On 18 August, deans from nine of the world's leading faculties and university schools in the field of educational research hold a conference at the DPU. The nine institutions are all members of the think-tank 'The International Alliance of Leading Education Institutes', which was formed at a summit in Singapore in 2007, and which is aimed to produce insight and recommendations on educational matters, much like the World Economic Forum does on economic matters.

Based on a joint comparative research project, the nine members will use the occasion of the conference to present and discuss their analysis of and recommendations for teacher education under the following headlines:

• The need for professionalisation of the teachers
• The need to attract teacher students with better qualifications
• The need for new partnerships to improve the contents of teacher training.

The conference at the DPU on 18 August will be opened by the Danish Minister of Education, Mr. Bertel Haarder, and is the first of its kind. From now on, the Alliance will hold an annual conference at one of the member institutions to present the most recent analyses and recommendations about curriculum research, teaching and education.

"It is beyond discussion that knowledge, education and learning have become global matters. Unlike other productive forces such as land and industry, knowledge can not be limited to a specific region or nation, but moves freely across borders. Therefore, education and educational policy are subjects which can only be comprehensively studied and explained in a global perspective," says Dean Lars Qvortrup, The Danish School of Education, DPU

When the Alliance convenes on 18 August, the theme for the next year's work in the Alliance will be decided, and Denmark will take over the chairmanship from Singapore.

A press conference where all the Alliance members will be represented will be held from 12 to 12.30 on 18 August.

Registration and programme

www.dpu.dk/teachereducation

For further information, please contact

Director of Internationalisation at the DPU, Arne Carlsen

DPU Webeditor, Carsten Henriksen

The Alliance comprises:

• School of Education, Beijing Normal University, People's Republic of China
• Institute of Education, University of London, UK
• National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
• Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Canada
• Melbourne Graduate School of Education, Melbourne University, Australia
• Faculty of Education, University of Wisconsin, USA
• Danish School of Education, University of Aarhus, Denmark
• Faculty of Education, Seoul National University, Korea
• Faculty of Education, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil