Keynote Speakers Announced

Jay Kimmelman, CEO Bridge International Academies
Opening Keynote Session, October 27th

Jay Kimmelman is CEO and co-founder of Bridge International Academies. He is a successful entrepreneur and a passionate advocate for issues related to global poverty.

Mr. Kimmelman was founder and CEO of Edusoft, the leading educational software company providing assessment platforms to U.S. school districts. He led the company from inception to national success providing critical services to 3 million student in 400 school districts across the country, establishing the company as the recognized leader in the market.

Bridge International extends access to primary education in Africa, demonstrating the power of for-profit innovation to transform lives. By employing key characteristics of successful franchises, Bridge International provides a complete "school in a box" that allows local operators to run schools on a low-cost, but profitable basis. Bridge International's model provides a sustainable approach to education in Africa, where on average, children perform at the 3rd percentile compared to children from developed countries and is working to close this gap through its growing network of schools.

 

James Tooley, Founder of The Beautiful Tree Foundation
Professor of Education Policy,  Newcastle University
Latest Market Developments Keynote, October 28th

James Tooley is Professor of Education Policy at Newcastle University and Director of the E.G. West Centre in England. He is also the author of The Beautiful Tree: A personal journey into how the world’s poorest people are educating themselves, (Penguin, 2009), which won the 2010 Sir Antony Fisher Memorial Prize, and also hit the best-selling lists in India. His work in low-income areas around the world and dedication to private initiatives in education have won him worldwide acclaim.

For his ground-breaking research on private education for the poor in India, China and Africa, Professor Tooley was awarded gold prize in the first International Finance Corporation/Financial Times Private Sector Development Competition in September 2006. From 2007 to 2009, he was founding President of The Education Fund, Orient Global, during which time he helped create the chain of schools now called Rumi Education (formerly Aristotle Education Alliance).

Professor Tooley is currently chairman of education companies in Ghana and India creating embryonic chains of low cost private schools.

 

2010 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Innovation in Action Tours - Join enterprising service providers on a school tour to meet school leaders, students, and teachers and learn how their products are increasing school performance.

• Butterfly Fields
• Escuela Nueva
• Educomp Solutions
• Empathy Learning Systems
  
• Indian School Finance Company
• Micro Credit Ratings Int’l Ldt. (M-CRIL)
• Rumi Schools
  
• Teacher Foundation

 

IDEO's Affordable Learning Tools Challenge 

Sandy Speicher- Program Lead, IDEO Design for Learning will present the finalists from the OpenIDEO Affordable Learning Tools Challenge, and engage in discussion on how to attract and deliver impactful products and services to the APS market.

Latest Market Development 

James Tooley- Professor of Education Policy, Newcastle University will lead participants in an exploration of ground-breaking research and market developments from researchers across the globe.
 

PACT Round Table Sessions: Progressive Action Commitments by Stakeholders

As challenges in the APS market arise, resources and outcomes continue to grow we must acknowledge that systemic change requires transparent solutions, progressive actions and measurable goals. Enterprising Schools challenges conference participants to examine the issue and opportunities that currently exist in order to identify solutions. Through in-depth conversations led by industry leaders, we will highlight gaps in the market and translate our isolated interventions into larger Progressive Action Commitments (PACTS) to advance the sector.

• Government Engagement 
  

Baela Raza Jamil- Director of Programs, Centre of Education and Consciousness

Parth Shah- Founder & President, Centre for Civil Society

• School Funding & Finance

Brajesh Mishra- Finance Director, Indian School Finance Company

Vincent Amponsah- Director IDP Rising Schools Program, Sinapi Aba Trust

• School Management

Liesel Pritzker- VP & Director of Program Development, IDP Foundation

Raj Grover- CEO, Rumi Education

• Quality Teaching & Learning

Pradeep Sharma- Country Director, Gray Matters Capital

 

SNAPS Photo Exhibit: Enterprising Schools & Beyond Profit will host an exhibit that captures the inspiring images of Affordable Private Schools across the globe.