The Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) has successfully co-hosted the Bright Start International Conference this month, bringing together educators, researchers, and policymakers from Abu Dhabi to London and beyond. 

The international conference,dedicated to advancing early childhood & primary education for children, underscores HCT’s commitment to leading the global dialogue on early childhood education through integrating future technologies and fostering an innovative, inclusive ecosystem.

Held concurrently in Abu Dhabi and London, the event featured over 100 hands-on workshops and interactive forums. Key highlights included the launch of the AI Play Forum — a global think-tank exploring how young children engage with artificial intelligence through play, and the unveiling of the Voices of Children Pedagogy™ global initiative, which empowers children to become authors of their own learning and active contributors to the future of education. 

This initiative aligns with HCT’s institutional focus on preparing students and professionals with practical, future-driven skills demanded by a rapidly evolving educational landscape. 

Staged at HCT’s Abu Dhabi campus, in parallel with sessions held at the Park Plaza Victoria, London, and supported by a global live transmission, the conference focused on global excellence in early childhood education practices and promoting inclusion and social justice in early and primary education.

Key takeaways from the conference included an exploration of AI's multifaceted role in personalizing learning experiences and improving classroom management within the early years education.

The sessions also offered fresh insights into innovative, child-centred pedagogies and explored how these models can be scaled globally to empower the next generation of learners, highlighting the necessity of international collaboration among educators, researchers, and policymakers to address shared challenges, including equity and inclusion. 

Dr. Eirini Gkouskou, Bright Start Foundation Board Member, UCL Institute of Education & Lead of the Voices of Children Pedagogy™ Global Initiative, said: “ This year’s Bright Start International Conference demonstrated what becomes possible when vision, innovation, and global collaboration meet. The first-ever simultaneous organisation of the conference in Abu Dhabi and London — with global live transmission linking two continents and participation from 47 countries — created an unprecedented platform for unity and shared purpose. Together, we stood as one international community committed to reimagining early childhood education for a new era. We are deeply grateful to the Higher Colleges of Technology for their pivotal leadership, partnership, and unwavering belief in what we can achieve together.

A major announcement of the conference was the development of the world’s first AI Literacies Module for early childhood education — designed for global implementation and adaptable across cultures — led by Prof. Mutlu Cukurova (Director, UCL Knowledge Lab) and launched under the Evolving Voices of Children Pedagogy™ Global Initiative. This groundbreaking effort addresses one of the most urgent questions of our time: How do we prevent cognitive atrophy in young children in the age of AI — and prepare them to thrive as creative, empathetic, ethical global citizens ready to lead in a rapidly changing world?

This conference marks not just an event, but the beginning of a global movement — one that the Higher Colleges of Technology has championed with exceptional vision, purpose, and commitment. We are profoundly grateful for their leadership in shaping the future of early childhood education across continents and cultures.”

Dr. Priti Verma, Executive Dean of the Education Program at the Higher Colleges of Technology, commented: "We at the Higher Colleges of Technology are proud to be one of the key partners in hosting this year’s Bright Start International Conference, which successfully connected global perspectives from Abu Dhabi to London and beyond, contributing to advancing the global dialogue on best practices in early childhood education. The conference further emphasized the importance of integrating artificial intelligence into the learning process and adopting child-centered pedagogies, reflecting our commitment to preparing specialized academic and educational professionals equipped with practical skills and pedagogical knowledge to innovate and actively shape the future of early childhood education on a global scale.”

The conference also featured significant contributions, including global insights from leading institutions such as Project Zero (Harvard) and UCL Knowledge Lab, alongside presentations from multiple award-winning educators and international thought leaders.

Bright Start Foundation is a Geneva-based global non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing early childhood care, development, and education across countries and cultures. Through international conferences, action research, strategic partnerships, and large-scale initiatives including the Voices of Children Pedagogy™, the foundation convenes educators, practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and communities to strengthen early childhood systems and promote equitable, high-quality learning worldwide.

With a strong focus on innovation, global dialogue, and child-centred practice, Bright Start Foundation works to ensure that every child — everywhere — has the opportunity to thrive, learn, and reach their fullest potential.

https://brightstartfoundation.org/