The Secretary-General of the Association of Arab Universities Participates in the Global Future Higher Education Summit in China, Emphasizing the Importance of AI-Driven Institutional Transformation

His Excellency Professor Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary-General of the Association of Arab Universities, participated in the proceedings of the Global Future Higher Education Summit, hosted in Shenzhen, China, and organized by the International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO (UNESCO-ICHEI). The summit brought together a wide range of university presidents, policymakers, and international experts in higher education, innovation, and technology.

In his keynote address titled “Advancing AI-Driven Transformation in Higher Education in the Arab Region,” Professor Salama stressed that the world is witnessing an unprecedented historic transformation driven by artificial intelligence. AI has moved beyond being an emerging technological tool to becoming a powerful force reshaping economies, labour markets, education systems, and key sectors worldwide.

He noted that higher education institutions are no longer able to rely solely on their traditional roles and are now required to redefine their missions and functions in line with the demands of the digital era. This includes adopting more flexible learning models, strengthening lifelong learning, developing future-oriented skills, and aligning educational outcomes with the needs of knowledge-based economies.

The Secretary-General further highlighted that the Arab region holds a historic opportunity to become an influential player in the global digital economy, leveraging its young population and increasing investments in artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and innovation. He also reviewed several leading Arab experiences that reflect the region’s accelerating progress toward building competitive knowledge-based economies.

Professor Salama emphasized that the real challenge does not lie merely in introducing AI technologies into universities, but in achieving a comprehensive institutional transformation that reshapes teaching, learning, research, and innovation systems. In this context, he called for focusing on four strategic priorities: preparing graduates equipped with future skills, strengthening university-industry partnerships, empowering faculty members to effectively utilize AI tools, and expanding regional and international cooperation in education, research, and innovation.

He also commended the growing strategic partnership between the Association of Arab Universities and the International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under UNESCO, noting that the establishment of the Arab Regional Centre for the International Institute of Online Education (IIOE Arab Regional Centre) represents a key milestone in advancing digital capacity-building for faculty members, fostering innovation in teaching and learning, and building a more agile regional higher education ecosystem capable of responding to global transformations.

The Association of Arab Universities continues to expand its international partnerships and strengthen its openness to academic institutions, international organizations, innovation centres, and global technology companies, reaffirming its belief that the future of higher education cannot be built in isolation from international cooperation and the exchange of expertise.