Jury Named for WISE Prize for Education

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World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE)

Mar 24, 2011, 12:48 ET

PARIS, March 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Five prominent international figures will select the winner of the world's first major international prize for education.

The WISE Prize for Education was announced by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, at the conclusion of the second World Innovation Summit for Education in Doha, Qatar, in December 2010. The first Laureate will be named at WISE 2011 in November.

The Jury members are:

- Dr James H. Billington, Librarian of Congress, USA

- Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute, Columbia University, USA

- Mrs Fatma Rafiq Zakaria, Chairman of the Maulana Azad Educational Trust, India

- H.E. Naledi Pandor, Minister of Science and Technology, MP, South Africa

- H.E. Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani, PhD, Chairman of WISE, Qatar Foundation, Chairman of the Jury

The WISE Prize for Education will reward an individual or team for an outstanding, world-class contribution to education. The Laureate's achievements should have had a significant, lasting impact upon education at any level, and should demonstrate an inspiring and visionary approach.

The Prize will support the WISE mission of raising the status of education internationally by establishing an award of similar standing to those that already exist in other fields such as science, literature, peace and economics. The winner will receive $500,000 and a gold medal.

Nominations are invited until the end of April from individuals and institutions such as universities, schools, NGOs, teachers' organisations, the media and private corporations.

From mid-July to mid-September 2011, the Jury will examine the candidacies of 15 finalists pre-selected by a committee responsible for screening all submissions.

Dr Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani, Chairman of WISE, Qatar Foundation, explains: "As Chairman of the Jury, I am pleased to welcome this group of eminent people to form the WISE Prize for Education Jury. They have been selected because of their international vision, professional achievements and expertise. I believe their rich experience and diverse competencies will enable us to identify a Laureate of the highest calibre, and the WISE Prize for Education will become the world standard for achievement in this field."

Qatar Foundation inaugurated the World Innovation Summit for Education - WISE - in 2009 to harness the knowledge, skills and experience of multiple stakeholders in addressing the challenges facing 21st-century education.

Find out more about the WISE Prize for Education: http://www.wiseprizeforeducation.org

About the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE)

WISE is dedicated to building the future of education through innovation. This global collaborative initiative was inaugurated in 2009 by the Qatar Foundation, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. Its mission is to address the challenges facing 21st century education, to expand dialogue around the world and to implement practical and sustainable solutions. With this purpose, WISE holds an annual international summit that provides a unique platform and meeting place for thought leaders and experts to share best practices about education. WISE is also a year-round initiative devoted to reaching outside the traditional circles of the education community to promote innovation and implement concrete actions. The WISE 2011 Summit will take place in Doha, Qatar, 1-3 November 2011. Full details on the WISE website:

http://www.wise-qatar.org

SOURCE World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE)