A conference focusing on educational issues affecting black men comes to Bermuda next month.

The fifth annual International Colloquium on Black Males in Education will run from October 4 to 7, with events taking place daily at the Fairmont Southampton hotel.

The forum — organised by Bermuda College, the Ministry of Education and the University of Wisconsin, Madison — will bring together education pioneers, scholastic funders, practitioners, policymakers, as well as college undergraduate and graduate students.

This year’s theme is “Educational Transitions and Life Trajectories: Bridging Pathways to Success for Black Males”.

Participants can share their knowledge and experiences, while also learning about research strategies on educational policies both in Bermuda and around the world.

Keynote speakers will include Bermuda College alumnus Dr Ty-Ron Douglas, an assistant professor at the University of Missouri, as well as Dr Shaun Harper from the University of Pennsylvania, who was appointed to Barack Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper” advisory council last year, and black psychology pioneer Dr Joseph L. White from the University of California, Irvine.

Local educators such as Cordell Riley, Dr Llew Simmons and Dr Lou Matthews will also share their thoughts.

Dr Matthews from the Ministry of Education said: “The colloquium comes at the time where we are collectively concerned about the quality of life and its outcomes for black males in Bermuda.

“We hope it will prick our national consciousness in ways that lead to sustained action, inspiration and hope.”

Members of the public can attend the free “Colloquium Conversations” event on Tuesday October 4 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

See www.globalcolloquium.org for further details, or e-mail cmoss@wisc.edu for registration information and payment options.