WISE On Air

In the latest #WISEOnAir episode, our Research and Policy Lead Sopiko Beriashvili is joined by World Bank Group Education Specialist Dr. Cristóbal Cobo to examine how #technology is reshaping cognition, #learning, and human capability.

In the age of #AI, this conversation explores what it means to design #innovation that strengthens thinking rather than replaces it.

00:00 - Introduction: AI's Impact on Education

01:19 - The Nature of AI: Truth, Data, and Skepticism

04:08 - The Role of Intelligent Skepticism & Cognitive Offloading

07:04 - AI: Enhancing Human Thinking vs. Creating Dependency

11:21 - AI's Influence on Human Cognition, Language, and Emotion

16:09 - Case Study: AI Tutors in Low-Resource Settings

21:02 - Transparency and Redefining Cognition with AI

25:10 - Navigating the Digital Divide & Shaping Future Generations

28:50 - A Policy Framework for AI in Education

The Next Chapter: Where Does Education Innovation Go From Here? | #WISEOnAir Podcast

Former CEO Stavros Yiannouka sits down with CEO Dr. Asyia Kazmi, OBE for a forward-looking conversation on the future of education innovation.

In this episode, they explore the questions shaping what comes next, from AI to impact and what truly matters to measure.

▶️ Watch and subscribe for more conversations from WISE On Air

00:00–01:34 – Arrival at WISE: Purpose and Context

01:35–03:01 – Education City: Vision and Ecosystems

03:02–05:12 – Early Teaching: Equity and Identity

05:13–07:55 – School Leadership: Outcomes Over Inputs

07:56–10:14 – UK Civil Service and DFID: Education and Development

10:15–13:54 – Global Policy Work: Pedagogy and Evidence

13:55–15:55 – Inspectorate Leadership: Data and Accountability

15:56–21:02 – Girls’ Education at Scale: Barriers and Impact

21:03–24:32 – Gates Foundation: Learning, EdTech, and AI

24:33–28:03 – Joining WISE: Leadership Transition

28:04–33:44 – WISE as a Global Movement

33:45–35:45 – Education in a Changing World

35:46–39:33 – The WISE Index: Rethinking Outcomes

39:34–41:24 – From Insight to Action: Why Outcomes Differ

41:25–44:01 – The Handover: Advice and Looking Ahead

Leading Education Innovation: Reflections from a Decade | #WISEOnAir Podcast

As WISE enters a new chapter, CEO Dr. Asyia Kazmi, OBE, joins former CEO Stavros Yiannouka for an open conversation about the evolution of education innovation.

From WISE’s beginnings in Qatar to its global influence today, they explore what it really takes to drive meaningful change — and what lessons leaders should carry forward.

🎧 Listen: https://pod.link/wiseonair

▶️ Watch & subscribe for more stories: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDPidX4eUx7ffHnpgqUh7_IJ8xb5tTTsx

Chapters:

00:00 – 02:33 Introduction

02:35 – 07:17 Former CEO Stavros Yiannouka Journey

07:18 – 14:18 How WISE Became Influential — and Why Qatar Matters

14:18 – 23:18 Redefining What Education Means

23:18 – 34:39 Is This the Innovation We Should Take Seriously?

34:39 – 39:30 Who Decides What’s Acceptable in the Classroom?

39:30 – 44:00 What I Wish I Knew Then — and What I’d Do Differently

44:00 – 45:13 Gratitude and Final Thoughts

Rooted in Culture, Ready for Tomorrow: Community-Driven Education Innovation | #WISEOnAir Podcast

How can education systems honor cultural roots while preparing students for the future?

In this episode, we feature WISE Prize finalists Fadia Hamdi (Queen Rania Foundation, Jordan) and Abdulhamid Haidar (Darsel, U.S.), who share how their initiatives blend tradition with innovation to build resilient learning communities.

Chapters:

00:00–01:46 Introduction

01:46–02:46 Solutions Beyond the MVP: What Iqrali.jo and Darsel Offer with WISE Prize Support

02:47–04:37 Preserving Arabic Literacy and Heritage

04:38–05:45 Adapting Tools to Cultural Contexts

05:45–08:17 Why Emotional Connections Matter

08:18–10:47 Building Inclusive Educational Solutions

10:48–13:37 Engaging Communities in Design

13:38–16:12 Access for Refugee & Marginalized Communities

16:13–18:05 Lessons from Diverse Implementations

18:05–21:17 Incentivizing Parents and Students

21:17–end WISE Prize Support and Future Plans

Listen to the full episode: https://pod.link/wiseonair

118: AI as a Creative Partner: Redefining Human Potential in Education by WISE Qatar Foundation

In this episode of WISE On Air, we explore how sensory education is breaking barriers and transforming literacy and numeracy for learners often left behind by traditional systems. We speak with two remarkable WISE Prize finalists who are pioneering innovative solutions for students with diverse needs and communities with limited access to education.

From Qatar, Ramy Abdulzaher, Co-Founder and COO of @Bonocle, shares how Braille-based technology and gamified learning tools are improving Arabic literacy for visually impaired students. From Nigeria, Gideon Olanrewaju, Chief Executive Director of the Aid for Rural Education Access Initiative (@AREAi), demonstrates how offline digital pens and multilingual resources are delivering literacy programs to refugee camps with no internet access.

In this episode, we discuss:

How Braille technology fosters inclusion and engagement for students with visual impairments

The potential of Fast Track tools to transform literacy learning for underserved communities

How Bonocle adapts its solutions to meet diverse needs across different regions and communities

The role of the WISE Prize in helping scale and accelerate these impactful educational initiatives

This conversation highlights how touch, sound, and human connection are redefining what literacy and learning mean in the twenty-first century and expanding opportunities for students who are often overlooked.

About the Guests:

Ramy Abdulzaher is the Co-Founder and COO of Bonocle in Qatar, developing Braille-based solutions to improve Arabic literacy for visually impaired students.

Gideon Olanrewaju is the Chief Executive Director of AREAi in Nigeria, leading initiatives that bring literacy to refugee communities through offline and multilingual learning technologies.

🎧 Subscribe to WISE On Air: https://pod.link/wiseonair

Learn more about WISE: https://www.wise-qatar.org

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

01:27 Introducing Ramy Abdulzaher & Gideon Olanrewaju

01:48 How Does Braille Technology Foster Inclusion in Education?

04:59 Can the Fast Track Tools Transform Literacy Learning?

12:05 How Bonocle Designs for Inclusion Across Communities

18:37 How WISE Prize Helped Fast Track

21:28 Appreciation and Farewell

Are ‘Growth Markets’ the Future of Global Prosperity?

In Episode 116 of WISE On Air, Elyas Felfoul, WISE Director, sits down with Dina Sherif, Executive Director of the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, to explore why the world should rethink how we define prosperity.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

01:52 What is the Center?

03:04 Entrepreneurship Beyond Aid

04:43 Demographic Advantage in Growth Markets

09:31 Modernization Without Westernization

10:40 Are the Developing Markets Ready for 1.2 billion young people?

23:57 Uncertainty: The New Normal in the Global Economy

27:38 Innovation Ecosystems That Work

34:03 Advice for Entrepreneurs in Emerging Economies

Watch now and join the conversation.

Register for #WISE12 - Join us for the world's premier education innovation summit: https://wise-qatar.org/wise-12/

In this episode of WISE On Air, we explore the human side of #artificialintelligence with Professor Munther Dahleh, founding director of MIT's Institute for Data Systems and Society. As machines become increasingly capable, Munther argues that understanding people, not just #algorithms, will determine whether AI truly serves humanity.

From his early work designing control systems for spacecraft to his current focus on societal applications of #AI, Munther shares insights on:

- The "trilingual student" concept - why future innovators need technical skills, social science understanding, and domain expertise

- Why he uses ChatGPT for reports but never for recommendation letters

- The hidden dangers of "mediocre systems at scale"

- How self-driving cars force us to confront moral decisions we never ask human drivers to make

- Why he wishes he had studied more philosophy and anthropology

- The future of healthcare, education, and work in an AI-driven world

Munther challenges the notion that technological advancement alone will solve society's problems, emphasizing that the most critical breakthroughs may come from understanding human behavior, ethics, and social systems.

About the Guest:

Professor Munther Dahleh is a Professor at MIT and founding director of the Institute for Data Systems and Society. He is the author of "Data Systems and Society: Harnessing AI for Societal Good" and has spent over three decades working at the intersection of #technology and #society.

00:00 Introduction and Personal Experience with ChatGPT

00:22 Welcome to Wise On Air

00:30 Introducing Professor Munther Dahleh

02:02 The Journey to AI and Control Systems

04:13 From Machines to Social Networks

13:45 The Concept of Trilingual Students

15:28 AI's Impact on Society and Education

25:53 The Future of Jobs and Continuous Learning

29:10 Open Access and Vocational Education

30:31 Ethics and Data Privacy in AI

33:29 Self-Driving Cars and Moral Dilemmas

37:39 Global AI Collaboration and Geopolitics

42:36 AI's Role in Healthcare and Research

49:59 The Future of AI and Human Expertise

52:45 Final Thoughts and Advice for the Next Generation

🎧 Subscribe to WISE On Air: https://pod.link/wiseonair

Learn more about WISE: https://www.wise-qatar.org

Is Community Wisdom More Powerful Than a Degree?

In this special conversation, Cameroonian environmentalist Farmer Tantoh explores how indigenous knowledge is not only relevant but vital to solving today’s water and sustainability challenges.

Through stories of clean water access for tens of thousands and grassroots education, he reminds us that environmental learning can thrive outside the classroom.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction

01:44 – The State of Water Conservation Today

02:37 – Are We Teaching Water Issues Effectively?

03:33 – Rethinking Environmental Education

04:56 – Reviving Tradition in Modern Communities

06:01 – What School Missed About Sustainability

07:34 – Teaching Water Wisdom to the Next Generation

10:02 – Passing Down Traditional Farming Knowledge

12:27 – Blending Ancestral Wisdom with Modern Science

If you enjoyed this episode, would you consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It really helps out the show and we would greatly appreciate it.

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What if the future of sustainable architecture lies in ancient techniques?

In this episode of #WISEOnAir, Youness Ouazri, founder of @ecodomemaroc5918, shares how traditional Moroccan Earth-building is offering powerful solutions for modern architectural challenges. From engineering classrooms to rural communities, he reflects on the gaps in conventional education and the potential of ancestral wisdom, hands-on training, and local materials to create a more sustainable and inclusive future.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

01:54 Engineering vs. Earth Building

04:34 Sustainability Lessons from Morocco

07:11 Ancient Wisdom, Modern Standards

10:26 Bridging the Skills Gap

11:37 First Impressions of Earth Domes

14:55 Winning Trust in Earth Construction

16:06 The Power of Hands-On Training

17:30 Rethinking Architecture Education

20:12 Evolving Education for Sustainability

🎓 About WISE On Air:

#WISEOnAir is a podcast where we seek insights from the world's leading minds on the future of education and beyond. Brought to you by WISE, the global platform for education innovators.

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If you enjoyed this episode, would you consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It really helps out the show and we would greatly appreciate it.

Website: wise-qatar.org

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