Doha, November 04 (QNA) - The State of Qatar hosted Wednesday, at the United Nations House in Doha, the first meeting of the Regional Committee for the Revised Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Certificates and Degrees in Higher Education in the Arab States, with the participation of representatives from 19 Arab countries.
The meeting was attended by Secretary-General of the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science Dr. Nouf Khalid Al Suwaidi, along with representatives of five States Parties with voting rights and 14 Arab countries participating as observers.
Participants discussed ways to implement the convention and strengthen Arab cooperation in recognizing higher education qualifications.
They also discussed and adopted the rules of procedure of the Regional Committee, elected its bureau, nominated Sheikha Dr. Nayla bint Ahmed Al-Thani as its chairperson, and reviewed the transitional work plan for the first year of the convention's implementation.
The meeting also addressed the establishment of the Arab Regional Network of National Information Centers (ARNNIC), which aims to promote the exchange of information and expertise and develop mechanisms for evaluating and recognizing academic qualifications. This would help facilitate the mobility of students, researchers and faculty members among higher education institutions across the region.
On the sidelines of the meeting, a joint report entitled "The State of Higher Education in the Arab States" was launched. 
The report, issued by UNESCO's Regional Bureau for Education in the Arab States in Beirut and the UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC), reviews the main trends and challenges facing the higher education sector in the region and provides a knowledge resource to support policymaking and strengthen regional cooperation.
The meeting coincided with the fifth UNESCO Conference on Higher Education in the Arab States, held in Doha.
It is the first meeting of its kind since the revised convention entered into force on April 18, following its ratification by five countries: Qatar, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine and Yemen. 
The convention establishes a regional legal framework to promote transparency and mutual trust in higher education systems and qualifications.
Qatar's hosting of the meeting reflects its ongoing efforts to support Arab and international educational cooperation and strengthen its partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 
These efforts contribute to developing an integrated regional system for recognizing academic qualifications, facilitating academic mobility and supporting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4. ((QNA)