Middle Eastern university professional training expansion

Higher education institutions in the Middle East are increasingly establishing partnerships with professional organizations and technology firms to improve student employability and digital literacy.

In Bahrain, the University of Kingdom has integrated professional certifications from the Chartered Management Institute into its business programs, while also collaborating with AWS Academy, Cisco Networking Academy, and IBM for technical credentials. In Egypt, Benha National University partnered with the Wadhwani Foundation – Egypt to integrate employability training into academic pathways. In Saudi Arabia, Umm Al-Qura University utilized the ‘Maharat’ initiative through the Human Resources Development Fund to provide training in sectors including IT, engineering, and healthcare.

Further developments in Saudi Arabia show a specific focus on digital and technical specialization. The University of Jeddah signed a memorandum of understanding with Nemetschek Group to provide software licenses and training for the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations sectors. Additionally, King Khalid University partnered with Naseej for Technology Company to provide edX licenses through the FutureX national e-learning ecosystem, expanding access to global online courses and microcredentials.