HBMSU participates in fifth Arab Conference on Higher Education and Sustainable Development

Hamdan bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) participated in the Fifth Arab Conference on Higher Education and Sustainable Development, under the theme ‘The role of universities in achieving sustainable development goals,’ held by the Arab Organisation for Administrative Development in cooperation with the Union of Arab Universities, at its headquarters in Cairo, Egypt recently.

The University’s participation in this event comes in line with its efforts to strengthen collaborations and build future partnerships with major Egyptian universities participating in the conference. It further reflects HBMSU’s commitment to strengthen cooperation channels and coordination with leading universities, educational institutions and academic and research communities across the Arab world. HBMSU aims to share its experiences in establishing new standards for the quality of higher education and leverage latest technological innovations to foster the transformation of the educational system.

His Excellency Dr. Mansour Al Awar, Chancellor of Hamdan bin Mohammed Smart University, spoke as the conference’s keynote speaker. Professor Mustafa Hassan, Vice-Chancellor of the University for International Cooperation, joined him at the event. Dr. Ahmed bin Salem Al-Amri, President of Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, Professor Sharif Yousef Khatter, Director of Mansoura University; H.E Dr. Amr Adly, President of the Egyptian-Japanese University of Science and Technology; and H.E Professor Mohammed Alwadian, President of the Arab University of Amman also attended the conference.

H.E. Dr. Mansour Al Awar, Chancellor of Hamdan bin Mohammed Smart University, said: ” We are honoured to attend the Fifth Arab Conference on Higher Education and Sustainable Development. The conference serves as an ideal platform for collaboration efforts among Arab universities to outline an educational system that integrates sustainable development into all of programmes and contexts, in order to empower our Arab national cadres and consolidate the role of universities as incubators for creativity and innovation, as well as drivers for long-term social and economic development. Without a doubt, the rapid developments we are witnessing today place additional responsibilities on the higher education system, requiring academic institutions to adopt innovative methodologies and expand their reliance on advanced technologies and its applications, promote joint university work, consolidate innovation, and develop creativity among our young cadres as the future’s pillars.”

During the conference, Al-Awar delivered a speech on the meaning of education and sustainable development, as well as HBMSU’s proactive approach to improving educational quality. The inclusion of quality education was a basic need, a key pillar in building a peaceful and prosperous world, according to the United Nations, as the first source of knowledge and skills to preserve individuals’ health, ensure their professional opportunities and establish positive values, the most important of which is tolerance. He further emphasised the relationship between sustainable development and education. Quality education is the fourth sustainable development goal and it is critical to accomplishing the core goal of sustainability, which is to fulfil today’s demands without jeopardising future generations’ ability to meet their own.

On the sidelines of the Conference, H.E. Dr. Al Awar held a meeting with H.E. Dr. Nasser AlQahtani, Director General of The Arab Administrative Development Organization. Al Awar also met Sheikh Dr. Ammar bin Nasser Al Mualla, Attaché of Education and Science and Technology of the UAE to the Arab Republic of Egypt, and both sides discussed the prospects of education advancement, and promoting collaboration to support sustainability of education.

The Arab Conference on Higher Education and Sustainable Development is organised by the Arab Organisation for Administrative Development, one of the Arab League’s specialised entities. The organisation was founded in 1961 to help Arab countries achieve administrative growth in order to address concerns of overall development.