Khalifa International Award for Early Learning Shares Expertise at European Conference
The Award's international category contributes to discussions on financing, impact measurement and collaboration in early childhood education at a major Lisbon gathering
The Khalifa Award for Education, operating under the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation, brought its considerable experience to the International Step by Step Association Conference in Lisbon in late October, where leading academics and practitioners convened to examine the architecture of early childhood development systems across the globe.
Two scientific sessions formed the centrepiece of the Award’s contribution. The first, entitled “Philanthropy, Scaling and Financing Architecture for Integration,” examined the mechanisms through which funding and strategic partnerships sustain and expand early childhood services. Professor Steven Barnett of Rutgers University and the National Institute for Early Education Research, who chairs the Award Committee, led discussions on the measurement of impact and the allocation of resources to address the particular needs of children and families, emphasising the relationship between financial sustainability and programme effectiveness.
The second session, “Building Trust and Shared Language Across the ECD System,” explored the collaborative foundations necessary for responsive early childhood systems. Professor Iram Siraj, a member of the Award Committee and Professor Emerita at the University of Oxford, contributed to conversations about strengthening understanding among stakeholders, and the significance of meaningful dialogue between practitioners and families in developing integrated services.
Together, these sessions presented complementary dimensions of systems strengthening: the practical architecture of financing and measurable outcomes alongside the relational work of building trust and partnership. The discussions reflected the Award’s broader commitment to advancing early childhood as a cornerstone of children’s learning, development and social formation.
The participation underscores the Khalifa Award for Education’s role in facilitating the international exchange of knowledge and practice, championing research-based approaches to early learning, and fostering the adoption of excellence in early childhood education across diverse contexts and communities.
Source: WAM