This week, the Mobile Learning Week 2018 is in session

Today the 29th of March to the 30th of March begins the UNESCO/ITU annual flagship ICT in education event surnamed ‘Mobile Learning Week’.

The 2018 edition is held under the theme, “Skills for a connected world” and will examine the skills needed in and for a connected economy and would also focus on digital skills and competencies.

Mobile learning week brings together "experts practitioners and policy-makers from around the world to share ideas and best practices on ways to use ubiquitous mobile technology to support learning for all, particularly disadvantaged communities"- UNESCO news.

Since this week is jointly organized by UNESCO and ITU, the respective heads -Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, and her counterpart Houlin Zhao, Secretary-General of the ITU will grace the opening ceremony

Mobile learning week

The week is divided into four inter-linked events, (i) Workshops – Monday 26 March, (ii) Symposium – Tuesday and Wednesday 27-8 March, (iii) Policy Forum Thursday 29 March and (iv) Strategy Labs on Friday the 30th of March.

This conference will also have 4 sub-events and seeks to facilitate actions to

• Define and mainstream digital skills in education;
• Innovate skills provision for jobs in the digital economy;
• Close inequalities and gender divides in digital skills; and
• Map and anticipate the changing needs for digital skills.

Some of the speakers lined up in the programme include

• Moussa Oumarou, Deputy Director-General for Operations and Partnerships, International Labour Organization (ILO),
• Maren Kroeger, of the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR,
• Ariam Mogos, Education Innovation Specialist with UNICEF,
• Yves Punie, Senior Scientist at the European Union research unit on Human Capital and Employment,
• Mariana Costa, Chief Executive Officer of Laboratoria, a social enterprise that prepares young women from low income backgrounds for a career in tech,
• Chris Coward of the Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA) of the University of Washington Information School,
• Beeban Kidron, film director, producer, children's rights campaigner and member of the UK House of Lords.

Follow the conference here