Bulletin: Saudi STEM Summit to Kick Off in September, Algeria Offers Scholarships for Yemeni Students
Do Skills Really Matter?
In our new bulletin, Al-Fanar Media brings you a selection of the most prominent news of higher education in the Arab world, our suggested stories, opinion essays, and scholarship announcements.
Perhaps the question in our bulletin’s headline has become out of date; the question is no longer whether skills matter, but why they do. The answer is that they have increasingly become indispensable in a workplace that is rapidly becoming more automated, digital, and dynamic.
In the news media field, for example, your role does not end with learning job-specific skills like writing, drafting, research, fact-checking, photography, editing, mobile use, and various technological applications. In addition, you also need to develop personal skills, such as emotional intelligence, creativity and critical thinking, as well as presentation skills, leadership skills, leadership skills, teamwork skills, flexibility, and the ability to work under pressure. These “soft skills” are indispensable to support your field-related abilities, in journalism or any job.
Perhaps one day you will find yourself directing a team or in charge of an emerging or existing media platform. Then you will need to quickly learn and apply business management and economics skills as well.
The question is: Do you have the skills required to adapt and succeed?
Mohammad El-Hawary
Al-Fanar Media editor-in-chief
News from the Arab region:
Saudi STEM Education Summit Will Kick Off in September
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is set to host a National STEM Education Summit on September 19 and 20 in Riyadh. The summit aims to advance education in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), to foster innovation and prepare Saudi youth for the challenges of the future.
According to a statement, the Saudi STEM Education Conference will bring together renowned educators, researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders from around the world. The conference is aligned with the education goals asserted in the kingdom’s “Vision 2030” plan for economic and social reforms.
For details of the event or to register, please visit the conference website.
A Discussion to Enable Refugees to Access Higher Education in Jordan
UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency, organised a panel discussion in Amman this week on the topic of “Access to Higher Education for Refugees and Persons with Disabilities in Jordan.”
According to a statement from Jordan’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the secretary-general of the ministry, Mamoun Al-Debi’e, said that ministry officials are working to ensure comprehensive and fair access for qualified students, by improving the quality of education and learning standards and integrating technology into higher education. The ministry’s role, Al-Debi’e said, is to facilitate the removal of obstacles and to draw up policies that enable young people from all segments of society to pursue a university education.
Muhannad Al-Azza, secretary general of Jordan’s Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, spoke about the rights of people in this group in higher education, such as university discounts, the provision of sign language interpreters for students with hearing/deaf disabilities, and reasonable accommodation, accessible formats, and accessibility in these institutions.
Scholarships for Yemeni Students in Algeria
Algeria is offering a limited number of scholarships for the 2023–2024 academic year to qualified graduates of Yemen’s vocational and technical institutes, the Yemeni Ministry of Higher Education, in the Aden-based internationally recognised government, has announced.
According to the ministry’s statement, applicants must be Yemeni citizens who have a vocational or technical high school diploma and have graduated from a public vocational and technical institute. In addition, candidates must be no older than 25, have graduated within less than three years, and demonstrate excellence in their specialisation. Students have until August 27 to apply. To apply, click here.
Abu Dhabi U. and Brazilian Research Group Plan Joint Studies of Advanced Technologies
Abu Dhabi University’s and Dakila Research Social Sciences UAE (DRSS), a conglomerate of 19 Brazilian companies, have agreed to jointly establish a new facility to further advance student knowledge in advanced technologies.
According to the Emirates News Agency, the plan to create an advanced superconductivity research laboratory will allow engineering students and faculty members to work on experimental tasks that aim to develop cutting-edge technologies related to superconducting materials at room temperature, and their industrial applications. The facility will also work on developing quantum devices that will benefit the broader community in advanced and deep technologies.
The laboratory will be led by Montasir Qasymeh, a professor of electrical engineering at Abu Dhabi University, along with experts from Brazil.
Suggested Reports from Al-Fanar Media:
Georgetown University in Qatar Prepares Students to Serve as Bridges
Besides its academic role, Georgetown University in Qatar also serves as a safe space for discussions on topics that are deemed sensitive by the local community, such as migrant rights and bioethics. During a recent roundtable with journalists, Safwan Masri, the campus’s dean, talked about the university’s role as a bridge between Arab societies and the rest of the world. Read more in this article.
Tips and Resources:
10 Benefits of Extracurricular Activities for University Students
University life is not just about attending lectures. Outside of required classes, many extracurricular activities await students, offering opportunities for personal and social development. They also offer a chance to build skills that will benefit you in life after graduation. Explore more in this article.
In Conflict:
Libyan Officials Say U. of Tripoli Is Ready to Resumes Studies after Violence
Days after being forced to suspend studies because of armed violence in Libya’s capital city, the University of Tripoli is ready to resume academic activities, the top higher-education official in the government in Tripoli said on Sunday.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the acting minister, Saleh al-Ghoul, visited the campus to view the progress of work to remove debris and repair damaged university facilities. Afterward, he reassured parents, students, faculty members, and employees that the University of Tripoli was ready to reopen.
The ministry is part of the internationally recognised Government of National Unity, based in Tripoli.
armed groups in the capital. (Photo: Libyan Ministry of Higher Education, Government of National Unity).
Opinion:
Pen, Paper and Print: Some Advantages of Low-Tech Teaching
The switch to online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic was a learning experience in educational technology for many instructors around the globe. For some, it also prompted a new appreciation for old-fashioned classroom materials and practices, like looking at maps and newspapers in large, paper formats, or taking notes with pen and paper rather than typing into a laptop.
In a commentary for Al-Fanar Media, Jörg Matthias Determann, a professor of history at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar, talks about some important differences he experienced between face-to-face and online education. Read more here.
Scholarships:
Al-Fanar Media maintains a database of quality scholarships for Arab students, which we continuously update. You can follow our website to stay up-to-date on the latest scholarships available in international universities. Check the Scholarships section here, and do not miss our constantly updated feedback on free learning opportunities in the News and Reports section, here.
Recent additions to our scholarship database include:
- Certificate or Diploma Courses at Lincoln University, in New Zealand
- Scholarships for Space Executive Master Degrees at Luiss Business School Amsterdam
Survey:
UNIMED Is Surveying Students’ Attitudes about Climate Change and Migration
UNIMED, the Mediterranean Universities Union, is surveying students in Italy, Morocco and Lebanon to learn their attitudes, expectations, and actions toward climate change and migration. The results will be published in a scientific paper in a few months.
The survey is part of UNIMED’s “Students Attitudes in a Changing Mediterranean” (ASMeC) project. The survey questionnaire is available in English, French, and Italian. Students have until September 10 to take part.
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