Educational experts yesterday called for pledges of action for the future to be made at the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), to encourage inclusion and pluralism, and to ensure the protection of academic scholars in countries where their work may be endangered.
Speaking at the closing session of the opening day of the summit, the experts discussed the challenges arising from globalisation and other modern issues, as well as expressing their hopes that WISE will be able to address some of these concerns and come up with concrete “thoughts of action” that can be implemented following the summit.
Chancellor of the University for Peace and former president of the Swiss confederation, Ruth Dreifuss, called for a commitment to common schools in which specialist support for both teachers and students will be provided to help them learn about and respects their own cultures.  She argued that this will require a state commitment to secularity, which will allow these common schools to operate in an open manner.
President and CEO of the Institute of International Education, Allan Goodman gave a presentation on the number of students studying in countries and cultures other than their own – a mere 2% of the 150mn people in higher education worldwide.
He described a need to identify which cultures, languages and traditions students should be learning about in higher education, citing this as one of the areas in which the summit could help form policy.
“We need to know what we want young people to know about the world,” he said, adding to his arguments for increased protection of scholars abroad.
Reciting an anecdote about a scientist using new technology to help with cancer treatments which would otherwise be used for violent means, Goodman argued that educators have a duty to protect scholars who are working towards the acquirement of knowledge and the advancement of humankind.
The director of Unesco’s division for higher education, Georges Haddad, spoke of the challenge of developing a collective intelligence for students whilst also advancing their individual intelligence, and mentioned the role of institutions in developing creativity.
He was followed by the former astronaut and current president of the Cite des Sciences et de L’Industrie, Claudie Haigneré who spoke about her ambitions for a new method of learning and education of young people in the 21st century, and her proposed means of achieving these ends.
She emphasised the role of new technology in helping to reach young people, and proposed the creation of think tanks to help assess and address their needs.
The final panellist to speak was South African Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor who spoke passionately about the problem of inclusion in her home country and the challenges that have arisen following efforts to provide education to as many young people as possible.
She suggested the creation of a number of WISE pioneers in each participating country who could be reunited in the next 20 years to discuss the success of any programmes which are introduced.