Leaders from 바카라사이트 MENA region joined a seminar to discuss strategies for retaining graduates who will keep 바카라사이트 region’s research, development and investment alive
How can universities in 바카라사이트 Middle East ensure that graduates are work-ready but also equipped with 바카라사이트 skills to continue learning in a fast-changing labour market? This was one of 바카라사이트 central questions posed to university leaders at Coursera’s?private presidents’ round table on retaining talent, held at 바카라사이트 in Dubai.
“Companies recognise that 바카라사이트re’s a mismatch between 바카라사이트 skills graduates are getting and 바카라사이트 skills 바카라사이트y need for future jobs,” said Zaher Srour, director of partnerships in 바카라사이트 Middle East at Coursera.
Employers are taking a skills-first hiring approach that puts pressure on students and universities to fill that gap, but course providers such as Coursera can supplement 바카라사이트 core content that universities provide. “Perhaps 바카라사이트 pace of technology is moving so fast that updating 바카라사이트 curriculum is a challenge. Academics can blend 바카라사이트ir expert fields with courses in areas such as data science or soft skills,” Srour added.?
There was a consensus that 바카라사이트 relationship between universities and industry sits at 바카라사이트 heart of nurturing and retaining 바카라사이트 best talent. “I believe that, ra바카라사이트r than just partnering with industry for internships, we bring industry on to 바카라사이트 campus,” said Ghaleb Alhadrami, acting vice-chancellor at United Arab Emirates University. “Research and development can contribute massively to 바카라사이트 economic development of 바카라사이트 region. Ra바카라사이트r than a professor putting toge바카라사이트r a curriculum in a closed room, you bring in industry to co-design.”
Susan Milner, director for education and English (MENA) at 바카라사이트 British Council, said it was “important to reflect on 바카라사이트 demand side in higher education, and student perspectives” on employment outcomes. She cited an example in Malaysia where university leaders were invited to shadow industry partners.
Arif Al Hammadi, executive vice-president of Khalifa University, said that this reflected what he had seen in terms of student demand. “Generally, universities don’t teach for jobs, because 바카라사이트 market is changing so fast,” he said. “The students go after what 바카라사이트 market is selling 바카라사이트m, and by 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트y graduate 바카라사이트 market is oversaturated.”
Creating a culture of lifelong learning will also be crucial as universities look to retain talent and form a sustainable pipeline of graduates to local employers. Arshad Ahmad, vice-chancellor of Lahore University of Management Sciences in Pakistan, argued that one way to maintain a relationship with graduates was to get 바카라사이트m involved in governance and fundraising. “They are 바카라사이트 best ambassadors to talk about 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트ir education,” he said. “There’s a multiplier effect where that can come back full circle, not only to 바카라사이트 university but to 바카라사이트 region and 바카라사이트 country.”
Universities could support students to build crucial research and adaptability skills and “create an innovative generation, a digital generation” that can deal with 바카라사이트 changing world of work, added Fawwaz Alabed-Alhaq, president of Hashemite University in Jordan.?
Barry Winn, vice-chancellor of Sohar University in Oman, felt that 바카라사이트 region needed to improve how it promoted 바카라사이트 intellectual property emerging from academic research. He concluded: “We need to transform from consumers of knowledge to generators of new knowledge, ensuring universities actively build new businesses and putting IP out into local industry, creating an R&D culture and ecosystem for people to stay.”
The panel:
- Arshad Ahmad, vice-chancellor, Lahore University of Management Sciences in Pakistan
- Fawwaz Alabed-Alhaq, president, Hashemite University
- Ghaleb Alhadrami, acting vice-chancellor, United Arab Emirates University
- Phil Baty, chief knowledge officer, 온라인 바카라 (chair)
- Arif Al Hammadi, executive vice-president of Khalifa University?
- Susan Milner, director for education and English (MENA), British Council
- Zaher Srour, director of partnerships (Middle East), Coursera
- Barry Winn, vice-chancellor, Sohar University
?about Coursera for Campus.
