Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) today announced that Building Future Education MENA Exhibition & Conference (BFE MENA) and BETT Middle East Exhibition and Conference are being co-located and held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from 21-22 November 2010. The event will be held under the patronage H.H General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and are fully endorsed by ADEC. The conference and exhibition focuse on facilities, management, reform, investment and operation of educational institutions, which covers all ages and education sectors from nurseries and kindergartens, schools, higher education, research institutions, training centers, to special education facilities. This year’s event will include a two-day series of panels themed around ‘Modernizing Education to Create Tomorrow’s Workforce.’

BFE MENA is organized by Abu Dhabi Education Council for the 2nd year running. Last year’s event was opened by H.H Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the Crown Prince’s Court. Last year’s event was marked by strong presence from MENA countries such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Libya, Syria and Egypt.

ADEC also made sure to invite to the event BETT Middle East 2010 given that it is an established global education technology show, and the Middle East iteration will bring the best of the London experience to the Middle East. The exhibition will provide regional educators opportunity to try new products and to experiment with new technologies that can advance teaching and education in their respective countries.

Director General of ADEC H.E. Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al-Khaili highlighted the importance of these events in making Abu Dhabi a center for educational development in the world.

“The Building Future Education Conference provides a unique opportunity for education experts, governments, businesses, investors, schools and universities, international institutions and developers from throughout the region to focus on updating their skills and to engage in valuable knowledge exchange in the education sector,” he said.

Hamad Al Dhaheri, Facilities & Infrastructure Division Manager of ADEC said “Providing a learning environment through the development of state-of-the-art educational facilities is essential for the success of our education system. We are delighted to be hosting BSEC for a second year and look forward to welcoming visitors and exhibitors to Abu Dhabi. Providing students with world class learning environments is a key element of ADEC’s 10 Year Strategic Plan.”

Andrew Pert, Regional Director of UBM MENA said: “With a number of large-scale and exciting developments occurring in the education sector throughout the region, it is particularly important to bring the education community together to discuss and support the implementation of best practice in education provision. With a number of international guests expected to attend, this will also be an invaluable networking opportunity to develop and explore partnership opportunities.”

Paul Dunne, Managing Director of BETT, said: “By bringing the BETT experience to the Middle East, exhibitors and visitors will benefit from the proven successful format of BETT in the heart of this fast-changing region. Working with the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) we are looking forward to bringing leading educational technology and solutions to the Middle East.”

The conference program, alongside the exhibition, will include workshops such as the keynote panel on “Building Future Education.” Additional panels and guest lectures will include: Effective Transformation of Education Systems; Lessons from Private Education; and Creating World-Class Research Facilities. Breakout workshops providing opportunities for more in-depth focus on facilities, special needs, curriculum, quality assurance and school improvement, and sustainability are also scheduled throughout the conference.

The conference is expected to draw extensive representation from education authorities and institutions from throughout the Middle East and North Africa region. Visiting international speakers will include Sheikh Hisham Al Khalifa, Undersecretary for Resources and Services, Ministry of Education of the Kingdom of Bahrain; Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al-Hinai, Consultant for International Education Cooperation, Ministry of Education in the Sultanate of Oman; Geoff Hancock, Director of Education Reform at the Economic Development Board in Bahrain; and Diana Davies, Vice-Provost for International Initiatives from Princeton University, to name a few.

Alongside the many colourful and highly interactive displays on the BETT Middle East exhibition floor, visitors will gain from numerous conference sessions and briefings in our purpose-built Discussion Zone. Sessions include World Class Learning in the Middle East: teachers, technologies and policy; Educating the Educators: the Professional Development of World Class teachers: focus on ICT; Narrowing the Digital Divide: the role of education; and Preserving the Region’s Cultural Heritage in a Connected World. Featuring speakers are as Prof. Ralph Tabberer, Chief of Schools, and COO MENASA; GEMS Education Haif Bannayan, CEO, Jordan Education Initiative; and Richard Noble OBE, BLOODHOUND Project Director to name a few.
 

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