International Experts to Discuss Investment Opportunities and Education Strategies at Building Future Education MENA 2011

ABU DHABI, UAE, October 24, 2011 -

New job skills and better learning could help curb youth unemployment that is costing the Arab region nearly $50 billion annually

With the Middle East suffering from the highest youth unemployment rate in the world at 25%^[1], international experts are calling on education stakeholders in the region to focus on helping young people acquire job skills and better learning to improve employment prospects.

A report published by the International Finance Corporation titled Education for employment: Realizing Arab youth potential quantifies the economic loss of youth unemployment at $40 -$50 billion annually across the Arab region, equivalent to the GDP of countries such as Tunisia or Lebanon.

Svava Lee Bjarnason, Senior Education Specialist, IFC, is among the international experts and featured speakers who will present a paper assessing education for employment initiatives throughout the region.

“Building Future Education MENA is responding to a pressing need in the region for young people to have the right job skills and learning capacities that will enable them to lead productive lives,” said Andrew Pert, regional director, UBM Middle East, organisers of the region’s premier exhibition and conference on modernising education.

With the theme Modernising education to create tomorrow‘s workforce, and various presentations and panel discussions dedicated to discussing education investment and strategies, Pert believes BFE MENA is the perfect platform for education stakeholders in the region to engage in meaningful discussions to help shape initiatives that will address the challenge of youth unemployment in the region.

Other experts who will discuss the subject of investment potential and education strategies include Mourad Ezzine who will discuss the World Bank’s 2020 Education Strategy for the MENA region which underscores the critical need to equip young people with relevant job skills and better learning.  As well as Geoff Hancock, Education Reform Director at Bahrain’s Economic Development Board, detailing Bahrain’s Numeracy Strategy.

As well as an interactive exhibition floor, this year’s Building Future Education MENA will include a full free-to-attend conference including world-renowned speakers from the field of education, the public awareness programme, high-level roundtable forums and design my learning space competition.

The main conference will bring together those at the forefront of education from ministries, institutions, operators, architects and investors. The conference features in-depth panel discussions, based around specific research studies from BFE MENA’s Knowledge Partners Booz & Company, Parthenon and RAND Corporation, assessing the education market in the GCC and areas of potential investment.  

The conference will also cover key topics such as world-class facilities and learning environments, curriculum and school improvement, quality assurance, special education needs and sustainable education facilities.

Visitors can register now free at www.buildingfutureeducationmena.com.  Building Future Education MENA will also have strong representation from the MENA region’s education ministries and councils including United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Jordon and Lebanon.

^[1]Education for Employment: Realizing Arab youth potential (International Finance Corporation, The World Bank Group and Islamic Development Bank Group, 2011)

About Building Future Education MENA

Building Future Education (BFE) MENA in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) is a free-to-attend international exhibition and conference covering educational spaces, management, reform, investment and operation of all educational institutions and programmes in the MENA region; and covers all tiers of education.

BFE MENA attracts strong representation from the MENA region’s education ministries and councils including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Jordon and Lebanon and is organised by UBM Middle East.

Media, for all enquires including the knowledge partner reports and to register to attend please contact:

Anthon Garcia, press@buildingfutureeducationmena.com or +971-50-139-8661

For other marketing related enquiries:

Bryan Espie, Marketing Director, UBM Middle East, bryan.espie@ubm.com or +971-2-406-4471.

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