Penn State College of Education to Co-Host CIES 2012 Conference in Puerto Rico
by Joe Savrock (March 2012)
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Three Penn State entities—the College of Education, the University Office of Global Programs, and the Comparative and International Education program—are collaborating with the University of Puerto Rico School of Education to host the 56th Annual Conference of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES). The event will be held April 22–27, 2012 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a Commonwealth of the U.S.
As the largest annual event of its kind, the CIES Annual Conference has established itself as an important forum for education scholars, policymakers, and students to gather and exchange ideas about the trends shaping education around the world.
Approximately 2,000 domestic and international participants are expected to attend this year’s conference. Through the theme of “The Worldwide Education Revolution,” the conference intends to highlight the social, cultural, and political consequences that the global expansion of the schooled society has had on human life.
David P. Baker, Penn State professor of education and sociology, is organizing the event. Baker is president elect of CIES.
“This is a great collaboration between Penn State and the University of Puerto Rico,” said Baker. “It promises a dynamic and exciting program for comparative scholars and policy analysts in education worldwide. Given the cultural diversity of Puerto Rico, its unique political and social relationship to the U.S., and its long history of education across multiple cultures, it is a fantastic site for this year’s conference.”
Several Penn State scholars are among the conference’s planning committee: associate professor Ladislaus Semali, and graduate students Samira Halabi, Adrienne Henck, Shannon Smythe Fleishman, and William Smith. Two Penn State faculty members—Michael Adewumi, vice provost for global programs and Solsiree Del Moral, assistant professor of history—will deliver keynote addresses.
The dean of University of Puerto Rico’s School of Education, Juanita Rodriguez Colon, is an alumna of Penn State’s College of Education.
Previous conferences have been held in Montreal; Charleston, S.C.; and New York.
More information can be found on the conference Web site.
