British Council Schools Now! 8th Annual Conference attracts delegates from over 40 countries

Educators and professionals gathered to discuss the latest innovations in international education

 

On 1 and 2 March 2023, the British Council held its 8th Annual Schools Now! Conference in Dubai, which brought together education leaders and professionals from British Council Partner Schools across the world. The particpants gathered to discuss the latest innovations in education around the world.

"Transforming Schools: Leadership at All Levels" was the theme of Schools Now! 2023 Conference, which featured keynote presentations, workshops, and panel discussions on effective leadership across school communities.

In this session, delegates learned about the importance of developing student leaders, as well as the various pathways to leadership. As head of global education services at the British Council, Douglas Woods stressed the importance of developing leadership at all levels in schools in order to cultivate talent and distribute leadership effectively among staff.

Via this approach, a safe and enriching learning environment is created where students are able to develop their leadership skills that will serve them throughout their lives, from school to work. He also discussed how school leadership is becoming more critical as we emerge from the pandemic.

The event brought together over 300 delegates face-to-face in Dubai with 1,500 virtual delegates from around the world. With this unique format, attendees from different cultures and regions were able to exchange ideas, insights, and best practices.

A number of special guests attended the conference, including His Excellency Patrick Moody, British Ambassador to UAE, and His Excellency Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education in the UAE.

Keynote speakers and workshop presenters from Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, Nigeria, Peru, Spain and the United Kingdom, contributed to the rich and diverse discussions.

The first keynote was delivered by Sir Mark Grundy, CEO of Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust, which focused on retaining the best staff to achieve high and specific achievement levels.

Professor Eman Gaad, Dean of the Faculty of Education and a Professor of Special and Inclusive Education, British University in Dubai (BUiD) spoke about the perceptions of educational leadership for inclusivity. Other keynotes focused on developing 21st century student leaders and leadership development at multiple levels in the school community.

Simon Higgins, Global Head of School Exams, British Council expressed his thoughts on this momentous occasion:

‘We were delighted to host our eighth annual flagship event Schools Now! global conference in Dubai. This year’s theme, ‘Leadership at all levels’ helped school leaders to reflect on the challenges they continue to face daily in a post pandemic world, and also explored ways to develop leadership throughout their school to better support staff, students, and the wider community.’

Maarya Rehman, Deputy Director British Council Pakistan further elaborated:

In Pakistan we have among the largest Partner School networks in the world with 730 schools in 53 cities divided into 6 regions across the country – delivering world class UK international qualifications.

Our aim is to provide expert operational and educational support for our Partner Schools at every opportunity and at every level – making a difference to young lives in local communities across Pakistan. The Schools Now! Conference provides essential learnings to help schools develop the leaders of tomorrow.

In Pakistan the support for Partner Schools include:
 

• Online School System - a free professional development hub for teachers and leaders, exam delivery including full administrative & operational support for world-class
   
• Increased engagement via a much larger and dedicated account relationship team to improve facilitation for schools nationwide
   
• Webinars and support material for exam officers to increase efficiency and minimise errors
   
• Exam delivery, including full administrative & operational support
   
• Onboarding of schools on the Cambridge network
   
• Professional Development, and Networking events, for teachers and school leaders
   
• Participation in Global events: Schools Now, Your World

At the event, over 40 delegates from Pakistan attended, including senior representatives from the country's leading schools. More than one million students are touched by British Council Partner Schools around the world, which support over 100,000 teachers.

In a truly global event, attendees come from the Americas, Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East & North Africa, South Asia and East Asia, supporting the British Council's mission to build connections, understanding, and trust.