The Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), the independent corporate body tasked to develop education and educational institutions in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, has today (Sunday, April 20, 2008) opened the First International School Leadership Conference at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Held under the main theme “Achieving Excellence in School Leadership Practices”, the pioneering conference gathered more than 700 principals from Abu Dhabi and school leaders from other emirates to learn about school leadership trends, issues and best practices from international experts from seven countries led by Professor John Edward Sexton, President of New York University (NYU), the Benjamin Butler Professor of Law and the Dean Emeritus of the NYU Law School; and Dr. Ken Boston, Chief Executive of the UK Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.
Mubarak Al-Shamesi, Director General, ADEC, said: “Attendees were highly impressed with the wealth of information and insights provided by our key speakers, and left very motivated to implement key changes in their respective institutions. The positive response we have received paves the way for better and more comprehensive annual discussions within this conference; we are in fact, already considering various topics for next year’s edition, based on valuable inputs from this year’s attendees.”
The conference featured thematic sessions which explored certification systems and standards; global leadership trends; collaborative strategies; professional development; and special needs student development. Australia’s Dr. Martyn Newman discussed the link between emotional intelligence and personal and professional excellence; The UK’s David Crossley and Margaret Wilson explained the “Raising Achievement, Transforming Learning” program for Specialist Schools in their country; while Dr. Michal Grivna of the Czech Republic expounded on school safety.
Other session highlights included Dr. Kay Gallagher of Ireland’s discourse on using Action Research tools for improving school administration; Canadian Tracey Devereaux’s sharing of his expertise in identifying and diagnosing educational impediments; Dr. Norma Ghamrawi of Lebanon’s perspectives on the integration of professional development into the professional life of educator’s; and American Erin Uritus’ explanation of the broadening roles of principals in educational reforms.
All discussions during the event were conducted in Arabic and English to ensure maximum audience participation; speeches and sessions were delivered and understood clearly through the high-end presentation equipment obtained by ADEC especially for the conference. Several dignitaries and distinguished international guests were on hand to lend full support for the conference; private schools and members of academe from other emirates also attended the event and took advantage of the opportunity to interact with school principals and professionals.
“ADEC and Abu Dhabi as a whole have initiated various programs to enhance the quality of education at the local level. We hope that our productive endeavors can help other emirates achieve similar success and also be used as a reference for the international educational community in our shared goal of enhancing the abilities of school professionals,” concluded Al-Shamesi.
