Some of the participants at the conference. (Inset): Dr Maha al-Hendawi

Qatar University Core Curriculum Programme (QU-CCP) in conjunction with the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) hosted a conference on general education in the Mena region last week, under the theme “General Education in the 21st Century: A Paradigm Shift”.
The conference, the first of its kind in the Mena region, aimed to promote high-quality practices and research on general education pedagogy in and for the region, and to address the fundamental starting point for collaboration on general education, which is seen as the foundation of undergraduate education in the 21st century.
The event was inaugurated by QU vice president and chief academic officer Dr Mazen Hasna along with CCP director and chair of the conference’s steering committee Dr Maha al-Hendawi and AAC&U vice president of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Student Success Dr Susan Albertine.
It brought together presidents and representatives of universities from countries in the MENA region and over 150 participants from academia and industry to discuss the challenges of educating youth who will become the future generation of leaders in the region.
Keynote speakers vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and Student Development at the University of Minnesota Dr  Lorrie Carrel discussed “The Very Secret Diaries of General Education Reform”, and head of direct Investment at Saudi Aramco Investment Management Company Dr Ibrahim Almojel presented on “Shaping the Future of Our Youth: Investment in Education”.
The conference also saw the launch of the Mena General Education Network by Dr Mazen Hasna. The network which comprises 13 universities in the Mena region, aims at ensuring high-quality general education programmes for undergraduate education. It will serve to promote best practices in general education pedagogy at QU and other higher education institutions in the region by providing opportunities for working closely together on common goals and concerns.
The programme agenda included a STEM workshop led by presenters from City University of New York -- assistant vice provost and director of Queens College Centre for Teaching and Learning Dr Eva M Fernandez, and professor of Computer Science at the college Dr Christopher Vickery.