UK to host debate by global education experts

Over 250 participants from Ministries of Education, schools, universities and exam boards from all over the world are expected to attend the 34th annual conference of the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA). It will be announced on Friday 21 September at this year's IAEA conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, that Cambridge Assessment will host the next conference at Cambridge University's Robinson College from 7-12 September 2008 as part of the celebrations for its 150th anniversary in 2008.

Internationally recognised education thinkers Professor Robert J Mislevy, of the University of Maryland, and Professor Dylan Wiliam, of the Institute of Education, London, will be the keynote speakers. They will present challenging views on the way assessment has changed and the directions it may take in the future. The main conference theme, Re-interpreting Assessment: Society, Measurement and Meaning, will encourage debate on technical measurement issues and how results from assessments are used in the wider world.

Group Chief Executive of Cambridge Assessment, Simon Lebus, said: "Effective assessment enriches lives, broadens horizons and shapes futures, and shows us when education works. The skills people require to succeed keep changing, and assessment must evolve to keep pace. We want to ensure individuals continue to progress - assessment must inform the learning process. We very much look forward to welcoming participants to Cambridge."

The sub themes include using technology in assessment, standard setting, multiculturalism, and assessment and equity issues. Participants will be able to consider the main issues, challenges and developments in the field of assessment today.

The Cambridge Assessment Group is one of the world's largest assessment agencies, and a not-for-profit organisation. It was established in 1858 by the University of Cambridge to provide examinations for people who were not members of the University. It also inspected schools, with the aim of raising standards in education. Today, Cambridge Assessment is a major player in education delivering examinations and tests in 150 countries around the world, and serving eight million candidates every year.

Notes to Editors:


1. About Professor Robert J Mislevy

Robert Mislevy is professor of Measurement and Statistics at the University of Maryland, and was previously Distinguished Research Scientist at ETS. His research applies developments in technology and cognitive psychology to practical problems in educational assessment. Examples include the multiple-imputation analysis in the National Assessment of Educational Progress, an evidence-centered assessment design framework, and, with the Cisco Learning Institute, simulation-based tasks to assess computer network troubleshooting. He is a member of the National Academy of Education, been president of the Psychometric Society, and received career awards from the National Council on Measurement in Education and the American Educational Research Association.


2. About Professor Dylan Wiliam

Dylan Wiliam is Deputy Director of the Institute of Education, London. In a varied career, he has taught in urban public schools, directed a large-scale testing program, served a number of roles in university administration, including Dean of a School of Education, and pursued a research programme focused on supporting teachers to develop their use of assessment in support of learning.


3. About the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA)

Founded in 1975, the IAEA is a not-for-profit, non-government association of measurement agencies around the world. The broad purpose of IAEA is to assist educational agencies in the development and appropriate application of educational assessment techniques to improve the quality of education. IAEA believes that this is best achieved through international cooperation and seeks to facilitate the development of closer ties among relevant agencies and individuals around the world. IAEA believes that such international cooperation can help nations learn from each other without any diminution of their cultural autonomy. For further information, please visit www.iaea.info

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