Call for Proposals: UKFIET Conference on Global Challenges for Education

Call for Submission of Abstracts
UKFIET, the UK Forum for International Education and Training, annually hosts one of the largest international educational conferences, attracting over 400 practitioners, donors and researchers from around the world.

The theme for 2011 is on Global Challenges for Education: Economics, Environment and Emergency; the conference will be held in Oxford, UK from 13-15 September. Save the Children, Plan International, the Brookings Institution and INEE have proposed the thematic area “Education in Emergencies – Moving Ahead”

Calls for Submission of Abstracts: Education in Emergencies – Moving Ahead

We would like to encourage INEE members to submit abstracts on this theme to be considered for the UKFEIT conference! Abstracts can be submitted at http://www.cfbt.com/ukfiet/submit_abstract.html. The deadline for submission is 18th March.

Abstracts are invited which address the following areas:

• Disaster risk reduction through education: preventing and preparing for emergencies
• Quality education in emergencies: curriculum, teachers and learners
• Early childhood education in emergencies
• Informal and non-formal education strategies for emergencies
• Inclusive education in emergencies
• Education and psychosocial recovery in emergencies
• Financing education in emergencies
• Education as first phase humanitarian response: case studies of specific responses
• Education in emergencies: working with national authorities

Abstracts should be no more than 250 words, and need to show a clear link to the sub-theme. Please avoid using too many references or having an overly long title. This is an expression of interest so you do not currently need to have a full-fledged paper, just a short piece that outlines what you would focus on for this sub-theme. You are welcome to submit multiple abstracts; however, each person is only allowed to present one paper.
If your abstract is accepted, we will ask you to produce a paper and/or presentation; the deadline for finalising the paper is later in the year. Unfortunately, none of the convening organizations, Save the Children, Plan International, the Brookings Institute or INEE, have funds to bring presenters to the conference.

Convenors:
Deborah Haines, Save the Children
Nick Hall, Plan International
Lori Heninger, Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE)
Rebecca Winthrop, Brookings Institute

Details and Description of Thematic Area

Description: Education is critical for all children, but it is especially urgent for the tens of millions of children affected by emergencies, be they man-made or natural disasters. Historically, education was seen as part of longer-term development work rather than a necessary intervention in emergency response; humanitarian relief typically involved the provision of food, shelter, water and sanitation and healthcare. However, with the average conflict lasting 10 years and families remaining in refugee or internally displaced person (IDP) camps for an average of 17 years, it is clear that education cannot wait for more stable times and that the failure to prioritise education in humanitarian response renders entire generations uneducated, disadvantaged and unprepared to contribute to their society’s recovery. A growing body of evidence on education’s life-saving and life-sustaining role has resulted in a change in beliefs, with education now being included as a first phase humanitarian response. This increased attention has resulted in a significant increase in the allocation of humanitarian aid to education, although it has never reached more than 50 percent of estimated requirements.

The sub-theme aims to move debate and understanding forward against the question: What new angles, understanding and analysis do we have on the role of education in emergencies?

This is a very exciting opportunity to increase the evidence base within the field of Education in Emergencies; please consider both attending the conference and submitting an abstract on our theme.

More information is available here.