Latest news with #educationleaders
Arabian Business
11 hours ago
- Business
- Arabian Business
Dubai student boom as 29% surge in international enrolment signals new global education hotspot
With new universities, a major rise in foreign students, and world-class infrastructure, Dubai is rewriting the rules on global higher education. Dubai is making bold moves on the world stage — not just in finance or real estate, but now as a rising education superpower. Latest data from Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) reveals a 29 per cent spike in international student enrolment, with more than 42,000 students now studying across 41 licensed institutions. Four new international campuses opened this year alone. Dubai student growth These insights were highlighted during a briefing, hosted by L.E.K. Consulting 's Global Education Practice in Dubai, which convened senior stakeholders, policymakers, and higher education leaders to discuss Dubai's accelerating transformation into a world-class higher education destination. The event featured key perspectives from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). According to L.E.K. Consulting's research and analysis, Dubai presents 'one of the most compelling growth markets globally for higher education,' driven by key factors, including a growing high school student base, increasing demand for transnational education, the presence of globally recognised university brands, student-friendly infrastructure, and strong post-study employment pathways. Latest figures from the KHDA highlight this strong growth momentum across the sector. More than 42,000 students are now enrolled across 41 private higher education institutions in the emirate that are licensed and regulated by the KHDA, with an increase of around 20 per cent increase in overall student enrolment in the 2024-25 academic year. International student enrolment has surged by 29 per cent compared to the previous year, now representing 35 per cent of total enrolments in the city's higher education institutions, which are licensed by the KHDA. Meanwhile, Emirati participation in international universities has also grown by 22 per cent, underscoring Dubai's dual appeal to both domestic and global learners. Four new international institutions opened in the current academic year alone. The strong growth supports KHDA's Education 33 strategy, and specifically its City of Students initiative, which aims to raise international student enrolment to 50 per cent by 2033, transforming the emirate into a world-leading destination for quality higher education. Dr. Wafi Dawood, CEO of the Strategic Development Sector at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, said: 'Dubai's continued growth as a global hub for higher education is testament to our leadership's vision and the ambitious goals of the Dubai Plan 33 and its social and economic agendas and driven by our Education 33 strategy. 'We are creating new opportunities for transnational education, strengthening Dubai's position as a city where learners, educators, and institutions from around the world can connect, collaborate, and thrive. 'Through E33, we are building a future where Dubai is not only a destination for quality education, but a centre of knowledge, innovation, and opportunity.' As the demand for transnational education, upskilling, and reskilling intensifies, the emirate's blend of strategic policy, global connectivity, and education quality continues to position it as a top-tier alternative to traditional study destinations. Ashwin Assomull, Partner and Head of the Global Education Practice at L.E.K. Consulting, said: 'With a growing pool of graduates from our wonderful array of international schools in the city, Dubai presents a significant opportunity for international universities to meet the evolving needs of both local and international students. 'Amid increasing regulatory restrictions in traditional anglophone markets, Dubai's world-class higher education infrastructure, global connectivity, favourable cost structure, and reputation for safety present unparalleled opportunities for students, operators, and investors to capitalise on this transformative growth.' Key stats behind Dubai's higher education boom
Zawya
12 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Dubai's Higher Education Sector sees ~20% enrolment growth, international student numbers surge by 29% at KHDA-Licensed Institutions
Dubai, UAE — Dubai is rapidly solidifying its position as a premier global hub for higher education, underpinned by strong growth in student enrolment and a significant increase in the inflow of international students. These insights were highlighted during an exclusive, high-level briefing, hosted by L.E.K. Consulting's Global Education Practice in Dubai, which convened senior stakeholders, policymakers, and higher education leaders to discuss Dubai's accelerating transformation into a world-class higher education destination. The event featured key perspectives from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). According to L.E.K. Consulting's research and analysis, Dubai presents 'one of the most compelling growth markets globally for higher education,' driven by key factors, including a growing high school student base, increasing demand for transnational education, the presence of globally recognised university brands, student-friendly infrastructure, and strong post-study employment pathways. Latest figures from the KHDA highlight this strong growth momentum across the sector. More than 42,000 students are now enrolled across 41 private higher education institutions in the emirate that are licensed and regulated by the KHDA — with a ~20% increase in overall student enrolment in the 2024-25 academic year. International student enrolment has surged by 29% compared to the previous year, now representing 35% of total enrolments in Dubai's higher education institutions, which are licensed by the KHDA. Meanwhile, Emirati participation in international universities has also grown by 22%, underscoring Dubai's dual appeal to both domestic and global learners. Four new international institutions opened in the current academic year alone. The strong growth supports KHDA's Education 33 strategy, and specifically its City of Students initiative, which aims to raise international student enrolment to 50% by 2033, transforming Dubai into a world-leading destination for quality higher education. 'Dubai's continued growth as a global hub for higher education is testament to our leadership's vision and the ambitious goals of the Dubai Plan 33 and its social and economic agendas and driven by our Education 33 strategy,' said Dr. Wafi Dawood, CEO of the Strategic Development Sector at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority. 'We are creating new opportunities for transnational education, strengthening Dubai's position as a city where learners, educators, and institutions from around the world can connect, collaborate, and thrive. Through E33, we are building a future where Dubai is not only a destination for quality education, but a centre of knowledge, innovation, and opportunity.' As the demand for transnational education, upskilling, and reskilling intensifies, Dubai's blend of strategic policy, global connectivity, and education quality continues to position it as a top-tier alternative to traditional study destinations. 'With a growing pool of graduates from our wonderful array of international schools in the city, Dubai presents a significant opportunity for international universities to meet the evolving needs of both local and international students,' said Ashwin Assomull, Partner and Head of the Global Education Practice at L.E.K. Consulting. 'Amid increasing regulatory restrictions in traditional anglophone markets, Dubai's world-class higher education infrastructure, global connectivity, favourable cost structure, and reputation for safety present unparalleled opportunities for students, operators, and investors to capitalise on this transformative growth.' About L.E.K. Consulting We're L.E.K. Consulting, a global strategy consultancy working with business leaders to seize competitive advantage and amplify growth. Our insights are catalysts that reshape the trajectory of our clients' businesses, uncovering opportunities and empowering them to master their moments of truth. Since 1983, our worldwide practice — spanning the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia-Pacific — has guided leaders across all industries, from global corporations to emerging entrepreneurial businesses and private equity investors.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Educating In The AI Era: The Urgent Need To Redesign Schools
In these times of extreme polarization, one area of educational consensus between those on the left and the right is that American schools—particularly high schools—need to be redesigned to meet the age that we are in. The factory model inherited from 100 years ago was not designed to provide the kind of learning demanded by the modern economy or the relationships young people need to feel safe, cared for, and engaged. Education leaders in red and blue states from Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri to California, New York, and Washington are all seeking to develop and implement new graduate profiles, transform high school graduation requirements, develop assessment approaches that measure competencies rather than seat time, and support experiential learning that develops problem-solving, collaboration, and other durable skills. These shifts reflect a growing realization that too many of our schools are not designed to educate the next generation to face the challenges of our time. In the wake of a global pandemic, it has become clear that most schools must be better able to personalize learning and create caring spaces for students to address the effects of trauma, meet their needs, and support their learning. And schools must do more than weather crises of health, safety, and climate crises; we need our young people prepared with the knowledge and skills to face the even greater challenges they will confront in the years to come. One increasingly urgent stimulus is the rapid rise of AI, which is dramatically reshaping the employment landscape and necessitating changes in how we prepare students for future careers. A 2023 study by the McKinsey Global Institute estimated that by 2030 up to 30% of hours currently worked across the U.S. economy could be automated, with more routine jobs in food service, manufacturing, office support, and customer service becoming more fully automated, while nonroutine jobs in professions and STEM fields entail entirely new approaches to work. Forrester Research in 2020 projected that AI and automation technologies could eliminate 29% of jobs by 2030 while also creating new jobs for 13% of the workforce. Another summary of recent studies concluded the following: This transformation will demand a workforce with enhanced digital literacy, adaptability, and the ability to work alongside intelligent technologies. Industries that focus on developing and implementing AI solutions are expected to experience growth, creating new job opportunities in areas such as AI development, data analysis, and machine learning. To navigate the evolving job market and safeguard against potential displacement, individuals should prioritize continuous learning and upskilling. Emphasizing education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields and cultivating skills that are uniquely human, such as creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence, can enhance job security. Increasingly, schools must ensure that students develop what the leadership at Google identified as 'learning ability'—the strongest predictor of success in that environment. This includes the ability of students to find, analyze, and use resources to answer questions and design solutions; apply knowledge using judgment; evaluate and improve their own work; and effectively deploy advanced problem-solving skills, literacies, and dispositions. Analysts note that the curriculum will need to emphasize and better integrate these kinds of skills and give much more focused attention to data literacy and technology use. Assessment must similarly evolve to evaluate more complex applications of knowledge to novel situations, rather than multiple choice questions designed to measure the recall of pieces of information. Instruction needs both to incorporate AI and teach how it can be used, and it needs to focus more explicitly on the development of learning ability. In the midst of this rapid change, high schoolers in traditional settings are slogging through a curriculum that was initially defined by a small group of educators appointed by the National Education Association in 1892. The 'Committee of Ten' defined the expectations for taking courses in each subject area—long before interdisciplinary fields, computers, and big data existed—that still define high school in most states today. These subjects are often taught abstractly and in siloes, without connections to real-world concerns. A recent Yale survey of more than 25,000 high school students found that 75% had largely negative feelings about their school experience, with the most frequent adjectives being 'stressed,' 'tired,' and 'bored.' In another nationwide survey, only 29% of middle and high school students reported that they attended school in a caring environment. One of the most telling indicators of student disengagement is the alarmingly high rate of chronic absenteeism in many schools. Meanwhile, 70% of the public believe that more things about the educational system should change than stay the same. This is likely because the structure and function of schools have not evolved much over the past 100 years, even as the needs of students and the knowledge and skills demanded by the economy are dramatically different. Too many of our young people experience the factory model still prevalent in our high schools, which were designed to put young people on a conveyor belt and move them from one overloaded teacher to the next, in 45-minute increments, to be stamped with separate, disconnected lessons 7 or 8 times per day, with a hallway locker as their only stable point of contact. In such schools, students have little opportunity to become well known over a sustained period of time by adults who can consider them as whole people or as developing intellects. Those who need additional resources or personal advice may need to wait weeks to see a counselor with a caseload of 500 students. These huge warehouse institutions typically focus more on the control of behavior than the development of community. While these factory model designs may have worked for the purposes they were asked to serve 100 years ago, they do not meet most of our young people's needs today. There are redesigned high schools that engage and support students, connecting them to the world around them. Networks of schools associated with Big Picture Learning, Linked Learning Alliance, High Tech High, New Tech High, and Internationals Network high schools, among others, operate smaller schools as well as learning academies within big schools that offer engaging and challenging project-based learning that tackles real-world problems. They also feature internships in local workplaces and community organizations, as well as dual credit courses with local universities, while supporting students with advisory systems that ensure they are well known. Unlike century-old schools operating under the industrial model of schooling designed to prepare the majority of students for rote work, these redesigned high schools are developed based on a large and growing body of research from the fields of neuroscience, psychology, and other developmental and learning sciences. This contemporary science of learning and development confirms that young people grow and thrive in environments designed to support individualized development and inquiry-based, hands-on learning, where they have strong, supportive relationships, and where their social, emotional, physical, and cognitive needs are met. Over the past 30 years, thousands of redesigned secondary schools have demonstrated that it is possible to enable much greater levels of success for young people, including those who have been historically left out and pushed out of opportunities to learn. To highlight just one example, take the case of Life Academy of Health and Bioscience in Oakland, CA, which serves 446 students in grades 6–12. In this school, 99% of students are students of color, 96% come from low-income families, and 30% are English learners. Life Academy is one of more than 600 college- and career-ready pathways that have been launched in California through the Linked Learning Alliance. These academies offer college and career preparation in high-demand industries, partnering with business and community organizations. Unlike the old 'voc-ed' tracks designed for students who were not college-bound, these pathways prepare students for both college and career options in an untracked setting where all students get the benefit of a challenging, applied curriculum and work-based learning opportunities. Opened in fall 2001, Life Academy was designed based on research about effective small learning communities and was originally housed within a large comprehensive high school. Most of Oakland's high schools—large and small—now offer Linked Learning academies in different fields, and all of them are also community schools that offer a full suite of health care, social services, and expanded learning opportunities to their students. Life Academy's mission is to create equitable opportunities for students who come from underserved communities in Oakland. Through transformative learning experiences focused on health, medicine, and bioscience, students are engaged in inquiry-based learning and inspired to acquire the skills, knowledge, and habits necessary to succeed in college and careers in the medical field. These skills are developed in part through the school's multiple performance-based exhibitions, in which students present and defend their individual and collaborative projects and research papers to faculty, industry partners, family members, and other students. All students select one of the school's three career pathways—medicine, health, or biotechnology—and take courses and complete an internship aligned with that pathway. To support these internships, the school has developed deep relationships with industry partners, including Oakland Children's Hospital, Youth Bridge programs at Alta Bates and Summit hospitals, and Highland Hospital. Besides the internships, hallmarks of the school include an emphasis on personalization, cross-disciplinary projects and collaborative group work, integration of multiple forms of technology into coursework and work-based learning, public demonstration of mastery, and a college preparatory curriculum, as well as access to dual credit that leads to certifications in health careers. The school had a 91% graduation rate in 2021–22, and 96% of its students had completed the coursework for state university admissions, well above district and state averages. The school has typically placed 100% of its students in 2- or 4-year colleges. It has had the highest acceptance rate at the University of California and California State University of any high school in Oakland, with students going to schools such as UC Berkeley and UCLA, as well as Stanford, University of San Francisco, and Smith College. When asked what high school experiences have contributed to their college readiness, more than 90% of Life Academy students list close relationships with teachers and advisors. More than 90% also list features of their deeper learning experiences, including workplace internships, opportunities to explain their thinking, testing or trying out ideas to see if they work, evaluating themselves on their class work, participating in peer reviews of their work, and having to revise their work until it meets standards of proficiency. These practices are part of a performance-based, mastery-oriented, relationship-supported approach to learning that can create success for all students. To ensure that all students have access to the kinds of powerful learning found at schools like Life Academy, policymakers must redesign the structures that shape U.S. education. This includes shifting accountability systems away from narrow test-based measures toward assessments that reflect real-world performance and deeper learning. States and districts should establish clear graduate profiles that define the skills and competencies students need for success in school, college, and career—and then align curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development to support these outcomes. Resources must be directed toward building small, personalized learning environments where strong relationships, high expectations, and integrated academic and career pathways are the norm, not the exception. At the same time, federal and state policy should create the conditions that enable these needed shifts by investing in the redesign of outdated school models and scaling up evidence-based approaches that support equitable student access and success. This includes funding for evidence-based approaches to redesign, support for college and career pathways, and incentives for partnerships between K–12 schools, higher education, and industry. Most critically, systems must center student voice and well-being in their designs, recognizing that belonging, relevance, and purpose are foundational to learning and to citizenship. The transformation of high schools is not just an educational imperative: It is a civic and economic necessity. In the post-pandemic era, we have seen clearly what does not work for the country's students—and what does. This moment is uniquely positioned for an informed and systemic shift to support the research-based approaches that work in education and the students who need them in our rapidly changing world.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's Attack On Harvard's Foreign Students Will Haunt U.S. Higher Education For Years
Donald Trump's war on Harvard is a politically-motivated disaster for higher education The recent attempt by Donald Trump to revoke Harvard's ability to enroll international students is far more than an isolated political stunt or an administrative overreach. It's a siren call to the global academic and business community: America's welcome mat may no longer be out. Even if courts ultimately block this move—as they did in 2020 when the Trump administration tried to strip international students of visas if their courses went online—the damage is already done. And it really doesn't matter that a district court judge placed a temporary restraining order on the administration within two hours of Harvard's lawsuit to stop this nonsense. The signal is clear: In today's America, international students, no matter how talented, no matter how rule-abiding, are expendable. That's a seismic shift with global consequences. And higher education leaders, employers, and policymakers should be alarmed. There's a reason more than one million international students have historically chosen to study in the United States each year. They come for the academic rigor, the innovation, the brand equity of U.S. degrees. But they also come for the promise—spoken and unspoken—that America rewards talent and ambition, no matter where you were born. Trump's decision undercuts that promise. And international students—whether headed to Harvard, community college, or a STEM PhD—are taking notice. The result? Growing numbers are already looking elsewhere. Countries like Canada, the UK, Australia, and Germany are offering clearer immigration policies, longer post-study work visas, and far less political volatility. They're telling international students: 'We want you here.' The U.S., on the other hand, seems to be saying, 'Don't get too comfortable.' This isn't just about Harvard or elite universities. This is about the pipeline of global talent that fuels America's classrooms, companies, and research labs. International students don't just pay tuition. They enrich our learning environments, drive innovation, and power startups and Fortune 500 companies alike. They're the MIT engineers behind life-saving vaccines. The Wharton MBAs launching fintech platforms. The Stanford grads leading AI breakthroughs. In fact, nearly 25% of U.S. startups worth over $1 billion were founded by international students. We are not just discouraging these students from coming—we are handing them to our competitors. The ripple effects extend into the workforce. When immigration policy becomes a moving target, employers—especially small and mid-sized ones—start backing away from hiring international graduates. They don't want the risk, the legal complexity, or the potential political fallout. Many U.S. firms already find visa sponsorship daunting. But if even Harvard's students aren't safe, the message to employers is: hiring international talent isn't worth the trouble. That's a short-sighted view—and a dangerous one for the U.S. economy. Once America loses its status as the destination for top global talent, it doesn't bounce back overnight. Reputation is slow to build, quick to erode, and brutally hard to restore. U.S. universities, already reeling from declining domestic enrollment and political attacks on higher education, can't afford to alienate their most loyal international applicants. And business schools in particular—where international students often comprise 30% to 60% of the class—stand to lose enrollment, revenue, and diversity of thought and experience. Many of the leading U.S. business schools enroll large numbers of international students. At Stanford, it's 39%. At Harvard, it's 35%. International students at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School now make up 43% of MBA candidates. At Georgetown McDonough School of Business, it's 49%. These schools help shape the next generation of global leaders. They depend on trust. That trust is now under siege. Let's be clear: this is not about immigration policy as a whole. Reasonable people can debate how to manage borders, allocate visas, or secure jobs for American workers. But targeting international students—people who followed every rule, paid their way, and contribute enormously to our economy and society—is a betrayal of American values. And when the attack is aimed at Harvard, a symbol of academic excellence known around the globe, it feels personal to every student who dreamed of coming to the U.S. to learn, grow, and contribute. This is a crucial moment. Because if this moment is allowed to pass quietly, the long-term consequences won't just be a dip in applications–it will be a generational loss of trust, talent, and leadership. And no economy, especially the U.S. economy that has long benefited from its more open immigration policies–can afford that. Universities must go beyond legal challenges and speak forcefully in defense of their international students. They need to reassure students that they are valued, protected, and welcomed. Employers must raise their voices too—because without global talent, our innovation engine slows, our competitiveness weakens, and our diversity withers. Employers must speak out about the irreplaceable role international graduates play in their success. Policymakers must reaffirm, in deed not just word, that the United States is still a place where talent is welcome and rewarded. Because if we don't, the message will echo far and wide: The American dream, once open to the world's brightest minds, may now come with an asterisk. And once that belief is broken, we won't just lose students. We'll lose the future they were ready to build—with us. 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