ABU DHABI, 24th October, 2026 (WAM) -- Khalifa Award for Education, one of the institutions under the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation, participated through its international category, the Khalifa International Award for Early Learning, in two scientific sessions at the International Step by Step Association (ISSA) Conference, held in Lisbon, Portugal, on 22nd-23rd October 2026.

The conference brought together researchers, experts, and representatives of specialised organisations from around the world.

The Award was represented in the two sessions by Professor Steven Barnett, Chair of the Award Committee, from Rutgers University and the National Institute for Early Education Research, and Professor Iram Siraj, a member of the Award Committee and Professor Emerita at the University of Oxford.

Professor Barnett participated in the session titled "Philanthropy, Scaling and Financing Architecture for Integration," which explored the role of funding and partnerships in supporting early childhood services, scaling up effective programmes, and ensuring their sustainability. The session also highlighted the importance of measuring impact and directing resources to respond to the needs of children and families.

Professor Siraj also participated in the session titled "Building Trust and Shared Language Across the ECD System," which addressed ways to strengthen collaboration and mutual understanding among stakeholders, as well as the importance of engaging practitioners and families in dialogue and the development of solutions, contributing to more integrated and responsive services that meet children's needs.

The two sessions provided an opportunity to discuss complementary aspects of strengthening early childhood systems, bringing together financing and impact measurement on the one hand, and trust-building, dialogue, and partnerships on the other, to support the quality and sustainability of services.

This participation forms part of Khalifa Award for Education's ongoing efforts to promote knowledge and expertise exchange through its international early learning category, highlight the importance of early childhood as a foundation for children's learning, growth, and social development, and encourage the adoption of outstanding research, programmes, and practices from around the world.