Meeting of World Minds
The beautiful Baltic capital of Riga was the setting for the 2023 annual Skillman International Forum (SIF). Warnborough have participated at every SIF since 2019 and work closely with Skillman on different initiatives and projects. This event was sponsored by the Latvian government and no expense was spared. The event was wonderfully hosted by Latvian radio personality, Artis Ozoliņš.
Keynote Speakers
Latvian Prime Minister, Evika Siliņa, welcomed guests to Latvia and to SIF2023 while talking about the importance of education for the future of the country. Anda Čakša, the Latvian Minister of Education and Science, spoke also about the transformation of Latvia through education, specifically VET.
Skillman CEO, Dr Giovanni Crisoná, set the tone for the whole event by giving a rousing and passionate speech about how seeing things through different perspectives can lead to great change and achievements. Our Dr Urs Hauenstein led a panel for education stakeholders to respond to key themes that recur constantly in education today. Warnborough CEO, Dr Julian Ng, gave a quick rundown addressing each main theme such as microcredentials, inclusion and sustainability and networking.
SIF2023 provided a wonderful opportunity to network with educational professionals from around the world. A series of workshops allowed participants hands-on experiences, and day 2 provided an opportunity to visit VET schools around Latvia.
Food and Networking
From a social perspective, the Latvian government sponsored a veritable feast of delicacies from all 4 main Latvian regions for each coffee or food break. Delegates were treated to traditional music performances, and the final evening closed with a live blues performance comprising Italian, American and Latvian musicians.
We even took the chance to celebrate Council Secretary, Dr Pamela Hatton, and Dr Urs Hauenstein’s birthdays with ENIC-NARIC CEO, Dr Cloud Bai-Yun. |
