From 2 to 3 December 2025, the "International Forum on Developing University Education Programs in Arab Countries in Light of Future Skills & Professions" was held in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. The event was co-organized by the UNESCO Regional Center for Quality and Excellence in Education (hereinafter referred to as "UNESCO RCQE") and Arabian Gulf University, with support from the Ministry of Education of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Under the theme "Together towards Arab Higher Education Aligned with Future Skills & Professions", the forum brought together hundreds of experts, scholars, and industry representatives from across the Arab region to explore pathways for the future development of higher education in Arab countries. The International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO (hereinafter referred to as "UNESCO-ICHEI") was invited to participate.
International Forum on Developing University Education Programs in Arab Countries in Light of Future Skills & Professions
The forum welcomed senior representatives from multiple governments and international organizations. Participants included the Minister of Education of Bahrain, the Minister of Higher Education of Syria, the Minister of Higher Education and the Minister of Vocational Training of Mauritania, as well as ministerial representatives from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar. Leaders of international bodies such as the Association of Arab Universities, the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States, and UNESCO Doha also attended.
During the opening ceremony, H.E. Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education of the Kingdom of Bahrain, emphasized that Arab countries must proactively respond to new labor-market demands by advancing digital transformation in higher education, modernizing curricula, and strengthening international cooperation to cultivate talent equipped with innovation and leadership skills. He noted that this forum, bringing together representatives from various countries and international organizations, serves as a crucial platform for jointly discussing strategies and promoting substantive collaboration.
H.E. Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education of the Kingdom of Bahrain
To build the future of Arab higher education, Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Mudaires, Director of the UNESCO Regional Center for Quality and Excellence in Education, emphasized the need to safeguard educational equity amid increasing economic pressures. He noted that higher education must leverage large language models and other digital technologies to drive curriculum innovation, and strengthen collaboration with international institutions such as the UNESCO International Centre for Higher Education Innovation (UNESCO-ICHEI) in order to jointly advance continuous improvements across education systems.
Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Mudaires, Director of the UNESCO Regional Center for Quality and Excellence in Education
Ms. YUAN Xin,Programme Officer of the International Partnerships Department of the UNESCO International Centre for Higher Education Innovation (UNESCO-ICHEI), delivered a presentation at the thematic session titled "Predicting Emerging Professions: Building Digital and Artificial Intelligence Competencies for Higher Education Professionals." Drawing on the International Institute of Online Education (hereinafter "IIOE") and its work in course development, localized training, and industry-related capacity-building programmes, she shared UNESCO-ICHEI's global collaboration experiences in strengthening higher education teachers’ digital competencies and AI literacy. She highlighted in particular the achievements jointly realized with the IIOE National Centre in Egypt, Ain Shams University, including Smart Classroom construction, the implementation of IIOE training programmes, and the integration of these efforts into the university’s teacher development policies. She concluded by inviting all partners to join UNESCO-ICHEI in advancing deeper cooperation in the digital transformation of higher education.
Ms. YUAN Xin,Programme Officer, UNESCO-ICHEI
The forum focused on key areas such as curriculum reform, teacher training, and university–industry collaboration, setting out a clear roadmap for the future of higher education in the Arab region. The meeting also facilitated the establishment of new regional and international university cooperation networks, marking a significant step toward building an enhanced higher education framework and empowering the next generation across the Arab world.
About the UNESCO Regional Center for Quality and Excellence in Education (RCQE)
As a UNESCO Category 2 Centre in the Arab region, RCQE is dedicated to strengthening regional education quality assurance systems, supporting the development of educational standards, and promoting policy cooperation. Through close collaboration with ministries of education, higher education institutions, regional bodies, and international partners, RCQE plays an essential role in supporting education modernization and enhancing regional capacity in policy harmonization, standard development, data systems, and knowledge sharing.
