10 – 12 November 2026
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Dubai World Trade Centre Sheikh Saeed Halls 1, 2 & 3
Shona O'Callaghan
CEO and Founder - Empowering Creative Minds
Shona O’Callaghan is a TEDx speaker, PhD researcher, and an internationally recognised educator, consultant, and advocate for truly inclusive education. With nearly two decades of experience spanning Europe, the UAE, and globally, she has navigated every level of education, from classroom teacher to university lecturer, department head to educational consultant.
Holding a PGCE and a Master’s in Education with a specialization in multilingual learning, Shona is also a certified Dyslexia and Literacy Specialist (ATS). As CEO and founder of Empowering Creative Minds (ECM), her consultancy is dedicated to transforming educational institutions into comprehensively inclusive, linguistically accessible, and neurodiverse-friendly cultures that genuinely support the entire community. Her impactful work encompasses teacher training, mentoring, British school inspections, and inclusive curriculum development. Shona is a trusted voice on inclusion and teacher well-being, frequently featured on podcasts and education panels worldwide.
Speaker Sessions
Sustainability & Wellbeing
1610
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The Inconvenient Truth: What Education is missing about Inclusion.
Session Summary:
Based on cutting-edge research and practical application, there's a missing piece in many educational strategies: a deep, actionable understanding of how diverse minds learn and thrive. This workshop is designed to bridge that gap, empowering school owners and leaders to cultivate environments where authentic belonging and academic achievement flourish for all. In this highly interactive session, you'll:
• Discover the profound "why" behind moving beyond surface-level inclusion to truly embrace cognitive diversity, ensuring no student is left behind. • Gain unprecedented insight by experiencing the educational journey through the eyes of students, teachers, and parents, highlighting areas for transformative change. • Develop a clear, executable roadmap to integrate practices that will elevate your institution far beyond the requirements of 'Education 2030' and 'School for All.'
Stop settling for good enough. Ignite a new era of genuine inclusion at your school.
