The Gulf Higher Education Conference Part I: Bringing Voices Together
On October 11th and 12th, Alhambra US Chamber held the Gulf Higher Education Summit, the first of two parts in the Gulf Higher Education Conference, or GHEC. The summit revolved around the challenges and potential solutions surrounding education in a more interconnected world that has been afflicted by COVID, bringing together educators and entrepreneurs from across the world to present and discuss with participants. Alhambra US Chamber believes in the importance of connections between individuals and institutions to reshape the world and create opportunities for those who might not have them, and seeks to provide a platform for those connections to be made. The October event brought people together, and there will be another opportunity to do so in the second round of the GHEC, called the Gulf Student Engagement Fair. This event will take place on December 11th and 12th, and it will be free to join as a participant!
The Gulf Higher Education Summit featured speakers on a wide variety of topics, but the ultimate focus was on those who joined and asked questions. People visited panels on how higher education would have to transform to accommodate distance and disease, panels on how to create equal access to information, and even panels on how design thinking could be implemented in classrooms to make them more effective for students. However, the panels were entirely focused on answering questions from the audience, connecting their knowledge with that of others to create something new. Panelists learned from each other and the audience, and the audience learned from the panelists. The Kestone Platform used for the series organized communication between all parties and allowed everything to run smoothly.
In one Q&A, participants had the chance to design their own trash can and look at it through a new lens, while discussing how the guides had revamped a treadmill by looking at it through the perspective of its users. In another, they looked back at all the ways in which technology has transformed education in the past year and a half, and together looked ahead towards how technology could be used better and more equitably. In a third, they discussed whether the COVID pandemic might affect the areas of study people might select--medicine, science, social sciences--and how they might deploy their skills in service of a changed world. Numerous other sessions took place, each different and confronting a different challenge for the future. Each question and discussion was unique and would not have been possible without everyone who signed up, and the Chamber was grateful to have each attendee.
As we look to the future, we will need to continue building international and interdisciplinary connections to combat the problems we face. The continuation of the GHEC in December will once again probe the minds of its participants and presenters, encouraging them to think about old and new problems in unconventional ways. If your institution wishes to rent a booth at the event, you can register here, and if you want to be a participant keep your eyes open for the corresponding registration link!
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