More than 400 higher education leaders to attend event taking place in Dubai

Dubai, UAE, October 26, 2016:  Ellucian, the leading global provider of higher education software and solutions, is set to host their annual conference, the Ellucian World Tour Dubai 2016. The conference will take place on the 2nd and 3rd of November at the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and will be attended by more than 400 leading higher education decision makers and influencers. 

Designed for the Future 
“This year’s Ellucian World Tour Dubai is about helping institutions leverage an era of unprecedented technological growth known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” said Jeff Ray, President and CEO of Ellucian. “This period of rapid innovation not only dictates that institutions do more to develop the skilled, educated workforce employers are now demanding; it underscores their need to make full use of technology to do so. By improving accessibility, affordability and performance, higher education has the power to change our global economy and impact our world for the better.”

The Ellucian World Tour Dubai will be held on the heels of the Dubai Future Accelerators programme, launched by the Crown Prince of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum and run by the Dubai Future Foundation. The programme aims to find new solutions to key challenges by working closely with governing bodies in Dubai. With education being one of the key pillars in the UAE’s Vision 2021 and one of the key challenges as part of the programme, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority has highlighted the need for personalised learning solutions that work across different curriculums to produce better learning outcomes. 

The Dubai Future Accelerators programme is an example of one of the ongoing investments being made into the future of education in the region. Alpen Capital found that the GCC governments’ investments and private sector participation, has resulted in more than 500 educational projects being in various stages of development, with a collective worth of US$50 billion. 

Ongoing commitment to education across the GCC has resulted in projected growth in student numbers, with the Alpen Capital projecting the education sector to reach 15 million students by 2020, at a 3.6% CAGR every year from 2015. UAE annual growth is predicted to grow 4.1% annually from 2015 to 2020, making it one of the fastest growing countries in the region. Additionally, higher education in the region is receiving global recognition, with institutions from across the Middle East making it onto the 2016-2017 QS University Top Rankings list, led by the UAE and KSA that had 6 and 7 respectively. 

Industry Leaders 
Multiple international and regional keynote speakers will attend the Ellucian World Tour Dubai to share their views on the state of higher education, as well as the innovations and ideas that are shaping the future of learning. In addition to this, various workshops and forums will take place, giving attendees an opportunity to participate in discussions and share their insights into higher education. This year’s global keynote is Bahram Bekhradnia, President of the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI). In this role, he influenced the development and passage of the UK government’s reform proposals for higher education in England. Additionally, he has worked as an advisory role amongst international governments, consulting more than 25 other countries concerning strategies for the development, funding and assessment of higher education systems and universities. 

Other notable keynote speakers include Senior Executives from Effat University, Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, Zayed University and University College Bahrain.

Event sponsors and exhibitors include, Naseej, Evisions, eXplorance, Automic, Chromeriver, IT & Beyond, RMS and TouchNet.

Student Insights
With student success being the fundamental goal of institutions, Ellucian will host two student speakers at the conference and give them the opportunity to share how they believe higher education is shaping their future. This year, students from across the region were asked to submit a short video on the fourth industrial revolution and what it means to them and their future. 

“We continue to be impressed by the talent and insights from students across the region and are honoured to have Mahmoud Yehia Elrayes from the American University of Cairo and Maryam Abu Saad Nadi from the Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies at this year’s conference. The chance to hear the opinions of students that are ‘digital natives’ and have a hyper connected relationship between information and technology is a refreshing perspective that reminds us that these students are the future of change,” said Mathew Boice, Vice President for Ellucian Middle East & Africa.