Opening Session

This keynote address will present the influential work in Economics by Professor James Heckman, which has shown the importance of quality education from the earliest age in improving the chances of personal and professional fulfillment for individuals and their children, and in breaking the cycle of poverty. 

Recent advances in brain science offer a major insight into this work, as they provide a better understanding of the importance of early skills development for individual growth and fulfillment. This insight will be illustrated during three round-table discussions featuring current research on early childhood development and learning.