120 Global Experts Convene in Riyadh to Shape the Future of Lifelong Learning at the "LEARN" Conference

The LEARN Conference, set to take place on October 6-7 in Riyadh, will bring together 120 global experts, including specialists, government officials, and thought leaders, to promote lifelong learning and shape the future of education.

This inaugural edition, themed "The Learning Voyage," will feature 60 diverse sessions covering key topics that will redefine the global education landscape.

The sessions will also focus on the quality of educational curricula and their global competitiveness, as well as aligning lifelong learning policies with future needs and the role of technology and artificial intelligence in the learning journey.

The sessions will further explore improving the quality of curricula to ensure their global competitiveness, adapting lifelong learning policies to meet future needs, and the role of technology and AI in the learning process.

The conference serves as a strategic platform to solidify Saudi Arabia’s position as a leading hub for planning the future of sustainable education at both the regional and international levels, in line with the ambitious goals of the Human Capability Development Program, a key pillar of Vision 2030.

The conference will open with a keynote address by CEO Abdulaziz Al-Muqitib, who will outline the event’s vision and objectives. The conference’s events are divided into five distinct discussion spaces: Horizons, Curiosity, Integration, Reflection, and Exchange, each featuring a range of sessions led by prominent educational and learning experts from Saudi Arabia and worldwide.

The "Horizons" space will kick off on the first day with a session titled “Vision 2030: Redefining the Future of Excellence in Education,” presented by Dr. Mansour Al-Rumaiyan, General Supervisor of Human Capital Development and Labor Market Agency at Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Economy and Planning.

Following this, the second session of the day will be “Leaders' Perspectives on the Global Education Landscape,” featuring Dr. Brenda Haiplik, Regional Education Advisor at UNICEF's Middle East and North Africa Regional Office, Christopher Bobier, Regional Officer for International Education in the Middle East, Pakistan, China, and Hong Kong at the UK's Department for Business and Trade, and Azzah Mohamud, Head of the Skills Centre at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The third session will explore the future of higher education, innovative teaching methods, and interdisciplinary learning, featuring Dr. Ghada Al-Araifi, Founding Dean of KAPSARC College for Public Policy, Baishakhi Taylor, Vice-Chancellor of Student Affairs at New York University Abu Dhabi, Victoria Galan Morros, Head of Research and Analysis at UNESCO’s International Institute for Higher Education, and David John Locke, Secretary General of the Magna Charta Observatory in the UK.

The fourth session will address the challenges posed to education by rapid digital advancement, aiming to answer the question, “Are We Ready for Technology-Based Learning?” It will explore the impact of technology and artificial intelligence on education and how educators can adapt to these major shifts.

The second day of the conference will begin with a keynote by Paul Dunn, CEO of Ad International, followed by a session in the "Horizons" space titled “The United Nations Global Compact and Education: The Role of Academia and the Private Sector in Achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” featuring Ibrahim Abdulqader Al-Hilali, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network in Saudi Arabia and Chair of the Regional Network for the Middle East.

The third session will focus on the economic aspects of education, including the return on investment in education. Featured speakers include Mohammed Al-Muhaimeed, Executive Director of Transformation and Strategy at the Human Resources Development Fund, Yasser Al-Omari, Director of PwC Academy in the Middle East, and Alistair Kingsley, Chair of the Hampton Academies Trust and Advisory Board Member at the UK Department for Education in East England.

The fourth session will highlight leadership development in a changing world, featuring Raymond Kouder, Head of Learning and Development at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Zuhair Al-Aouni, Head of Continuing and Executive Education at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, and Dr. Mohammed Azzam Roumi, Professor of Entrepreneurship.

The sessions on the second day will continue to focus on the future of skills and training, as well as the role of the arts in education. In the fifth session, Eng. Khaled Abideen Zain Al-Abideen, CEO of the Saudi Media Academy, will discuss the importance of integrating arts into educational curricula.

The seventh session will cover the experience of the Cultural Channel as a new lens on Saudi culture, featuring Malek Al-Roqi, Mehdi Al-Qahtani, Abdulkhaleq Rifaat, and Jassim Al-Sahih. The eighth and final session will be led by Dr. Fanta Ou, CEO and Executive Director of the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers (NAFSA), who will discuss “The Power of International Education in Creating Global Change.”

LEARN aims to enhance Saudi Arabia’s commitment to improving education quality and promoting lifelong learning locally and globally. It seeks to foster the exchange of experiences, and knowledge transfer, and empower students, educators, and decision-makers through access to advanced knowledge, technology, and innovative solutions, cementing Saudi Arabia as a global leader in planning the future of sustainable education.