2025 Theme and Track Topics - QS Higher Ed Summit: Middle East

Society 5.0: Higher Education and Skills for a Human-Centred Future

In the face of dramatic technological and industry changes, society must take a human-centred approach to the future of higher education and skills development, ensuring that everyone benefits and advances. A key player for equitable growth is universities, who help train future leaders and workforce, as well as develop research and new ways of teaching and learning.

The 2025 QS Higher Ed Summit: Middle East will explore how universities can develop and shape Society 5.0, ensuring that people are placed at the centre of and are the main beneficiaries of major advancements. By focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities within the Middle East, participants will gain insights into creating educational environments that foster critical thinking, creativity and social responsibility as well as address skills gaps. The conference will also emphasise the importance of collaboration between academia, industry, and government to ensure that education systems are aligned with the needs of Society 5.0.

Opening Panel – State of the Region

The Middle East is undergoing transformative changes that profoundly impact its educational and economic landscapes. Technological and industry changes are changing the landscape, but leaders must maintain a human-centred approach to achieve Society 5.0. As the shifts take place, universities face both unprecedented challenges and opportunities to lead innovation and collaboration for mutual benefit at the micra and macro scale. This evolving context requires a nuanced understanding of the sociopolitical and economic factors shaping the future.

This session will set the scene for the conference, examining key developments since the 2024 QS Higher Ed Summit: Middle East and identifying pressing challenges for the region. Experts will offer insights into the region’s educational landscape, as well as strategies for navigating this complex environment, setting the stage for the discussions and explorations that will unfold throughout the event.

Track Topics

Learning, Employment and Career: Setting Up Success Before Orientation

In today’s competitive landscape, universities need to prepare students for successful careers as early as possible. Ideally, they should be thinking about this even before students step onto their physical or virtual campuses. With learners increasingly demanding support to secure their first jobs and pursue their aspirations, institutions must adapt their approaches to prepare students for their careers.

This session will examine actionable strategies for empowering students from the outset, aligning educational experiences with career ambitions. Attendees will explore best practices in pre-enrolment programs and services that set the foundation for long-term student success in both life and career.

Human-Centred Learning in a Tech-Driven World

As technology continues to permeate every facet of education, the challenge lies in maintaining a human-centric approach to teaching and learning. Universities and educators must ensure that students remain the focal point of the endeavours, balancing innovation with empathy and engagement to foster an enriching educational experience.

This session will explore strategies for integrating technology into teaching while prioritising the human elements of learning. Participants will engage with innovative practices that leverage tech advancements to enhance, rather than overshadow, the student experience. By centring on student needs and well-being, this session aims to redefine how technology supports a holistic educational journey.

Attracting Talent in a New Era

As many Middle Eastern countries look to transition from resources economies to knowledge economies, there is a growing recognition for both attracting talent to the region and training for jobs of tomorrow. Universities sit at a unique crossroads in this opportunity, as both a recruiter of students and educator for the rapidly changing skills landscape. With the future demanding adaptable and skilled graduates, institutions must innovate their recruitment strategies and curricular offerings in novel ways.

This session will explore methods for enticing top-tier talent while simultaneously integrating future-ready skills into educational programs. Join us to discuss strategies for bridging current learning environments with emerging workforce demands.

Developing Meaningful Partnerships for Skills Gaps

Employers are increasingly looking to education institutions to understand what skills gaps and how to fill them. As a critical player in bridging the skills gaps, universities can use their position to boost collaboration with industry partners to identify and address evolving workforce needs. Through strategic partnerships, institutions can offer solutions that align educational outcomes with market demands.

This session will focus on how universities can engage in meaningful collaborations with companies, leveraging research and expertise to anticipate skills needs. Participants will learn about successful case studies and gain insights into building robust partnerships that turn educational institutions into key drivers of workforce development.

Metrics for a Human-Centred World

As rankings evolve, they provide a better understanding of education systems, their opportunities and their downfalls. As society evolves, a human-centred approach to these data points can reveal deeper, more valuable insights for the advancement of the community.

Following a rankings presentation, this session will explore how to look beyond numbers to understand the impact of metrics on education stakeholders. Participants will engage in discussions on aligning ranking criteria with values that emphasize community impact, student well-being, and institutional transparency. This session invites attendees to consider how rankings data can be leveraged for transformative results across educational landscapes.

The Role of Universities in Developing Future-Ready Graduates

The QS World Future Skills Index highlights a link between sophisticated higher education systems and economic readiness for transformation. Those regions that invest in higher education now will be better placed to advance their economies over time. This is particularly relevant for the Middle East, as countries look to transition from resource-based economies to knowledge-driven ones.

This session will delve into how institutions can cultivate graduate readiness by integrating cutting-edge research, technology, and curriculum advancements. Attendees will explore policies and practices that position universities as engines of growth and knowledge economy transformation.