Abu Dhabi \u2013 Saturday, October 24, 2026
\nKhalifa Award for Education, one of the institutions under the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation, participated through its international category, the Khalifa International Award for Early Learning, in two scientific sessions at the International Step by Step Association (ISSA) Conference, held in Lisbon, Portugal, on October 22\u201323, 2026. The conference brought together researchers, experts, and representatives of specialized organizations from around the world.
\nThe Award was represented in the two sessions by Professor Steven Barnett, Chair of the Award Committee, from Rutgers University and the National Institute for Early Education Research, and Professor Iram Siraj, a member of the Award Committee and Professor Emerita at the University of Oxford.
\nProfessor Steven Barnett participated in the session titled \u201cPhilanthropy, Scaling and Financing Architecture for Integration,\u201d which explored the role of funding and partnerships in supporting early childhood services, scaling up effective programmes, and ensuring their sustainability. The session also highlighted the importance of measuring impact and directing resources to respond to the needs of children and families.
\nProfessor Iram Siraj also participated in the session titled \u201cBuilding Trust and Shared Language Across the ECD System,\u201d which addressed ways to strengthen collaboration and mutual understanding among stakeholders, as well as the importance of engaging practitioners and families in dialogue and the development of solutions, contributing to more integrated and responsive services that meet children’s needs.
\nThe two sessions provided an opportunity to discuss complementary aspects of strengthening early childhood systems, bringing together financing and impact measurement on the one hand, and trust-building, dialogue, and partnerships on the other, to support the quality and sustainability of services.
\nThis participation forms part of Khalifa Award for Education’s ongoing efforts to promote knowledge and expertise exchange through its international early learning category, highlight the importance of early childhood as a foundation for children’s learning, growth, and social development, and encourage the adoption of outstanding research, programmes, and practices from around the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Abu Dhabi \u2013 Saturday, October 24, 2026 Khalifa Award for Education, one of the institutions under the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation, participated through its international category, the Khalifa International Award for Early Learning, in two scientific sessions at the International Step by Step Association (ISSA) Conference, held in Lisbon, Portugal, on October 22\u201323, 2026. The …<\/p>\n