Khalifa International Award for Early Learning Drives Global Progress in Childhood Development
Abu Dhabi, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 05th Sep, 2026) Professor Florencia Lopez Boo, Director of Global TIES for Children and Professor of Economics and Applied Psychology at New York University (NYU) in the United States, has won the Khalifa International Award for Early Learning in the Research and Studies category for her research titled “Research Study to Inform Quality Improvement at Scale in Early Childhood Development Interventions in Low and Middle-Income Countries.”
According to her, this recognition is a significant milestone for applied research and studies at NYU. It has encouraged researchers and faculty members specializing in early childhood development to expand the implementation of such programs globally, building on the successful initial results achieved in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru.
The study and its associated program contributed to substantial reforms in early childhood policies in these countries by introducing tools for quality monitoring. Furthermore, it supports a research agenda focused on enhancing the quality of care and development services for young children, thereby opening up wider opportunities for healthy, social, and educational development in environments that foster creativity.
The home-visiting program targeted children from birth to three years old. In its initial phase, it reached 33,190 children across 400 local communities before expanding to serve approximately 150,000 children. Professor Lopez Boo emphasized the importance of such programs and their potential to serve as a foundation for early childhood systems where investing in young children is an investment in the future.
She suggested that the study's findings could be a model for implementing similar programs in comparable settings with limited resources allocated to early childhood care and development.
Humaid Al Houti, Secretary General of the Khalifa Award for Education, stated that the recognition highlights the global role of the Khalifa International Award for Early Learning in promoting high-quality research offering practical solutions to challenges related to children's care and development. He assured that the Award will continue to collaborate with the winning researcher to advance its mission and objectives, aiming to create a positive humanitarian impact worldwide.