Arab nations launch framework for ‘future-proof’ graduates

A new framework designed to align university programmes in Arab countries with labour market needs, address the gap between educational outcomes and future skills, and assist towards achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals was presented at a recent international forum held in Bahrain.

The gathering – the International Forum on Developing University Education Programs in Arab Countries in Light of Future Skills and Professions – was organised by the Arabian Gulf University, in partnership with the UNESCO Regional Center for Quality and Excellence in Education (RCQE).

The framework emphasises the need for interdisciplinary and flexible academic programmes and equity in skills acquisition opportunities through curriculum development and support for groups with less access to technology.

The recommendations called for the establishment of university units to monitor career shifts and link them to academic programmes. There was also a need for research centres focused on emerging technologies, specialised centres in artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and biotechnology, and business incubators and funding mechanisms to be developed in partnership with the private sector.

Hussein Kazem, a professor at Sohar University in Oman and UNESCO-RCQE chair in emerging renewable and sustainable energy technologies, described the forum as an essential platform for shaping a unified vision and driving real progress across Arab universities.

Kazem, who led a workshop at the forum on blending university teaching and research for environmental sustainability. said the recommended framework was a “pivotal document” that would help to update university programmes and enhance their readiness for future professions, while also aligning higher education policies with the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

Arab reference framework

The framework document is based on a comparative study of university programmes in Arab countries compared to leading international programmes.

It comprises five components, including the drivers of future professions, fields of future professions, future skills, university development policies and mechanisms, and modern academic programme models.

It includes a procedural guide for enhancing competitiveness, supporting private higher education, integrating future skills, promoting lifelong learning, internationalising higher education, and recognising prior learning experiences.

The framework was the outcome of a UNESCO-RCQE project – “Developing university education programmes in Arab countries in light of skills and professions for the future”".

Only five Arab countries are included in the world’s top 50 countries in future job market readiness, namely the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (at position 29), Saudi Arabia (38), Egypt (46), Lebanon (48) and Qatar (50), according to the 2025 QS World Future Skills Index, which evaluates how well countries prepare their workforces for future job market needs using criteria like skills fit, academic readiness, future of work and economic transformation.

University World News interviewed higher education experts in and out of the forum to get their views on possible measures to develop future-market-ready graduates and possible challenges facing Arab universities along the way.

Recent improvements

Kazem said while Arab universities still lag behind in producing future market-ready graduates, there has been improvement.

“Over the past few years, several Arab countries have launched national strategies focused on skills development, digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and stronger university-industry collaboration,” he said.

Examples include the Future Skills Academy, launched by the UN Development Programme’s Regional Bureau for Arab States and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, which aims to bridge the digital divide and empower individuals in the Arab region with skills for an evolving job market shaped by technological advancements.

“These efforts indicate a growing recognition of the need to align higher education with labour market demands,” Kazem said.

However, Kazem noted the need to foster practical skills through internships and project-based learning, and integrate entrepreneurship and critical thinking into education.

He said strong public-private partnerships were essential to bridge the gap between academia and the evolving labour market.

Regarding the challenges facing Arab states, he listed outdated curricula, a disconnect with industry needs, and limited emphasis on soft skills and innovation.

“To address this, universities should continuously update programmes, establish robust industry collaboration for curriculum development and internships, and invest in modern pedagogical approaches focusing on problem-solving, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship,” Kazem argued.

“Cultivating a culture of lifelong learning and adaptability is paramount,” he said. “Graduates must be equipped not just with current skills but also with the agility to acquire new ones as technology and global economic landscapes continue to transform rapidly,” Kazem pointed out.

Private sector involvement

Salwa Abdullah Aljassar, a professor of curriculum and social studies teaching methods at the College of Education, Kuwait University, and a former member of parliament and chair of the parliamentary education committee, emphasised the importance of private sector involvement in meeting labour market needs.

She told University World News that Arab countries need to continue to accelerate the pace of development in a way that suits the nature of labour markets while activating expanded partnership programmes with the private sector.

Several successful and pioneering initiatives in this regard have recently been implemented, she said.

Aljassar, who was the leader of the UNESCO-RCQE project “Developing university education programmes in Arab countries in light of skills and professions for the future”, addressed the forum in a session on the activation of the framework.

“Arab countries also need to expand vocational and applied college programmes and shift from theoretical to practical and service-based learning,” she said.

“University programmes in Arab countries should focus on equipping graduates with both specialised skills and the skills required for employment.

“This can be achieved by revising graduation requirements to include early field experience that prepares students for the job market,” Aljassar said.

“Arab universities have begun graduating students qualified for the job market, but this requires aligning public policies with university programmes and labour market needs to avoid disguised unemployment,” she said.

‘Radical HE reform needed’

Professor Mohamed Hassan, president of the Sudanese National Academy of Sciences, told University World News that “radical reform of higher education systems” by Arab countries was needed to produce graduates equipped for the modern labour market.

“Essential actions should include … moving decisively away from memorisation towards a model that prioritises student-driven learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving along with emphasising STEM education and digital technologies with a focus on artificial intelligence and machine learning,” Hassan said.

He said it was important to foster entrepreneurship by integrating business development courses, mentorship programmes, and accessible funding opportunities for students pursuing new ventures.

“Besides forging robust university-industry collaboration through co-designed and regularly updated curricula, joint workshops on industry-relevant challenges, and systematic exchange programmes for faculty, students, and industry professionals, Arab countries must also strengthen inter-university collaboration across the Arab world by promoting joint research initiatives aligned with market and industrial needs and by expanding opportunities for talented students to study at leading institutions within the Arab region,” Hassan said.

Real-world experience

Dr Marwan Al-Raeei, an assistant professor and researcher at Damascus University in Syria, also emphasised the need for collaboration between universities and industries to enhance opportunities for internships and practical training. He said limited collaboration with industries restricts practical training and internship opportunities.

“Fostering entrepreneurship and innovation through supportive policies will better prepare graduates for various career paths,” Al-Raeei said.

Referring to the Distinction and Creativity Agency in the Syrian Arab Republic, which has implemented these strategies to support gifted students – which features in a 2024 study by Al-Raeei titled “Enriching Minds: The Gifted Education Landscape in the Syrian Arab Republic”, Al-Raeei said: “This initiative has enabled some students to gain real-world work experience by their third year of university, resulting in graduates who are well-prepared for the labour market.”

He also recommended investing in teacher training and integrating digital literacy into the curriculum.

“Outdated teaching methods fail to promote critical thinking and technical skills,” Al-Raeei said.

He highlighted financial constraints which hinder investments in infrastructure and faculty development, while graduates often lack essential soft skills like communication and teamwork.

“To tackle these challenges, universities should reform curricula, strengthen industry partnerships, adopt innovative teaching methods, invest in resources, and emphasise soft skills training, ultimately better preparing students for employment,” Al-Raeei said.

Implementing an integrated, data-driven system

Professor Lokman Meho at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon told University World News there was a need to treat higher education as a “strategic national priority” by implementing an “integrated, data-driven system”.

“This requires mandatory annual feedback loops with employers and alumni to dynamically shape curricula,” he said.

Arab countries should create enforceable national frameworks that tie programme accreditation to publicly accessible placement data and employer satisfaction metrics, he said.

Universities “must recruit faculty based on qualifications and potential, not on connections, and invest in continuous training for faculty and staff.

“Implementing industry-led advisory boards for each college can provide real-time market intelligence while empowering universities with greater decision-making autonomy to adapt curricula and innovate rapidly”, Meho said.

“There must be formal, accountable coordination between all relevant ministries to align policy, funding, and outcomes,” he noted.

Like others, Meho emphasised the importance of internships as a “universal” curriculum component and said AI and digital literacy must be integrated across all disciplines, and investment was needed to modernise infrastructure and R&D.

“Programmes must also embed soft skills, entrepreneurial skills, and problem-solving as core learning outcomes, supported by strong career-services units and independent quality-assurance mechanisms,” Meho said.

To achieve higher levels of graduate employability, a cultural shift was needed – from degree certification to competency development, he said.

“The integration of AI is not just a technical subject but a transformative pedagogical tool that must permeate all aspects of higher education. Equally important is building innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems, such as incubators, industry partnerships, and mentoring networks that translate skills into real opportunities,” he said.

“Ensuring that these reforms are inclusive and accessible across gender and socio-economic groups is vital to achieving sustainable impact,” Meho argued.

“Universities must also take student feedback seriously and act upon it,” he said.

Preparing students to adapt

Dr Hayfa Jafar, director of institutional effectiveness at the American University in Iraq-Baghdad, told University World News that the changes to the world facilitated by technology and AI meant that Arab universities needed to be more flexible. They needed to “update their programmes, change how they teach, and offer more activities outside the classroom”, Jafar said.

“Employers today don’t only want technical skills; they want graduates who can think critically, solve problems, communicate well, and keep learning throughout their lives.

“However, students don’t learn these skills from lectures alone. They need internships, hands-on projects, and real experience. Many graduates know the technical side, but they struggle to communicate, reflect, and express their ideas,” Jafar said.

“At the end of the day, the key question is: Are our Arab universities preparing students to be lifelong learners who can adapt to a fast-changing world?”

Micro-credentials

International higher education adviser Professor Mohamed Al-Rubeai, an emeritus professor and Conway Fellow at the University College Dublin and chair of the Network of Iraqi Scientists Abroad, told University World News the disjuncture between universities and employers was the product of “old teaching with too much just talking (theory), [with the result that] students don't learn how to think or [they don’t learn] the digital-soft skills that are important now”.

He said Arab universities must change courses to teach useful, practical things that companies are looking for. This would require universities and companies working together on student training and programmes. It would also require universities to train teachers in new technology and invest in updated tools.

“Arab countries must make it easy to get quick, new courses to learn new skills through helping universities to develop micro-credentials along with frameworks for their recognition and quality assurance to enhance professional skills and meet labour market demands,” Al-Rubeai said.