sadat Chairperson, LeapEd Services Sdn Bhd, Malaysia Luis Arocha Principal, Colegio Maria de Guadalupe, Argentina
		Red stage
		Green stage	Meet the Mentor: Do we measure what really matters?	*Interviewer:* Asheesh Advani CEO, JA Worldwide, USA *Mentor:* Andreas Schleicher Director of Education, OECD, France
		Main stage	Panel Discussion: The future of Arabic education	*Moderator:* Farah Sarraj Chief Corporate Officer, Al Futtaim School Management Company, UAE *Panelists:* Nabila Bashir Director of Business Development at Queen Rania Teacher Academy, Jordan Dr. Moustafa Moharrem Senior Educational Inspector and Quality Assurance Evaluator at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, UAE Eyad Darawsheh General Manager of Miqyas Al Dhad, UAE
		Pink stage	Workshop: Best School to Work: building leadership initiatives in schools	*Facilitator:* Vijita Patel Principal, Swiss Cottage School, UK
12:35 - 13:35	60min	Lunch

Breakout Sessions: 2

Time	Hour/Min	Stage	About	Speakers
13:35 - 14:25	50min
		Purple stage	Debate: This house believes that schools should prioritise students' mental well-being over standardised test scores	*Moderator:* Lizzie Hacking Strategic Relations Lead, Yondr, UK *For the motion:* Maggie MacDonnell Global Teacher Prize winner, Canada Asad Raza Student, Deira International School, UAE *Against the motion:* Alex Crossman Headmaster, London Academy of Excellence, UK Kuzey Karci Student, Deira International School, UAE
		Red stage	Scholastic EdTalks: School is just the start. Here's how to help girls succeed in life Championing girls' education: Insights and strategies for success	Aneel Advani Assessing excellence - comparisons between health and education Professor of Health Policy & Management, John Hopkins University Nankunda Hope Central Region Coordinator, Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage, Uganda
		Green stage	Meet the Mentor: Reimagining education: experiences of Aldar Education	*Interviewer:* Duriya Aziz Senior Vice President, Scholastic Inc, Singapore *Mentor:* Sahar Cooper Aldar Education, UAE
		Blue stage	Panel Discussion:The future of the international school workforce	*Moderator:* Danielle West CEO, Inicio Partners, UK *Panelists:* Ryan Pinto CEO, Ryan Schools, India Poonam Bhojani CEO, Innoventures, UAE Mark Leppard Headmaster, The British School Al Khubairat, UAE
		Pink stage	Workshop: Promoting teacher growth through coaching: Explore practical strategies to strengthen school leaders' support for teachers through lesson observation	*Facilitators:* Tamara Philip Director of Networks and Programs, UK Adhishree Parasnis Communications Director, Global School Leaders, India
		Yellow stage	AI Masterclass: Transforming leading and learning with AI	Alex Gray Founder, DEEP Learning, UAE
14:25 - 14:35	10min	Break

Breakout Sessions: 3

Time	Hour/Min	Stage	About	Speakers
14:35 - 15:25	50min
		Yellow stage	Masterclass: Getting a 360-degree view of your school’s culture. Learn about Best School to Work.	Mike Fisher COO & Head of Insights, T4 Education, UK Laura Gibson Senior Partnerships Manager, T4 Education, UK
		Purple stage	Debate: This House believes existing curricula are not fit for purpose	*Moderator:* Kavita Sanghvi Principal, CNM School, India *For the motion:* Nik Kafka CEO, Teach A Man to Fish, UK Parvathy Nair Student, Hartland International School, UAE *Against the motion:* Paul West CEO, Spencer Academies Trust, UK David Edwards Director General, Education Research & Innovation, Neom, Saudi Arabia
		Red stage	Scholastic EdTalks: Preparing students to thrive and embrace an uncertain future	Jared Molko Founder and CEO, Yenza, South Africa
		Red stage	How integrating agriculture in K-12 education can transform school performance and grow a healthier future	Stephen Ritz Founder, Green Bronx Machine, USA
		Green stage	Meet the Mentor: What is the one skill that young people need to be ready for the future of jobs?	*Interviewer:* Ajay Shukla General Manager, IIT Delhi, UAE *Mentor:* Asheesh Advani CEO, JA Worldwide & Author of Modern Achievement, USA
		Blue stage	Panel Discussion: Placing the well-being agenda front & centre	*Moderator:* Nadim Saad Founder & CEO, The Happy Confident Company, UK *Panelists:* Funke Baffour-Awuah Corporate Head of Wellbeing, GEMS Education, UAE Sandra Ospina Head of School, SEK International School, Saudi Arabia William Campbell Founding Head of School, Franklin School, USA
		Pink Stage	Workshop: Fostering a culture of school-based research: Empowering educators for evidence-informed practice - Centre for Education Action Research	Simon O'Connor Chairman, WSS Leadership Council & Director, Deira International School, UAE Emma Hannon Secondary Deputy Headteacher, Deira International School, UAE
15:25 - 16:25	60min	Main stage	Closing plenary: Panel discussion: How do we unlock the hidden curriculum	Mike Fisher Chief Operating Officer, T4 Education, UK Mark Leppard Headmaster, The British School Al Khubairat, UAE Kiran Bir Sethi Design for Change & The Riverside School, India
			Commitments to action
			Summary and recap of first day	Vikas Pota Founder & CEO, T4 Education, UK

24 November 2024

Time	Hour/Min	Session	Topic	Speakers
08:00 - 08:45	45min	Main stage	Registration
08:45 - 09:00	15min		Reflections from School Leaders
09:00 - 09:20	20min		Opening plenary: Recap of day 1	Vikas Pota CEO T4 Education, UK Kate Green Director of Primary Education, Spencer Academies Trust, UK
09:20 - 10:00	40min		The world of work - how do we prepare young people for the future?	*Moderator:* Vikas Pota CEO T4 Education, UK Mayank Dhingra Senior Education Business Leader, HP, UAE Ayla Bajwa Senior Vice President, Sustainability, DP World, UAE
10:00 - 10:10	10min	Break

Breakout Sessions: 4

Time	Hour/Min	Stage	About	Speakers
10:10 - 11:00	50min
		Purple stage	Debate: This house believes taxpayers will demand AI replace teachers	*Moderator:* Ana Ligia Scachetti CEO, Nova Escola, Brazil *For the motion:* Athar Osama Founder/CEO INNOVentures Global & World Science Collaborative, Pakistan Dr. Jesús Jara New K-12 Global Practice Leader, Prometric, USA *Against the motion:* Nkazimulo Zitha Head of Primary Schools, Spark Schools, South Africa William Campbell Founding Head of School, Franklin School USA
		Red stage	Scholastic EdTalks: Use of assessments for improving learning	Pranav Kothari Education Initiatives, India
		Red stage	How to ensure the right to a quality meaningful education. Experiences from a nationwide movement in Pakistan	Baela Jamil CEO, Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi, Pakistan
		Green stage	Meet the Mentor: How do we activate student agency?	*Interviewer:* Leisa Grace Wilson Editorial Director of Teach Middle East *Mentor:* Kiran Bir Sethi Design for Change & The Riverside School, India
		Blue stage	Panel Discussion: Redesigning Schools for Real-World Learning: Bridging the Gap Between the World of Work and the Classroom	*Moderator:* Saurabh Saxena CEO, Power Club, USA *Panelists:* Olli-Pekka Heinonen Director General, International Baccalaureate Organization (IB), Finland Glen Radojkovich Director of Education, Taaleem, UAE Jan Stipek Principal, Regent International School, UAE Sangita Chima Principal, Amity School, UAE
		Pink stage	Workshop: Best School to Work: How we engender collaboration in our schools	Carmen Pellicer Founder and CEO, Fundación Trilema, Spain
		Yellow stage	AI Masterclass: Creative teaching and learning - discover how AI can transform a classroom. This workshop will show you how AI can be integrated into teaching practice	Alex Gray Founder, DEEP Learning, UAE
11:00 - 11:30	30min	Break

Breakout Sessions: 5

Time	Hour/Min	Stage	About	Speakers
11:30 - 12:20	50min
		Red stage	Masterclass: Unlocking the hidden curriculum - a report card on your school’s health. Hear about how Best School to Work drives higher performance.	Mike Fisher COO & Head of Insights, T4 Education, UK Laura Gibson Senior Partnerships Manager, T4 Education, UK
		Purple stage	Meet the Mentor: What can we learn from Chinese schools?	*Interviewer:* Leticia Lyle Principal, Camino School, Brazil *Mentor:* Shiny Wang Vice Principal, Beijing No.4 High School International Campus, China
		Green stage	Meet the Mentor: Pursuing the innovation agenda in Brazil’s schools	*Interviewer:* Vikas Pota Founder & CEO, T4 Education, UK *Mentor:* H.E. Rossieli Soares da Silva Minister of Education, State of Pará, Brazil
		Blue stage	Panel Discussion: How to build ecosystems for education reform	*Moderator:* Yamama Al Oraibi Youth & Employability Expert, UAE *Panelists:* Olli-Pekka Heinonen Director General, International Baccalaureate, Finland Naghma Mulla CEO, Edelgive Foundation, India Simon Sommer Co-CEO, Jacobs Foundation, Switzerland
		Pink stage	Workshop: How to Teach Entrepreneurship to an 11-year-old	*Facilitators:* Tania Daniel Vice President of Entrepreneurship Initiatives, Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas, USA Jeff Hittner Founder, Ambitious Dads Project, USA
		Yellow stage	AI Masterclass: A student’s perspective	Alex Gray Founder, DEEP Learning, UAE
12:20 - 13:15	60min	Lunch

Breakout Sessions: 6

Time	Hour/Min	Stage	About	Speakers
13:15 - 14:05	50min
		Red stage	Scholastic EdTalks: Five lessons from the latest research on learning science	Simon Sommer Co-CEO, Jacobs Foundation, Switzerland
		Red stage	Gratitude as pedagogy	Abhilasha Singh Principal, Shining Star International School, UAE
		Green stage	Meet the Mentor: From a teacher to CEO: Insights on leadership in education	*Moderator:* Vikas Pota Founder & CEO, T4 Education, UK *Mentor:* Alan Williamson CEO, Taaleem, UAE
		Blue stage	Panel Discussion Building bridges and breaking barriers - supporting women's rise to the top	*Moderator:* Fiona Cottam Principal, Hartland International School, UAE *Panelists:* Sandra Ospina Head of School, SEK International School, Saudi Arabia Anne-Laure Malauzat Partner, Bain & Co, UAE Viktoriia Osadcha President, Unbreakable Ukraine Foundation, Poland
		Purple stage	Panel Discussion: The power of EdTech - how far can it take us in our schools?	*Moderator:* Christopher Matthews Principal, Global Strategy & Business Development, AWS, UK *Panelists:* Paul Skidmore Executive Chairman, Rising Academy, Ghana Dr. Jesús Jara New K-12 Global Practice Leader, Prometric, USA Ashwin Assomull Partner, LEK Consulting Global Education Practice, UAE
		Pink stage	Workshop: Best School to Work: Promoting professional wellness in school	*Facilitator:* Vijita Patel Principal, Swiss Cottage School, UK
		Yellow stage	Workshop: Markable to REmarkable: Workshop by Students of The Riverside School	Shruti Narayanan Head of Product and Design, Riverside Learning Center, India Sharvaree Ballal 9th-grade student, The Riverside School, India Priti Patel Head of Program and Master Trainer, Riverside Learning Center, India Palash Devra 10th-grade student, The Riverside School, India Aangi Shah 9th-grade student, The Riverside School, India
14:15 - 16:20	2 h and 05 min	Main stage	Closing Plenary: Learning from the best: Meet winners and finalists of the World’s Best School Prizes	*Moderator:* Maggie MacDonnell Global Teacher Prize winner, Canada
			A presentation on leadership	Olli-Pekka Heinonen Director general, IB, Finland
			In conversation with Omar A. Al Futtaim	Omar A. Al Futtaim Vice chairman & CEO, Al-Futtaim Group, UAE
			Conference final session & vote of thanks	Vikas Pota Founder & CEO, T4 Education, UK
			Closing performance	Students of Al Futtaim Education Foundation
Summit Closure

About all the sessions

Inspire & Engage:

Our plenary sessions are designed to inspire and engage with dynamic discussions on the most critical topics in Education.

Engage & Challenge:

Join us for sessions where thought-provoking ideas and diverse perspectives come together! Engage in dynamic debates on pressing topics, from Wellbeing to AI in Education. Hear from experts on both sides of the issues and leave inspired and enlightened.

One-on-One Insights:

Learn from experienced mentors driving real progress in education. Engage in focused conversations and moderated discussions, gaining practical insights on key educational topics.

Global Perspectives:

Join expert panels as they tackle major global education issues, offering perspectives that shape high-performance education.

Hands-On Learning:

Immerse yourself in interactive learning experiences tailored to enhance your skills and knowledge. Led by experienced facilitators, these workshops offer practical insights, group discussions, and hands-on activities for every level.

Focused, High-Impact Sessions:

Join expert-led talks centred on this year’s main theme. Each session provides practical insights from experienced leaders across the globe, followed by a Q&A to deepen your understanding.

Master AI:

Unlock the secrets of AI with our specialised masterclasses. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned professional, these sessions offer hands-on learning, practical examples, and cutting-edge knowledge to advance your AI journey. Don't forget to bring your computer devices!

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