DOHA: The Times Higher Education (THE) MENA Universities Summit yesterday laid down the base to develop a new ranking system for the region.
The event, the first in the region and Qatar, was organised by Qatar University (QU) and THE magazine.
It drew over 180 participants, including university leaders, higher education experts, educators, and business and industry organisations from 21 countries to advance discussion on the issue of MENA university ranking.
The opening ceremony included speeches by QU President Prof Sheikha Abdulla Al Misnad and THE magazine Editor-at-Large Phil Baty with keynote presentations by global tertiary education expert Dr Jamil Salmi on how to build a world class university, lessons from the world’s fastest rising universities, and implications for emerging economies, and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology President Dr Jean-Lou Chameau on ‘From Startup to Maturity’ detailing his university academic and research initiatives and accomplishments.
“We are starting to shape a brand new THE ranking in Qatar, a new MENA Universities Ranking,” he said. “We want to create the ranking in partnership with university leaders in the region so the summit is an excellent opportunity to make history,” said Baty.
Dr Al Misnad said, “The ranking journey is one that involves internal investment, negotiations, prioritisation and compromise. It is true that rankings play an influential role in recruiting the best students and faculty, securing donor funds, and generally achieving prestige among peers, but we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge inherent tensions between answering local needs and expectations and looking to meet international standards of success.”
An opening panel discussion on university-industry collaboration brought together Qatar Petrochemical Company Vice-Chair and CEO Dr Mohammed Youssef Al Mulla, Commercial Bank of Qatar CEO Abdulla Saleh Al Raisi and Silatech CEO Dr Tareq Youssef.
Discussion sessions were also held on ‘Social and Economic Impact of Universities: Emerging New Metrics’; ‘Strengths and Weaknesses of HE in MENA’; and ‘Satellite Campuses and Transnational Education’.
The second conference will be held in the UAE in February 2016.
The Peninsula
