The Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) has announced the launch of an Educational Publishing Seminar in cooperation with UAE’s Ministry of Education (MoE) and International Publishers Association (IPA).
The debut edition is slated to take place on 28 – 29 October 2019, at Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone (SPCFZ).
The seminar will turn the spotlight on the central role of publishers in promoting the MoE’s efforts to develop an innovative education system and promote the UAE’s vision to build a knowledge economy. The two-day event will convene national, regional and international experts, education publishers and industry specialists, as well as 20 teachers who have won previous editions of the Khalifa Award for Education.
The seminar will offer a platform for dialogue on the introduction of new mechanisms in the UAE’s education publishing field in alignment with MoE’s needs and objectives, as well as EPA’s role to support the sector.
Key participants include HE Hussain Al Hammadi, UAE Minister of Education; Hugo Setzer, President of the IPA; HE Ali Bin Hatim, President of EPA; HE Rashid Al Kous, Executive Director of EPA; Mansour Al Mansouri, Director General of National Media Council (NMC) and HE Mahra Hilal Al-Matuei, Director of the Regional Center for Educational Planning in UNESCO.
Through more than 10 panel sessions and an array of workshops, the seminar will identify methods to build high-performing education systems in the UAE, where classroom teachers will offer students national curricula in the form of educational solutions that reflect top international standards.
The seminar will highlight the role of educational publishers in creating education curricula, in addition to the role of EPA and its members. Attendees will also discuss ways to forge strategic partnerships with all public and private sector stakeholders who contribute to the development of national curricula.
HE Ali bin Hatim, President of EPA, said: “In organising this important seminar, our objective is to keep the UAE’s momentum of positive transformations in the academic sector going. We also seek to increase students’ awareness by introducing more homegrown books to our school curricula. We hope to turn a new leaf in our efforts geared towards building a knowledge-based society to promote our inclusive development process, and reinforce the UAE’s culture and national identity. We are certain this seminar will have a positive impact on the realities of the UAE’s education and publishing landscape”.
“The seminar will offer a platform to all industry stakeholders to discuss how they can enhance partnerships to further scientific and academic development. We will be engaging in vibrant conversations about how international practices and expertise can be adapted into an actionable framework for the UAE’s curricula,” he added.
For his part, IPA President Hugo Setzer, noted: “We are delighted to partner with the Emirates Publishers Association for this seminar. Educational publishers have such a vital role to play if the UAE is to achieve its ambitious education objectives and this seminar promises to set out concrete actions to enable them to do that.”
The EPA organises a plethora of specialised book industry activities to achieve many objectives like enhancing the publishing industry at the local level, promoting Emirati and Arabic books globally and harnessing international expertise in developing the education publishing system in the UAE. Their ultimate goal is to promote the UAE’s vision to be a hub of knowledge export, lead innovation and turn national education systems into a regional and global example.
Founded in 2009, the EPA is dedicated to developing the publishing sector and representing the interests of professionals in the UAE and beyond. It promotes UAE’s cultural achievements across the Arab world and globally. It also hosts, organises and takes part in regional and international conferences, exhibitions and book fairs.