The future of education throughout the Gulf will be in the spotlight at a key forum, which is due to open tomorrow (January 22, 2008).

UAE Education Minister Dr Hanif Hassan Ali will open the Gulf Education Forum and deliver a keynote address outlining the perspectives and challenges facing K-12 education in the UAE, the organisers said in a statement.

Gulf Education Forum, to be held from January 22-24, 2008, will also be addressed by leading education experts from seven countries. The high-powered speaker panel includes: Professor Gerhard Preiss, Neurodidactics pioneer and Mike Lloyd, Education Marketing Manager of Microsoft UK among others.

“The entire educational spectrum will come under the spotlight at this inaugural forum which will provide education professionals from throughout the region with insights into leading-edge breakthroughs in teaching techniques, technology and methodologies,” said Virginia Kern, chairman of Fairs & Exhibitions (F&E), the organisers of GEF.

Gulf Education Forum takes place alongside the Gulf Education Supplies Show (GESS), the region’s premier educational supplies and solutions event and will examine key issues impacting the broad industry landscape, from how schools can become the centre of communities, to trends and perspectives in early childhood education, from new dimensions in classroom technology to the hidden dimension in educational reform.

Case studies on global successes and failures will back up the addresses as experts highlight how the Gulf can learn from experiences elsewhere.

Exhibitors from 22 countries spanning the USA, Europe, the Levant, North Africa, the Indian Sub-continent and Far East are taking part in GESS, which is a B2B exhibition unique in the Middle East.

GESS is being held with the official support of the UAE Ministry of Education, the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) and UK Trade and Investment Support, World Didac and the DDV – The German Educational Supplies Association assisted by AUMA – the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry.

“These twin events have received strong regional support because of the timeliness of the initiatives coming as they do at the start of the largest investment period in regional educational development,” explained James Graham, Commercial Director, F&E.

Gulf Education Forum will also be attended by high ranking educational professionals from throughout the Middle East as the region moves to provide a next generation educational infrastructure. – TradeArabia News Service