The 2015 World Innovation Summit for Education

The 2015 World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) was held under the theme "Investing for Impact: Quality Education for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth". This year’s event included three new features: the Learning Lab, which enabled school children aged 12-14 and their teachers to attend workshops with hands-on activities; the Qatar Zone, which encouraged meetings and discussions among summit participants and key Qatari education institutions partnering with WISE; and lastly partnerships with researchers to commission a series of reports, which feature action-oriented policy research of topics relevant to the theme of the summit.

Established in 2009 by Qatar Foundation, the WISE Summit brought together more than 1500 delegates and speakers. First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama addressed the seventh annual summit to discuss her “Let Girls Learn” initiative, which advocates for expanding educational opportunities for girls around the world. Other speakers at the event included HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al Missned (Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development), Leymah Gbowee (2011 Nobel Peace Laureate, Founder and President of Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa), Julia Gillard (former Australian Prime Minister, and Board Chair of the Global Partnership for Education), Princess Mabel Van Oranje (Board Chair, Girls Not Brides), Claudia Costin (Senior Director, Education Global Practice, The World Bank Group) and Khalid Al Khudair (Founder and CEO of Glowork). 

Michelle Obama and Sheikha Moza bint Nasser on stage during WISE 

Roundtable on Girls’ Education: Hosted by Michelle Obama and Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, and chaired by Julia Gillard

 Michelle Obama talks with students during a tour of the WISE Summit Learning Labs 

Michelle Obama hugs a student during a tour of the WISE Summit Learning Labs