PROGRAM BROCHURE 542 DESIGNING A SOCIAL COMPACT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY Early Childhood Development and Education April 15 to 18, 2015 Schloss Leopoldskron, Salzburg, Austria Designing a Social Compact for the 21st Century: Early Childhood Development & Education SALZBURG, APRIL 15 TO 18, 2015 SERIES OVERVIEW Why this topic and why now? DESIGNING A SOCIAL The 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) COMPACT FOR THE propose an ambitious target for ECDE: By 2030, 21ST CENTURY ensure that all girls and boys have access to Salzburg Global Seminar, quality early childhood development, care and together with select pre-primary education so that they are ready for international partners, is primary education. To meet this target, it is vital developing a multi-year that we begin now to address key questions. What program on the roles of are equitable, quality and scalable practices in states and families in ECDE? How can these be rolled out in developing, meeting 21st century social emerging and developed country contexts? investment needs. For decades, Nobel prizewinner James Heckman and others have made Intergenerational the economic case for investments in ECDE as a critical component for and gender justice and national prosperity. As a result, a notable shift has occurred in recent years inclusion of marginalized from debates about whether to invest in ECDE programs, and is now more populations are critical for focused on the questions of how to invest, where to invest, and how to bring social cohesion, but come quality ECDE programs to scale. The inclusion of universal ECDE programs under particular strain in the SDGs is a key indicator of this progress. where economic systems However, while progress in achieving this wider scale recognition of the are confronting a “double economic and social benefits of ECDE investments has been made, efficient squeeze” – how to improve implementation at scale and the funding mechanisms to achieve this start of life opportunities scale still lag behind. In addition, the groups that most need a fair start for all while also caring and – the poor, immigrants, minorities, and marginalized communities – can paying for aging societies. seldom afford or garner sufficient support for quality programs. This has In many countries, the a disproportionate effect on women – as mothers, unpaid caregivers, and greatest burden falls on the underpaid early-childhood educators. As a result, the fragmentation in family unit: government ECDE budgeting and funding, and the corresponding lack of quality ECDE support, where provided, programs at scale, contributes to rising inequality in countries at all stages is inconsistently managed of development. between various levels and In the context of ECDE’s inclusion in the 2015 SDGs, Salzburg Global branches and seldom reflects Seminar proposes to launch a multi-year intervention with select forward-thinking best international partners to coordinate and support an integrated early practices. childhood policy and practice agenda, particularly for disadvantaged We believe that states’ and populations. It aims to augment international efforts to achieve scale families’ abilities to confront through the best available evidence of what is required to achieve access, these challenges will shape quality, and scale. 21st century economic systems, societal norms and individual wellbeing. SALZBURG GLOBAL SEMINAR | Designing a Social Compact for the 21st Century: Early Childhood Development & Education Session 542 | APRIL 15 TO 18, 2015 Participant Profile PROGRAM PARTNER The strategy meeting will convene a select group of 30 practitioners and researchers working on various aspects of ECDE. The cross-sectoral group includes educators, practitioners, social scientists, researchers, educational and social services administrators, local and national governments, policy makers, multilateral organizations, business, civil society, media and philanthropic funders. The mission of Educational Session Format Testing Service is to advance Program objective is to generate ideas on a strategic roadmap for how we quality and equity in education will deliver universal quality access at the point of service, as highlighted by providing fair and valid by the prospective Sustainable Development Goals’ target: By 2030, ensure assessments, research and that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and related services. Our products pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education. and services measure knowledge and skills, promote More important, the program focuses on the coordination of primary learning and educational drivers for transforming and enhancing how we deliver universal quality performance, and support access. Program dialogue centers on innovative thinking, best international education and professional practices, recommendations for SDGs, and, through groups, formulating a development for all people roadmap for action. Please see program agenda for specific themes covered worldwide. MORE info. ON PREVIOUS SESSIONS: Outcomes Early Childhood Development: The program produces a strategic roadmap towards supporting universal Improving Linkages between quality access, as highlighted by the SDGs, in the form of a Salzburg Research, Theory, and Statement – a synthesis of agreed–upon guiding principles, priority actions, Application in Practice and proposals for urgent consideration. The Salzburg Statement is based SalzburgGlobal.org/go/428 on group dialogue and will be fed into subsequent international working groups. Optimizing Talent: Closing Educational and Social Mobility Gaps Worldwide – K-18 SalzburgGlobal.org/go/486 FOR MORE info. PLEASE CONTACT: Diasmer Bloe Program Director dbloe@ SalzburgGlobal.org OR VISIT: SalzburgGlobal.org/go/542 Why Salzburg? The mission of Salzburg Global Seminar is to challenge current and future leaders to solve issues of global concern. To do this we design, facilitate and host international strategic convening and multi-year programs to tackle systems challenges critical for the next generation. Originally founded in 1947 to encourage the revival of intellectual dialogue in post-war Europe, we are now a game-changing catalyst for global engagement on critical issues in education, health, environment, economics, governance, peace-building and more. From the start, Salzburg Global Seminar has broken down barriers separating people and ideas. We challenge countries at all stages of development and institutions across all sectors to rethink their relationships and identify shared interests and goals. Today, our program framework has three cross-cutting clusters and addresses the underlying questions that hold keys to human progress: Imagination, Sustainability and Justice. Our exclusive setting at Schloss Leopoldskron enables our participants to detach from their working lives, immerse themselves in the issues at hand and form new networks and connections. Participants come together on equal terms, regardless of age, affiliation, region or sector. We maintain this energy and engagement through the Salzburg Global Fellowship, which connects our Fellows across the world. It provides a vibrant hub to crowd-source new ideas, exchange best practice, and nurture emerging leaders through mentoring and support. FOR MORE session info. TO register for the session PLEASE CONTACT: PLEASE VISIT: Diasmer Bloe SalzburgGlobal.org/go/542 Program Director FOR MORE general info. © 2015 dbloe@ PLEASE VISIT: SalzburgGlobal.org SalzburgGlobal.org.