Expo 2020 Dubai: UK education programme and competition announced

UK launches eXpo Factor competition for Expo 2020 Dubai @UKPavilion2020 #Expo2020

Competition forms major part of education programme at the UK Pavilion

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The UK has today announced the launch of the eXpo Factor competition in partnership with global social business Debate Mate to drive forward the UK Pavilion’s education programme at Expo 2020 Dubai.

The competition launches today and runs up until UK National Day on 10th February 2022, when at least four winning students from across the UK aged between 9-18 years old will travel to Expo 2020 Dubai.

The eXpo Factor is made up of four distinct phases, the first of which will see students discuss and present their take on what makes Britain extraordinary to their classmates, teachers and a Debate Mate mentor. The winners at each school will be invited to submit their contribution virtually.

The winners will then work together virtually to refine their existing ideas before pitching to a digital panel. The students will then be whittled down to a select set of finalists to attend a live competition in December 2021, before taking part in a ‘Best of British Bootcamp’ prior to being flown over to Dubai in February.

Once there, they will get the opportunity to take part in discussions on stage with leading voices on issues such as sustainability, mobility and equality of opportunity. The winners will also be invited to attend the ‘Chemistry of Happiness’ World Majlis event, as well as an invite-only, VIP evening reception on the UK Pavilion.

The eXpo Factor is part of the education programme at the UK Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Education related activity is integrated across the UK National programme, with key activity taking place in December 2021, with ‘In the Future, How will we Learn?’. This takes the form of a selection of events in which UK innovations will be showcased and a diverse set of speakers will discuss the major issues set to shape the future of education.

The speakers, who will be contributing both in-person and virtually, include Andria Zafirakou, 2018 Global Teacher Prize winner, who will chair a summit asking what makes teachers great.

Professor Sir Steve Smith, UK Government International Education Champion and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative to Saudi Arabia for Education will also be driving a session focused on the future of higher education.

Other experts chairing summits and contributing to broader activity during ‘In the Future, How will we Learn?’ include:

• Alison Watson MBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Class of Your Own
• Brajesh Panth, Chief of Education Group at the Asian Development Bank
• Dave Reay, Professor of Carbon Management & Education, University of Edinburgh
• Carrie Anne Philbin MBE, Director of Educator Support at Raspberry Pi Foundation

Laura Faulkner OBE, UK Commissioner for Expo 2020 Dubai, says:

“Never has it been more important to examine how global education needs to adapt to equip our children for tomorrow’s world. The UK Pavilion’s Education Programme will be exploring the big questions of the 21st century, such as what the classroom of the future will look like, the role of the teacher and AI in learning. We will also give children the opportunity to provide their insights into some of the most significant challenges of our time through our partnership with Debate Mate, and bring together global experts to discuss the future of learning, from primary to university and beyond.”

All events will be hosted in the stunning UK Pavilion, a must see highlight at Expo 2020 Dubai that occupies a prime location in the Opportunity District, near to the central Al Wasl Plaza and the huge dome that sits atop it. The UK’s participation theme is ‘Innovating for a Shared Future’.

The first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region and the largest event ever held in the Arab world, Expo 2020 Dubai will run for six months from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 – bringing 190-plus countries together in a spirit of hope, optimism and shared purpose. Further details of ‘How will we Learn?’ and the rest of the UK programme will be announced throughout the year as the event grows closer.