Higher Education: Our Future is in Your Hands

Rosy Hernandez

Linking Nations

If history has taught us anything, it is that unfavorable conditions often lead to a massive push in creativity and innovation. Whether it be an economic downturn or the wave of a global pandemic (or both), struggle creates the conditions necessary for out-of-the box ingenuity and creativity. The Alhambra U.S. Chamber  presents the Gulf Higher Education Summit which will be held virtually on the state-of-the-art, AI-driven platform, Kestone. As you very well know, in this day and age, adaptivity is the name of the game.

Linking nations has always been a part of the Chamber’s DNA. “International Higher Education has become vital to the modern world and the first year and half of the pandemic really disrupted its beneficial impact,” notes Anjum Malik, Managing Partner for the Alhambra U.S. Chamber. “The Gulf Higher Education Summit brings together leading academics and other influencers to discuss how international higher education can not only move forward but build itself back better.” As a part of its passion for cross-cultural relationships, the Chamber continues to strengthen the iron-like bonds that we, as humans, can nurture with each other across borders. 

Expanding Knowledge

The Alhambra U.S. Chamber is no stranger to the interconnectivity of diverse nations and the quality of knowledge that those relationships result in. Collaborate and learn through interactive and intellectual exchange with speakers from top higher education institutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, KSA, Bahrain, UAE and more. Together, they will engage in thought-provoking conversations, presentations and panels led and moderated by dignified guest speakers, including a chance to hear from H.E. Amr Salama, Secretary General, Arab Association of Universities and a Q&A with Jamil Salmi, Global Tertiary Education Expert. See a complete list of the two-day event’s distinguished speakers here.

Prior to March 11, 2020, when the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic, we all had a very specific image of what higher education looked like. With a strong foundation of research and tradition, the time has come to reimagine and rebuild the pillars that will lift international education to new heights. By having the facts and figures, we can begin to strategize for optimal recruitment and mobility models, while remembering the importance of accessibility to a global education for all. 

Building Commerce

Quality and well-rounded education leads to a highly skilled workforce and, in turn, leads to limitless economic opportunity both for the individual and the nation itself. The upcoming generations that are preparing to enter the workforce may be dependent on the quality of their education and the competitiveness that it offers. The well-being and prosperity of our world starts with education. “With the paradigm shift from business economy to knowledge economy, education always remains the key priority for all nations and I strongly believe that it has the potential to not only facilitate realizing and unlocking the potential of a nation's youth, but also to transform the world and contribute to the economy,” states Abhilasha Singh, Vice President of Academic Affairs at the American University in the Emirates, Dubai, UAE.

"According to a study by the World Economic Forum,” explains Liesl Riddle, the Vice Dean for Strategy at George Washington University School of Business, ”closing the global skills gap could add US$11.5 trillion to global GDP by 2028.  This global problem requires a global solution. The conversations we will have at the Gulf Higher Education Summit will spark innovative ideas and catalyze partnerships that will help us close the skills gap." 

We have seen wondrous feats in the health and STEM fields as a positive outcome of the ongoing global pandemic. Will these areas of focus supersede other intellectual fields in the coming years? What does the quality of life and economic growth look like in the near future? Well, that largely depends on what action is taken TODAY. The road ahead is foreign and uncertain and, if traversed in alliance with one another, can lead to highly developed processes and systems that adjust to trends in technological and social trends in the educational space. 

The Gulf Higher Education Conference has more to come! After enlightening conversations and restrategizing, join the Alhambra U.S. Chamber for the Gulf Student Engagement Fair on December 11 and 12, 2021 on the AI-driven platform, Kestone.

Thank you to the Chamber team who gave of their time and skillset to make this two-day event possible --Ruqaia Bashammakh, Kate Canning, Kaitlyn Castro, Kimberley Castro, Allison Eckerman-Wade, Avery Einhorn, Jacob Frazier, Rosy Hernandez, Adrianna Miranda, Arianne Ohman, Morenikeji Oshin, Mela Ottaiano and Shawn Smith. A special thank you to Anjum Malik for her guidance and unwavering leadership.