ISSA Announces 10th Anniversary Conference
The International Step by Step Association is pleased to announce its 10th Annual Conference, "Seeds of Change: Effective Investments in Early Childhood for Enduring Social Progress," which will take place in Bucharest, Romania, 14-16 October 2008. The event, which marks ISSA's 10th anniversary, will explore holistic approaches to education, where political will and economic investments go hand in hand with effective implementation to ensure the development of social capital and societal cohesion. Special focus will be devoted to promoting a comprehensive approach to early childhood development and education (ECDE) as the strongest foundation for wellbeing and success throughout life.
Practitioners, policy makers, and researchers from around the globe will
engage in lively and informed discussions about the current situation
and future tasks in ECDE. Special attention will be devoted to ISSA's
growing network of members and partners and their successes and experiences
over the past ten years in creating and implementing child-centered pedagogy,
respect for diversity, and access to quality education for every child.
ISSA welcomes proposals for presentations and interested participants
from Europe, the wider neighborhood of Europe and Central Asia, and from
around the globe.
Conference highlights include:
- Integrating research into practice: presentations on the latest and most important findings in neuroscience, developmental psychology, economics, and education
- Emphasizing links between ECDE and economics in the short- and long-term perspective: building human capital; current investments and their impact on young children and their families
- Highlighting examples of successful partnerships among the public sector, civil society, and the private sector, as well as cooperation among health, social welfare, education, and other sectors, nationally and internationally, for maximizing the benefits of public sector investments in ECDE
- Sharing innovations in providing diverse forms of child-centered, comprehensive, and integrated approaches to ECDE at the community, regional, or national levels
- Showcasing research-based best practices in early childhood care and education, with an emphasis on those which ensure access, quality, and equity
- Exploring the implications of living in the global village of knowledge society and priorities for education in the 21st century
The conference will offer an exciting mix of outstanding keynote speakers,
as well as inspiring, cutting edge presentations from leading researchers,
practitioners, and policy makers. The event will also be an opportunity
for participants to explore future partnerships and further links between
research, practice, and policy. A rich social program and fascinating
site visits will allow participants to learn more about the ISSA region,
where vibrant developments have taken place in all areas of life over
the past two decades.
Further information about the conference will be available soon on ISSA's
website: www.issa.nl
