December 14, 2025The UNESCO Regional Centre for Quality and Excellence in Education (RCQE) recently co-hosted a prominent international forum on ‘Developing University Education Programmes in Arab Countries in Light of Future Skills and Professions’, held in Bahrain from December 2-3, 2025. This event was a collaborative effort between the RCQE and the Arabian Gulf University (AGU), conducted under the patronage and in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education and Chairman of the Higher Education Council Board of Trustees in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The forum focused on the imperative to modernize university programme and align them with emerging labor market demands. Key topics discussed included Artificial Intelligence, the digital economy, investments in early childhood education, transitions from early childhood to subsequent educational stages, and sustainable development.
The event convened Ministers of Higher Education from Arab countries, university leaders, representatives of international organizations, UNESCO Category 1 and 2 Centres and Institutes, and global experts. Participants engaged in discussions, shared best practices, and collaborated to develop a strategic roadmap for educational advancement.
The CEO of IECD-UNESCO Category 2 Institute, Mrs. Shirley Choppy was invited by the RCQE and AGU to participate as a speaker in a high-level panel dedicated to Directors and CEOs of educational institutions. The panel focused on the role of regional organizations in advancing education. Her presentation focused on the importance of investing in early childhood and the quality of its education to bring about a qualitative shift in the long-term outcomes of university education. She highlighted the role IECD can play in helping to create an integrated educational pathway from early childhood to higher education, and discussed the Return on Investment (ROI) in early childhood care and education to persuade policymakers of its critical importance.
Mrs. Choppy’s presentation garnered significant attention from the audience and stimulated interest in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), as well as potential future collaborations with IECD as a Category 2 Institute.
Accompanying the CEO was Mrs. Sonia Mancienne, a member of the IECD Local Board and an esteemed expert in education.
