Doha, November 02 (QNA) - HE Chairperson of the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and nd Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to UNESCO Dr. Nasser Bin Hamad Al Hinzab affirmed that higher education is a long-term investment in human capital, social and economic development, and the future generations. He emphasized the importance of strengthening regional and international cooperation to address the growing challenges facing education systems in the Arab region and worldwide.

His Excellency made the remarks in a speech at the opening of the Fifth UNESCO Conference on Higher Education in the Arab States, hosted in Doha. The event was attended by HE Minister of Education and Higher Education and Chairperson of the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater; HE Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for the Gulf States and Yemen in Doha Salah Khaled; and representatives of member states, officials, and experts.

The Chairperson of the UNESCO Executive Board expressed his sincere appreciation to the State of Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, for hosting this significant regional event.

He explained that the role of universities and higher education institutions extends beyond equipping young people with knowledge and skills for the labor market; it also encompasses fostering ethical responsibility, equal opportunity, and respect for diversity, while preparing generations capable of critical thinking and contributing to the construction of more cohesive and stable societies.

His Excellency highlighted the significant global expansion of higher education, noting that, according to UNESCO's first global report for 2024, the number of students enrolled in higher education has reached 269 million. He called for sustainable investment and shared responsibility among member states, development partners, and the private sector to address challenges related to quality and equal opportunity and support progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 4.

He also highlighted the entry into force of the revised convention on the recognition of higher education studies, certificates, and academic degrees in the Arab states. He urged countries that have not yet ratified the convention to do so, noting its potential to broaden the recognition of qualifications and promote academic mobility across the region.

Turning to rapid technological advances, His Excellency emphasized that artificial intelligence is reshaping learning, scientific research, and work. He stressed the need to uphold the quality of education and ensure that technology serves humanity and develops human skills, rather than replacing human thought.

In this context, he noted the UNESCO Executive Board's decision to convene an extraordinary session of the General Conference in January 2027 to consider developing a new international standard-setting instrument concerning youth and digital environments in the age of artificial intelligence.

On the protection of education, His Excellency commended the State of Qatar's pioneering role in supporting international efforts to safeguard education from attacks. He praised HH Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development Sheikha Moza bint Nasser's humanitarian contributions, which were instrumental in the United Nations General Assembly's 2020 decision to designate September 9 as the International Day to Protect Education from Attack.

He also highlighted the UNESCO Executive Board's unanimous adoption in April 2026, for the first time, of a preventive action plan to protect education from attacks, an initiative spearheaded by the State of Qatar. He emphasized that the resolutions' true significance lies in following through on their implementation and measuring their impact on safeguarding the human right to education.

HE Dr. Nasser Bin Hamad Al Hinzab praised the State of Qatar's efforts in education, noting that the country had achieved all targets and indicators for Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), as reflected in the organization's national consultation report. He also highlighted Qatar's initiatives to develop national curricula and its hosting of the launch of the "Arab Model for Quality and Excellence in Education" in September 2026, in collaboration with a UNESCO regional center.

The Chairperson of the UNESCO Executive Board concluded by calling for inspiration from the Arab region's cultural and scientific legacy, which has given the world distinguished figures such as Ibn Khaldun, Ibn Rushd, Al-Khwarizmi, and Al-Mutanabbi. He stressed that this heritage brings an enduring responsibility to restore the region's leading role in knowledge and innovation and to invest in people to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and peaceful future. (QNA)