This year's ATEE's annual conference is being held in Malta. The conference starts today and continues over the next three days. This conference attracts leading teacher educators from around the world to discuss the latest developments, research in the various areas of teacher education and learning. This year's theme is the central part that professional trained teachers have to play in nurturing the learning society.

The learning society for teacher education institutions will be debated. How can student teachers be prepared and equipped to become 'learning' and not just 'teaching', professionals? What institutional structures and processes best facilitate the development of the intellectual and personal profiles that are open to new knowledge and are keen to innovate and respond effectively to fresh challenges? In other words, how can teacher education institutions become learning organisations that embody the knowledge, skills, attitudes and wisdom that foreshadow and facilitate the coming about of the learning society?

The annual conference is being organised under the aegis of the Faculty of Education and the University of Malta and is supported by the Ministry of Education. The conference will be officially opened by the Education Minister Dr Louis Galea today at 7 p.m. at the Gateway Building, Tal-Qroqq campus.