ABU DHABI, 6th September, 2024 (WAM) -- The inaugural meeting of the awarding committee for the 2024-2025 session of the Khalifa International Award for Early Learning convened on Thursday, focusing on expanding the knowledge base in early childhood education and care.
During the meeting, which was held via video conference, committee members outlined key areas of the work plan, with discussions centring on the two main award categories: Best Research and Studies Best Programs, Curricula, Teaching Methodologies, and Practices.
They also explored strategies to enhance the academic standing of the award at international institutions and emphasised engagement in global forums focused on early childhood education. This strategy involves providing enrichment programmes to leverage the knowledge and expertise of previous winners in this field and fostering strong connections with the educational and academic community.
The awarding committee members stated that the award successfully promoted academic research to anticipate the future of early childhood. This aligns with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Khalifa Award for Education, who called for the establishment of the Khalifa International Award for Early Learning.
The Award has significantly improved the quality of early childhood care at the local, regional, and international levels. It fosters a forward-thinking approach to nurturing and empowering children worldwide by highlighting exemplary practices that promote creativity, innovation, and leadership from an early age.
Amal Al-Afeefi, Secretary-General of the Khalifa Award for Education, emphasised that the committee reviewed strategic plans to elevate the global profile of the award. These discussions also addressed the modernisation of digital platforms to streamline the nomination process and improve efficiency. The committee examined new mechanisms for evaluating nominations to ensure the process fosters excellence and creativity in early childhood education.
The committee members discussed developing the mechanism structure for sorting and evaluating the nominated works. The aim is to streamline the process, minimise time and effort, and reinforce the message of the Khalifa International Award for Early Learning in promoting a culture of excellence in childcare worldwide and fostering a learning environment that nurtures creativity in this field.
They also discussed the contributions of the eight winners in this field and how they have shared their exceptional expertise and experiences in early childhood education.
The meeting was attended by Professor Stephen Barnett, Founding Director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University in the USA and Chairman of the Awarding Committee; Professor Iram Siraj, Professor of Child Development and Education at Oxford University in the United Kingdom; Professor Nirmala Rao from the University of Hong Kong; Professor Jana Fleming, Director of the Early Childhood Development Department at the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation; Dr. Mira Al Kaabi, Advisor to the Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority and Head of Academic Affairs at the National Academy for Childhood Development; Dr. Philip Quirky, Executive Dean of Education and General Studies at the Higher Colleges of Technology, former member of the Screening Committee; and Dr. Louay Jeroudi, Advisor to the Khalifa International Award for Early Learning.