Structural Transformation Discussed at MENA Higher Education Leadership Forum in Dubai
At the 7th MENA Higher Education Leadership Forum held in Dubai, it was emphasized that universities in the region must transition from crisis management to permanent structural transformation.
The 7th MENA Higher Education Leadership Forum, held in Dubai, brought together over 300 participants from more than 50 countries to examine the resilience of higher education institutions against crises and their processes of structural renewal.
Main Agenda of the Forum
The three-day 7th MENA Higher Education Leadership Forum, held in Dubai, addressed the need for universities in the region not to content themselves with crisis management, but to undergo structural transformation.
Over three hundred participants and more than sixty speakers, representing over two hundred institutions and organizations from more than fifty countries, attended the event.
Structural Barriers and Instability
Dr. Narimane Hadj-Hamou, founder and CEO of CLICKS, stated that universities are still designed for stability in an unstable world, and that this constitutes the biggest structural barrier.
Gathered in the shadow of regional crises and rapid technological changes, leaders agreed that higher education cannot view disruptions as temporary situations.
Transition from Resilience to Antifragility
It was stated that the regional sector succeeded in crisis management—such as shifting to online education during the pandemic or renewing budgets during financial shocks—but struggled with systemic transformation.
It was emphasized that the current situation consists merely of efforts to absorb the shock and restore functionality, whereas the ultimate goal should be to learn from the disruptions and permanently change the institutional structure.