Jeddah - The Abdul Latif Jameel World Education Lab (J-WEL) is an initiative that aims to assist in transforming education around the world. They recently welcomed leading global experts to MIT’s campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to discuss the future of education and learning.
J-WEL fosters new initiatives to bring together schools, governments, NGOs, philanthropists, and businesses to use programs and resources to transform the future of education. Their special access to the MIT programs and resources, allow them to take part in trainings, workshops, and certification programs, as well as partnership opportunities with MIT and other members.
During the four-day event, wich marked the kick off of J-WEL, was the first major initiative of J-WEL and focused on the three pillars of lifelong education: pK-12, higher education, and workplace learning.
A series of activities were held as part of J-WEL week, including lectures, speeches and workshops, where participants from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom worked collaboratively on some of the most pressing issues facing education today.
The inaugural J-WEL Week was attended by the following 27 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cape Verde, China, Columbia, Costa Rica, France, India, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Mauritius, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, The Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, United Kingdom and the United States.
Co-founded in May 2017 by Community Jameel, the social enterprise organisation, and MIT, J-WEL aims to help people fulfill their true potential by transforming education and learning at all levels and ages. It seeks to strengthen knowledge transfer and development, and equip individuals with the skills and abilities needed for the modern workplace.
Fady Mohammed Jameel, President of Community Jameel International, said: “Education and learning are fundamental to development, building strong and diversified economies, and creating opportunity and prosperity for all.”
He added: “Through J-WEL, we want to bring together experts from across the education space, gathering perspectives, knowledge and experience to address the challenges facing learning at all levels, and to develop real, workable solutions. The inaugural J-WEL Week is the first step in this process, and we are delighted with the high level of engagement in the initiative.”
J-WEL sits alongside ongoing collaborations between Community Jameel and MIT, including the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) and the Abdul Latif Jameel World Water and Food Security Lab (J-WAFS), along with other projects. Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, Chairman of Community Jameel, is an MIT Corporation life member.
Sanjay Sarma, MIT's vice president for open learning, and Vijay M. S. Kumar, associate dean of digital learningand J-WEL’s executive director, have led strategic educational initiatives for MIT, and are driving the creation of three J-WEL initiatives. These initiatives draw upon existing educational resources at MIT, including the MIT Integrated Learning Initiative and the Office of Digital Learning, as well as on-going Institute research in childhood development and employee training methods.
