International Symposium On Education and Skills for a Future-Ready Workforce: STEM and TVET for a Sustainable and Resilient Society

Introduction:

Sustainability and resilience define the heart of this generation's struggle to adapt and thrive amid global challenges such as climate change, pandemics, human or natural disasters, rapid technological evolution and constantly changing skills needs of the labour market. Bold and transformative action is essential to chart a path towards a sustainable future, as mandated by the UN Common Guidance on Helping Build Resilient Societies (2021).

The United Nations (UN), through its agencies such as UNESCO and ILO, has been working closely with national governments, industry and education institutions, to advise on policy development and implementation steps. At the confluence of these goals lie STEM education and TVET, as critical pathways to developing skills required for emergent and competitive economies, and for fostering continuous learning, adaptability, and innovation among the workforce.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Higher Education Committee has set educational objectives to enhance cooperation, joint academic initiatives, and integrate global priorities into national strategies. The GCC plays a pivotal role in tackling global and regional challenges, showcasing the Gulf countries' capacity to contribute to solutions. In the past decade, GCC nations have unveiled long-term visions emphasizing education's significant socioeconomic importance, and reflected in all states prioritizing it in their national plans. This highlights GCC's commitment to collaboration, advancing education, and addressing shared objectives.

Qatar prioritizes technology and sustainable development, aiming to cultivate a highly qualified national workforce for societal prosperity and global resilience. The Third Qatar National Development Strategy (2024-2030) (NDS3) targets 46% of the workforce in skilled roles and 18% of students graduating in STEM fields by 2030. The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) is spearheading initiatives to expand access to STEM education and TVET. Furthermore, the Ministry of Labour (MOL) is focusing on labour outcomes, aiming to allocate at least 20% of Qatar's workforce to private and semi-private sectors (NDS3).

The University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) is instrumental in driving forward a comprehensive STEM/TVET education framework aligned with Qatar's strategic goals and economic diversification strategies. UDST also serves as Qatar's UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre for TVET and Sustainable Development, emphasizing the crucial role of technical and vocational education and training in achieving sustainable development objectives.

In line with the recommendation of the GCC Higher Education Committee at its recent meeting of Presidents and Vice Presidents of GCC universities, held in the United Arab Emirates, the University of Doha for Science and Technology is organizing this symposium to initiate talks among GCC Universities and various industry stakeholders to plan for new industry-relevant degrees and qualifications to develop highly skilled and competent workforce for todays and future workforce. Also, the objective of this symposium is to facilitate the development of a comprehensive report by a technical team consisting of five GCC universities led by UDST. The recommendation resulting from this report will be submitted to the GCC Higher Education Committee for further consideration and adoption.

Challenges:

Despite improvements in educational outcomes, such as in PISA 2022, Qatar – like all GCC countries – faces the challenge of further advancing its performance to close the gap between industry needs and educational institutions in providing highly qualified workforce for today’s and future jobs. In spite of the evident growth in demand for technology-intensive occupations both nationally, regionally, and globally, there persists a shortfall in the number of graduates and professionals possessing industry-relevant qualifications.

Growth in technology-intensive occupations across the national and international labour markets mandates an increase in the number of graduates and working professionals with industry-relevant degrees and qualifications, highlighting a shortage of skilled labour, along with a perception of technical and vocational education as being less attractive in comparison with higher education in sciences. While this perception may still influence youth in their choices of education journeys and employment progression, the tremendous growth in demand for skilled professionals in STEM/TVET occupations calls for a rethinking of the public narrative, education policies, and governance frameworks.

In steering towards a future-ready workforce, it is imperative for Qatar as per the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3), and the broader GCC to invest continuously in Research & Development (R&D) and education, with a particular focus on advancing STEM/TVET capabilities. Aligning educational outcomes with the evolving demands of the labour market through a strategic, coordinated, and collaborative approach will be crucial in overcoming these challenges, ultimately setting the stage for sustainable and resilient societal development.

A vision for a sustainable development of the sector may also include a GCC-wide approach to mutual recognition of educational credentials and transferability of credit that will enable the Future-Ready Workforce mobility and enhanced employment opportunities across the GCC countries.

Objectives of the Symposium:

This Symposium will focus on identifying actionable steps to develop and sustain an effective government-education-industry ecosystem, seeking to adapt to the rapidly evolving needs of industry and to deliver the graduates of a Future-Ready Workforce who are mobile, competitive, aware of wider sustainability objectives and able to build resilient societies.

The aim of the Symposium is to bring together stakeholders from the different public and private sectors to debate and determine interventions needed at education policy level, governance, international collaboration and implementation, in order to deliver forward-looking academic programs that equip the Future-Ready Workforce of this century. Moreover, it aims to address the broader implications for creating a workforce that is prepared for future challenges.

The objectives of the Symposium are to:

• Initiate a dialogue among education institutions, industry stakeholders, and policy makers on forward- looking and coherent academic initiatives, including policies and frameworks, to activate and maintain a vibrant and responsive government-education-industry ecosystem, drawing on regional and international best practice.
• Reassess the role of STEM education and TVET in academic programs that deliver the graduates of a Future-Ready Workforce who are mobile, competitive, aware of wider sustainability objectives and able to build resilient societies.
• Determine the interventions needed at education policy level, governance, collaboration with industry and other stakeholders, to formulate a roadmap towards cohesive efforts at the GCC level, including a GCC-wide approach to mutual recognition of educational credentials and transferability of credit, ensuring the continuous engagement of stakeholders in enhancing the government-education-industry ecosystem for workforce mobility and employability.

This Symposium will also provide a platform to agree on concrete recommendations from the stakeholders to inform the development of national and regional development plans. Through this gathering, stakeholders from various sectors will come together to share insights, best practice, and innovative strategies to advance STEM education and TVET. The ultimate goal is to pave the way for creating a resilient, adaptable, and skilled workforce capable of contributing to the sustainability and resilience of societies on a global scale.