Panel Discussion I: Lessons Learned From COVID-19: How to Adapt, Overcome & Enhance a Sustainable Higher Education Model

Crisis requires society to renew itself, albeit in a disruptive way. The current Covid-19 pandemic has transformed our ways of working, living, and connecting to each other on a global level.  While the pandemic has triggered along a range of short-, medium- and longer-term challenges; it has also triggered innovations and long waited changes for the future. We have seen universities and colleges innovating to fight the outbreak; faculty have rapidly shifted their teaching online, student affairs division started re-thinking its support services such as: online advising, virtual career fairs and online graduation; new forms of collaborations were established, online conferences and events became more frequent and common, etc.

This panel will focus on what did the HE sector learn from the pandemic and how it can capitalize on such lessons. It will also discuss how are higher education institutions undergoing radical transformations driven by the need to survive and sustain. Overall, the panel aims at achieving the following objectives:

• Explore the short- and longer-term impact COVID-19 has had – and continues to have – on universities and colleges
• Discuss how the higher education eco-system has changed in response to COVID-19 and what would it look like in a post pandemic era
• Identify what has worked and what has not, as we have struggled to overcome the immense challenges caused by the pandemic
• Discuss possible recommendations and strategies to build a sustainable model in post-Covid

Webinar 1: Exploring the Future of HE: Leveraging on Micro-credentials to Offer Flexible Learning Pathways

Micro-credentials are quickly emerging as a response to the urgent need to reskill and upskill many who find their future disrupted by COVID-19. They are becoming a key component of many government strategies for upskilling and reskilling. Generally, micro-credentials are designed to help close the skills gap and get people back to work. They also reflect a trend toward on-demand, short-form learning that is focused on skills, competencies and specific capabilities — a shift away from long-form learning, such as degrees and diplomas.

As colleges and universities start focusing on micro-credentials, they need to take into consideration a number of key issues which will ensure they do not miss out on the opportunity to achieve meaningful outcomes and help people secure skills-based employment. This 3-hour webinar will discuss what micro-credentials are, how they will  help the transform of Higher Education and how they can fit into higher education systems. Case studies and examples of national and institutional efforts will be discussed. Key topics addressed during the webinar include:

• Why are micro-credentials getting momentum?
• Defining micro-credentials
• Current opportunities and issues for micro-credentials
• Designing and developing micro-credentials: the Essentials
• National skills strategy and qualification frameworks
• Examples of bachelor’s degrees using micro-credentials
• Assessing Micro-Credential Skills and Competencies

Dear Forum Participants

• Kindly be informed that the online registration is now closed
• You can still register on the first day of the Forum through approaching the “Walk-in” Registration Stand
• Please be informed that that no discounts may apply for the “walk-in registration” and the regular registration fee will apply as listed on the website. Only cash payments in UAE Dirham or US Dollars will be accepted.

We look forward to meeting you soon.

Dear Forum Participants

• Kindly be informed that the online registration will close on Saturday 22nd of February, 2020 at 20:00 UAE Time.
• On-site registrations and payments will still be possible on the day of the Forum. However, please note that the regular registration fee will apply and only cash payments in UAE Dirham or US Dollars will be accepted.

We look forward to meeting you soon.

Case Studies’ Presentation Parallel Streams| 26^th February, 2020

Case Studies’ Presentation Parallel Streams| 26^th February, 2020

Case Studies’ Presentation Parallel Streams| 26^th February, 2020

Abstract
Higher education institutions – including research universities, universities of applied science, and community colleges – are exploring innovative practices to engage with their ecosystems and help firms innovate, communities solve societal challenges, and individuals thrive vis-à-vis the future of work. What was once called the “third mission” of HEIs, has become a broader concept that requires HEIs to connect proactively with their ecosystems and networks. Higher education institutions can promote students’ entrepreneurial skills – creativity, team work, accountability, etc. – and can cooperate with business of all size to improve their innovation capacity and productivity. To engage with such activities, higher education systems and institutions need to adopt governance and leadership innovations and to generate synergies with other policy sectors including internationalisation, regional development, industrial innovation, SDGs, etc. Within this context, to support governments and institutions, the OECD and the European Commission have implemented HEInnovate; a holistic guiding framework promoting international policy dialogue and good practices.

Building Education Hubs of the Future 

Over the last few years, the growth of the international branch campuses has been one of the most striking developments in the internationalization of higher education in particular in the Middle East and South East Asia regions.

While the establishment of branch campuses or hubs of universities has been a strategy to create new revenue streams for home institutions; it is seen as one of the riskiest forms of transnational education with many potential reputational and financial risks associated. Many questions remain in need to be addressed such as: what do the branch campuses bring to their host countries? How are economic, social and cultural aspects considered? how is quality assurance be exercised? To what extent do branch campuses really seek to replicate the home campus learning experience? and how much mobility is there between campuses?

In this round table higher education leaders will discuss in a structured and reflective manner the following key questions; the outcomes of the discussions held will serve as the foundation to post-forum plans and further actions:

• What opportunities do branch campuses bring and what associated implications and challenges are there for the host country and home institution.
• What is happening in your region? National and regional context – policies and developments within different regions and the sort of models that exist
• What are the implications on the quality of education for both the home institution and the country where they operate?
• Did the pandemic bring change to internationalization and the emergence of the traditional branch campuses? Can we focus on virtual mobility and exchange of knowledge instead?
• How can we benefit from the lessons we have learned so far and what sort of strategies can we put forward?

Re-inventing HE: New Pedagogies and Practices for Teaching, Learning and Assessment

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced sudden transformation in teaching, learning and assessment practices. Educators from around the globe and at all levels experienced the necessity of rethinking their roles, the way they deliver learning and how they engage students in meaningful learning activities. The image of students as self-organizing learners, active citizens and autonomous social agents has been under discussion. The purpose of assessment and its role have also been reexamined.

Educators started exploring the use of technology along innovative pedagogical strategies which can have a significant role on student motivation, persistence and skills acquisition in an online or hybrid environment and which have the potential to present ways to bridge theory and practice and get students to make sense of what they learn.

Moreover, in recent years, technological advancements in robotics, virtual reality, cloud technology, artificial intelligence, the internet of things and other technologies, etc. have presented many exciting opportunities for the sector which have the potential to transform teaching and learning.

The pandemic has presented for many educators an opportunity for promising practices and to re-think as educators our assumptions about what we do? Why we do it? and and how we do it?
This also implies the need for a more strategic vision for teaching and learning and to consider the strategic implications for such changes and the type of support and resources required.

In this round table higher education leaders will discuss in a structured and reflective manner the following key questions; the outcomes of the discussions held will serve as the foundation to post-forum plans and further actions:

• What are the lessons we have learnt from the teaching in times of crisis?
• What sort of learning experiences should our learners be exposed to, in order to be able to thrive in the 21st century?
• How can we balance technology, pedagogy, assessment and the new normal?
• What good examples of pedagogical and technological innovation are there and how these can be sustained?
• What should our pedagogical Framework for teaching, learning assessment embrace?
• What support is required to transform teaching and learning?

Post Pandemic Strategies for a Resilient Higher Education Sector

The COVID-19 crisis has created a planetary disruption to the higher education sector and continues to bring many short- and longer-term challenges that will need to be tackled; but along these challenges are acute lessons and opportunities to create a better, more responsive, inclusive, collaborative and resilient educational system that can contribute to the overall betterment of our educational eco-system, provide sound expertise and emergency solutions, and help address the global development agenda. A chance to leverage on the invention and ingenuity that has emerged in the last two years and scale it up and an opportunity for stronger collaboration and synergies across sectors.

Hence, at the present time higher education leaders globally are under immense pressure to navigate multiple priorities and continue to build resilience, to rethink their value proposition and how they will position their institutions and complete in a more global world. Leaders are in need to seriously consider the multiple discussions around the relevance of the sector.

How institutions will re-invent themselves and emerge stronger will depend on what institutional strategies leaders choose during this critical period. Many HEIs are looking at: longer term and larger scale digital learning transformation to address more than the continuity of learning, re-inventing partnerships and industry collaborations, considering non-conventional learning pathways such micro credentials; while others are thinking about the post pandemic campus and how to build communities with unique hybrid experiences, how to better tackle inequalities,

Broadly, during this round table leaders of HE in collaboration with the session moderator and co- moderator will aim at addressing the following key questions, the outcomes of the discussions held will serve as the foundation to post-forum plans and further actions:

• How the pandemic has changed higher education and development and what are the lessons we have learnt?
• What invention and ingenuity that has emerged in the last few months that has a potential to scale up?
• Digital transformation; Academic governance; Student employability; Student and social entrepreneurship; Networking; International cooperation; Training of trainers; Pedagogical innovation; Research and development; Quality and accreditation. The list is long of priorities for which new pathways may be defined. What actions and strategies should be focused on and what implications and/ or reforms may this have on the system at a macro and micro level ? Regarding these issues,what are the core challenges to be faced ?

Our Golden Moment: Leading What’s Next

While the pandemic has “stress tested” higher education across the world, it has also brought about tectonic changes that leaders must understand and address. Dr. O’Brien, a former college president, provost, and technology leader, will share what he and EDUCAUSE research suggests leaders need to know as they think about what’s next. In many ways, times are challenging; in many ways we are experiencing a “golden moment” with the opportunity for positive change.

Blackboard Brief:
Blackboard is an EdTech leader offering a portfolio of connected capabilities aimed at making measurable and sustainable impact on the student experience. Our mission is to serve the global education community and enable student and institutional success with innovative technologies and services.
Blackboard partners with clients to facilitate engaging learning experiences—experiences that are seamless, intuitive and insightful. In the classroom, across campus, from enrollment to graduation, institutions are using Blackboard solutions to deliver the type of connected learning, support network and community today’s lifelong students demand.
Our solutions provide institutions education insights that are accessible, relevant and actionable.
In partnership with Blackboard, institutions are using data to inform decisions and change behaviors. They are leveraging data from all touchpoints and delivering insights at every level, providing the right information, to the right person, at the right time. With education insight, institutions are enhancing understanding, making informed decisions and defining and validating institutional performance.
Our portfolio of solutions is open, scalable and integrated to support excellence in all things teaching & learning. Institutions are seeking technology ecosystems that fit the specific needs of their users. As Blackboard partners, they are establishing adaptable platforms that simplify integration across all solutions and work seamlessly across existing systems. Institutions are maximizing resources, creating dynamic ecosystems and anticipating the future driving academic effectiveness.
With 100 million users across 90 countries, an unmatched partner ecosystem, the most comprehensive student success solutions and best-in-class technology, Blackboard is education’s partner in change.

www.blackboard.com

Quality Assurance in higher education has undergone significant change over the last ten years. Driven by governments, technology and universities themselves the policies and processes for quality assurance have had to react to a multitude of external pressures. In the UK, there has been a divergence in methodologies to cope with the changes going on in the sector both in the nations of the UK and internationally.

 As this year’s theme points out, the higher education sector ecosystem itself will need to rapidly evolve to meet the changing demands of new technologies and ways of learning. In the next ten years, universities must be both at the forefront of developments in the fourth and future industrial revolutions, and adapting to accommodate new ways of learning. Higher education quality assurance will need to be able to support that innovation and adaptation through developments of procedures and of external QA Agencies themselves.”

Dr. Osama Obeidat is the Chief Executive Officer of Queen Rania Teacher Academy. He
brings more than 20 years of experience in education quality, policy, evaluation, reform,
among other areas. Previously, he was with Abu Dhabi Department of Education and
Knowledge where he worked for 6 years as the Director of the school inspection system,
which monitors and evaluates the quality of education in all public and private schools at
the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Before moving to Abu Dhabi, Dr. Osama established and managed multiple monitoring
and evaluation systems in Jordan. He also consulted for several local and international
organizations such as the World Bank, UNICEF, EDT, Ministries of Education in Saudi
Arabia, Oman, Rwanda, and Iraq.
Dr. Osama’s academic experience include working for 5 years as a professor and
researcher of education at the Hashemite University in Jordan. He also worked for 3 years
as an Assistant to the Director, Institute of International Studies in Education at the
University of Pittsburgh-USA.
Dr. Osama holds a PhD in International and Development of Education from the University
of Pittsburgh in 2003, a Certificate in Evaluation Practices from George Washington
University as well as an Executive Leadership Certificate from INSEAD.

Abstract :
In 2018, the European Commission published a “Digital Education Action Plan”, which builds on two Communications which it adopted in May 2017 : “A renewed EU Agenda for Higher Education and School development” and “Excellent teaching for a great start in life”.
These documents outline a number of relevant policy objectives, which remain more valid than ever. These include : support for high-quality education; improving its relevance; developing Europeans’ digital skills and making them more visible; boosting innovation and digital competences in all education institutions; opening up education systems.
The Action Plan focuses on implementation and the need to stimulate, support and scale up purposeful use of digital and innovative education practices. It draws on a wide range of education and training stakeholders including business, research, NGOs, as well as, non-formal education where relevant. It has three priorities : (1) Making better use of digital technology for teaching and learning; (2) Developing relevant digital competences and skills for the digital transformation; (3) Improving education through better data analysis and foresight.
For each priority, the Action Plan sets out measures to help EU Member States address the challenges. These include: (i) providing tools to help educators and trainers make better use of technology including better internet connectivity; (ii) targeted action to develop relevant digital competences; (iii) reinforced and new efforts to improve education via better evidence and analysis.
The keynote presentation will focus on all these elements from the perspective of a forward looking European HE institution.

At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We’re a network of firms in 158 countries with over 250,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting us at www.pwc.com.

Established in the Middle East for 40 years, PwC has 22 offices across 12 countries in the region with around 5,200 people.

We are Advance HE:
We believe excellence is achieved by people. We are dedicated to helping higher education shape its future. Providing insight, so you can use the foresight. Enhancing organisational performance, to deliver sustainable change. Developing and connecting people, so they can share best practice. Accrediting achievement, so you can be recognised. Removing the barriers, so you can succeed. Driving positive change, to make higher education better for all.

We focus on supporting transformative leadership and management, teaching and learning, equality, diversity and inclusion, and effective governance, including the importance of accreditation of teaching and learning programmes, Athena SWAN, and the Race Equality Charter. We support the higher education sector by convening and facilitating continual enhancement; building on our established networks and communities of practice; and, concurrently, building our resources, insights and knowledge in support of ‘what works’ and best practice in the areas our members tell us are priorities for them.

Contact: solutions@advance-he.ac.uk

Panel Discussion II: “Looking beyond the 4th Industry Revolution: How to Plan the HE Sector for Relevance in the Future”

Panel Brief

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has brought fundamental changes into almost every aspect of our lives; however as opposed to earlier industrial revolutions; the speed, breadth and depth of this revolution is forcing us to quickly adapt and rethink about the purpose of our universities, how will we educate for the fourth and future industrial revolutions how will be able to create value and support tomorrow’s knowledge based economy.

During the panel discussion, various panelists will discuss how higher education has responded to previous industrial revolutions around the world and what difference and new aspects are emerging from the 4th IR. They will attempt to address three core questions:
• Is the education sector catching up with the fourth industrial revolution?
• What should the sector do to adapt to rapid disruptive changes ?
• How do we plan and reconstruct our education systems so that they remain relevant?

Chair
Solveig Nicklos, Dean, Abu Dhabi School of Government (ADSG), UAE
Panelists
> Dr. Jeffrey D. Senese, President, Saint Leo University, USA
> Dr. Mervat Chouman, Vice President, Planning and Development, Effat University, KSA
> Prof. Ali Hamie, Vice-President, Academic Affairs at Arts, Sciences & Technology University, Lebanon Consultant, Lebanese Parliament, Information & Communication Committee
> Prof. Muhammadou M.O. Kah, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Provost, American University of Nigeria, Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria
> Mr. Ghanim Al Falasi, Senior Vice President of People Happiness and Innovation Corporate Services, Vice Chairman of Smart City Project Committee, Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, UAE

Panel Discussion I: “The 4th Industry Revolution and the HE Ecosystem: The Changing Paradigms”

Panel Brief

The 4th IR is demanding for profound changes in the model and approaches adopted by the HE sector. The education system must accept the idea of becoming more diverse, less formal, and in many ways un-conventional in order to be responsive to the rapid changes we are witnessing. The concept of lifelong learning and enabling learners to explore their potential, ability to learn and become agile learners should be considered as a top priority by HEIs. We must expedite the strategies that will allow us to close the gap between education and industry and create better synergies with the workplace to ensure we produce graduate that the business needs.

Throughout various interventions panelists will discuss various megatrends reshaping the HE sector and discuss what changes are occurring today in our HE ecosystem as a result of the 4th IR. The panelists will also suggest a roadmap for higher education institutions, policymakers and regulators to enable the HE Ecosystem to both adopt and adapt to these changes

Chair
Professor Ghassan Aouad, President, Applied Science University, Bahrain
Panelists

– Dr. Kevin Mitchell, Chancellor, American University of Sharjah, UAE
– Prof. Makhanya Mandla, Vice Chancellor, University of South Africa (UNISA), South Africa
– Prof. Khalid Al-Begain, President of Kuwait College of Science and Technology, Kuwait
– Dr. Lahcen Haddad, World Learning Trustee (US) & Toulouse Business School Professor (France & Morocco)

Workshop 3| University 4.0: Meeting the Demands of the 4th IR: A Strategic Imperative

Workshop Overview

The era of the 4th IR demands from University leaders and decision makers to re-think the way it used to do ”business” and examine how it can effectively respond to the significant shifts in labour market demands and benefit from the many advantages technological advancements are bringing to the table while appreciating also the challenges that may be encountered.

For universities to be responsive there is a need for a strategic vision and a clear sense of direction with close involvement from external stakeholders including government and industry and strong leadership to prevent universities from lagging behind in this fast changing environment.
This workshop will considers how universities should strategically plan for the future, what sort of opportunities and challenges they must be ready to face and what kind of synergies and collaborations they must establish.

Workshop Objectives:
• Predict the trend that would have the greatest impact and discuss how institutions could best respond
• Determine the best strategies to create synergies between the HE sector, industry and government
• Identify the most profound changes to working practices within Universities
• Set strategic priorities/ directions for universities to enable them to meet the demands of the 4th IR
• Discus the role of leadership into setting priorities and facilitating change
• Provide examples of University 4.0 in action

Workshop Facilitator: Sally Jeffery, Partner and PwC’s Global Education Network Leader

Workshop 2| The Impact of various I-4.0 technologies on the Higher Education Sector

Workshop Overview

In order to educate for the 4th IR and future ones, there is a need for universities to embrace the technologies associated with them. New technologies such as AI, virtual reality, cloud, mobile learning, social network and big data have been reshaping the sector by creating many opportunities that build a learning ecosystem that allows for personalized and flexible learning to take place. Students can be empowered to design their own educational pathways based on their personal goals and pursue lifelong learning pathways. This workshop aims at addressing some of the emerging technologies most likely to impact the HE sector in the next 3 to 5 years and explore how they can be effectively integrated within a clear framework.

Workshop Objectives:

•Identify 7 of the most disruptive technologies having the biggest impact on higher education in the next 3-5 years
•Explore how each of these technologies is or will be re-shaping the higher education sector
•Examine how these technologies can be effectively used within the context of higher education, not only in teaching and learning but in all aspects related to the learning experience
•Address some of the key challenges associates with the use of these technologies

Workshop Facilitator: TBA