Campus News

College of Education and AdvancED's Innovation Summit to Bring Education Leaders to Campus

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 27, 2012) — This week, leaders in education, businesses and communities will come together to share ideas that will help transform education in Kentucky.

The 2012 Innovation Summit, co-sponsored by the University of Kentucky College of Education and the AdvancED Kentucky state office, will be held Thursday and Friday, Nov. 29 and 30, at the Lexington Convention Center. The two entities have joined forces under the belief that innovation in education is critically important to educational institutions, as well the future vitality of the state in a diverse, globalized and technology-rich world.

By assembling forward-thinking members of the Kentucky education community, as well as regional and national leaders in education, the Summit aims to create innovative approaches to drive excellence in our state’s system of schools, or P20.

"We hope that by bringing education and business innovators all together from preschool through college we can reduce barriers to preparing all Kentucky students for success in 21st century careers and global citizenship," said Mary John O'Hair, UK College of Education dean.

This year's theme is "Local Focus…Global Impact," and will concentrate on developing a deeper understanding of how to narrow the global achievement gap and better prepare students for a highly competitive and challenging future. Sessions will address P20 issues surrounding student preparedness for the "next level" at the elementary, secondary, and post- secondary levels.

Global and local business and P-12 and higher education leaders will participate, including UK President Eli Capilouto; Gene Wilhoit, executive director, Council of Chief State School Officers; Ron Townsend, executive vice president of Battelle’s Global Laboratory Operations; Herb Miller, president, Columbia Gas; Bob Quick, president and CEO, Commerce Lexington, as well as more than 100 school leaders from the Kentucky P20 Innovation Lab’s Next Generation Leadership Academy. The UK colleges of Agriculture, Arts & Sciences, Business and Economics, Communication and Information, Education, Engineering, Dentistry, Design, Fine Arts, Pharmacy, and Public Health will all be involved.

Click here for a list of featured speakers.

For more information, including registration, visit www.cvent.com/events/innovation-summit-2012/event-summary-4cedf49763ea4a5c8179009206b70e76.aspx or view the 2012 Innovation Summit program.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jenny Wells, (859) 257-5343; Jenny.Wells@uky.edu