On Thursday 12 June, the WISE Learners’ Voice Program participants attended a dinner hosted by the Qatari Ambassador to Spain, H.E. Abdul Razak Abdul Jalil Al-Abdul Ghani. The event was organized to mark the conclusion of the Programs’ second residential session which was held at Ciudad Banco Santander from June 2^nd to June 13th, in Madrid. The dinner was a unique opportunity for the group of dynamic, future education leaders to share their thoughts and ideas with H.E. the Ambassador. In the same context, H.E. the Ambassador honored the program and congratulated the Learners on the success of their second residential session.

For the past two weeks the Learners’ have been engaged in the Program’s second residential session administered by expert facilitators, in partnership with Banco Santander. The sessions’ content ranged from dynamic exercises on leadership and communication skills, in addition to workshops on disruptive thinking and project development.

The aim of the WISE Learners’ Voice Program is to bring the views of students to the issue of rethinking education and prepare them to take on leading roles in their fields and in the world of education. The Program is based on the conviction that when students are co-creators of their learning environments they become active participants, invested collectively as stakeholders in their learning environment. The Program focuses on building their knowledge of education as well as their entrepreneurship, leadership and communication skills. In addition to the annual WISE Summit in Doha, the Learners take part in practical workshops, online sessions and project-based work. They also participate in major international conferences.

The 2013-2014 group is comprised of 31 Learners from 23 countries. The current group is developing projects as diverse as an arts and culture hub for the inclusion of children born of war in Uganda, to a curriculum built around the use of 3D printers as tools to engage high-school students in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) subjects.

Follow us on our social media channels: @ILQlive @ILQlive @ILoveQtr ILoveQatar