‘Wise’ decision by QP, ExxonMobil

Qatar Petroleum (QP) and ExxonMobil will be the corporate partners of the World Innovation Summit for Education (Wise) for the fourth year in succession, Qatar Foundation announced yesterday at an event in Education City. Welcoming the partnership, ‘Wise’ chairman Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani said: “Wise is based on a conviction that education is both a collective need and an individual right. If we are to overcome the global issues of our times we must mobilise all the talents at our disposal. At the same time, those individuals who have not benefited from education risk becoming increasingly marginalised in our societies.” Sheikh Abdulla also indicated that the Supreme Education Council would have a strong presence at the summit and effective communication with it would be maintained for potential application of the outcomes. The summit would focus on the diversity of participants to represent all quality trends and ideas in education. All Arab ministers of education and higher education have been invited to take part alongside those who have prominent role in education. “I am very pleased that two of the main players in our country’s current hydrocarbons-based economy – Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil – share our understanding of the urgency of this task and have reaffirmed their association with Wise as corporate partners. I am grateful to them for their continuing support,” Sheikh Abulla said. Wise was established in 2009 on the initiative of HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser as an international forum for decision-makers and practitioners from all sectors to discuss the challenges facing education. It is now the premier global event dedicated to innovation in education, as well as a series of programmes which are implementing ideas that have been generated at the annual summit in many localities and at all levels of education. “The strong support of QP for an educational initiative like Wise is part of its social responsibility commitment,” said QP director  of administration Ahmad Ali al-Mawlawi. “Education plays a highly critical role in the development of any nation and Wise, with its global scope and noble objectives, is instrumental in ensuring that effective education strategies are being continuously developed and applied so that we can meet future challenges. “Our thanks go to HH Sheikha Moza for her vision in initiating Wise and for her continued guidance in advancing the initiative so that it can succeed in building the future of education worldwide.” Wise 2012 will take place on November13-15  at the Qatar National Convention Centre under the general theme ‘Collaborating for Change’ with participants exploring ways to combine diverse skills and experiences to address the educational needs of individuals and communities around the world. “Throughout our history, ExxonMobil has been committed to investing in education, because we believe it is essential to economic and social progress around the world,” said ExxonMobil Qatar Inc president and general manager Bart Cahir.  “It is an honour to stand with Qatar Foundation and QP – two organisations that also place a significant emphasis on the importance of education – as we bring the fourth edition of Wise to a growing group of leaders who will become the driving force of efforts to inspire innovation in education,” he stressed. The three-day Summit, consisting of more than 70 sessions, is a unique opportunity for participants to learn about leading educational practices and theories, and to network.  Among the highlights will be the announcement at the opening plenary session on November 13 of the second Laureate of the Wise Prize for Education, the only global recognition of an outstanding contribution to education. The winning projects of the 2012 WISE Awards – six exceptionally innovative educational initiatives which are transforming societies - will be celebrated at a gala dinner under the patronage of HH Sheikha Moza. Speaking at the United Nations in New York at the launch of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s ‘Education First’ Initiative on September 26, HH Sheikha Moza had said that on the second day of the Doha summit, she would launch a significant new education initiative that will be “a practical and powerful step towards getting 61mn children into school”.