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10 – 12 November 2026 | Dubai World Trade Centre Sheikh Saeed Halls 1, 2 & 3

Dr. Catherine O'Farrell

Founding Partner - Incluzun

catherine

Kate is an experienced Corporate Leader and Psychotherapist. She combines her expertise in systems, psychology and education to offer a range of services from educational consultancy, personal life and career coaching to corporate systems optimisation. She is passionate about driving inclusion and diversity across the MENA region and consults with Governments, Educational Groups and Corporates from over 10 countries. She was appointed co-chair of the Committee for Inclusive Practitioners in the Gulf, at UNESCO, Paris. Using a variety of tools, a Systems Thinking approach is used to to identify key areas for improvement in a targeted, strategic manner. Kate is a regular conference speaker and media contributor.

Speaker Sessions

Sustainability & Wellbeing 1610

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The Power of the LSA - transforming specialised assistance

Session Summary:

An engaging presentation of a case study taking 160 Learning Support Assistants over a 1 year period and focusing on developing collaborative support through monthly workshops and focus groups. Demonstrating the impact on students wellbeing, learning and overall outcomes. A scalable and universally applicable model for improved individual support.

Speakers:

Categories:

  • Wellbeing and Mental Health

GESS Talks Live 1628

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Panel Session: Quality in Early Childhood Panel by IECE

Session Summary:

This talk explores what "quality" truly means in early years education and beyond, beyond curriculum checklists, compliance, the classroom walls and extending it to the outside environment as well. The panel aims to share practical insights into building a culture of quality that is inclusive, reflective, and sustainable.

The discussion will highlight key drivers of quality, including responsive educator-child relationships, pedagogical approaches, continuous professional development, and strong parent partnerships. We will also discuss how structured leadership, process management, and thoughtful environment design contribute to ongoing quality enhancement.

This talk aims to inspire early years professionals and leaders to view quality not as a fixed goal, but as an evolving journey - one that requires collaboration, curiosity, and a commitment to every child’s right to belong and thrive, high-quality early years education is a holistic approach one that lays the foundation not only for academic success, but also for emotional resilience, social awareness, and lifelong well-being, raising tolerant, confident individuals equipped to prosper in a diverse and evolving world.

Speakers:

// GESS EDUCATION INSIGHTS

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