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# What will define the Middle East’s next generation of universities?
- URL: https://newsletters.qs.com/what-will-define-the-middle-easts-next-generation-of-universities/
- Published: 2026-09-10T13:30:53.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-10T13:30:52.000Z
- Author: Serena Ricci
- Tags: Summits

Across the Middle East, the role of higher education is expanding.

Governments are investing in AI, advanced industries and knowledge-led growth. Employers are competing for increasingly specialised talent. Universities are being called on to translate research and partnerships into measurable economic and societal value.

The real question now is: What does it take to build a university that can keep pace with an economy being reshaped in real time? The [**QS Higher Ed Summit: Middle East 2026**](https://www.qs.com/conferences/middle-east/agenda?utm%5Fcampaign=91831502-QS%20HES%20ME%202026&utm%5Fsource=email&utm%5Fmedium=CTA&utm%5Fterm=QS%20HES%20ME%202026%20Agenda%20-%20Ghost%20Newsletter&utm%5Fcontent=What%20will%20define%20the%20Middle%20East%E2%80%99s%20next%20generation%20of%20universities%3F%20-%20Ghost%20Newsletter)**, hosted by Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi 22-24 November**, will bring together senior leaders from higher education, government and industry to examine what future-ready universities will need to deliver in a region undergoing rapid economic transformation.

[Register Now](https://portal.qshesummits.com/xEX9bX?utm%5Fcampaign=91831502-QS%20HES%20ME%202026&utm%5Fsource=email&utm%5Fmedium=CTA&utm%5Fterm=QS%20HES%20ME%202026%20Reg%20-%20Ghost%20Newsletter&utm%5Fcontent=What%20will%20define%20the%20Middle%20East%E2%80%99s%20next%20generation%20of%20universities%3F%20-%20Ghost%20Newsletter)

The programme will explore the strategic choices shaping institutional competitiveness: building talent pipelines for an AI economy, strengthening research and commercialisation ecosystems, accelerating digital transformation, deepening university-industry collaboration, and creating institutions that are both globally connected and locally relevant.

**Why join us in Abu Dhabi?**

**Build relationships that move priorities forward.** Connect with university presidents, government leaders and major employers from across the Middle East and globally, opening opportunities for collaboration, partnerships and new initiatives.

**Get ahead of what’s changing in GME.** A dedicated track will connect business school and industry leaders around shifting student demand, employer expectations and the future of graduate management education.

**Benchmark your strategy with peers.** Senior leadership roundtables will give university leaders a closed-door forum to compare approaches, pressure-test priorities and learn from institutions facing similar decisions.

Join us in Abu Dhabi for the **QS Higher Ed Summit: Middle East 2026** and be part of the conversations shaping the region’s next generation of universities. 

[Secure Your Place](https://portal.qshesummits.com/xEX9bX?utm%5Fcampaign=91831502-QS%20HES%20ME%202026&utm%5Fsource=email&utm%5Fmedium=CTA&utm%5Fterm=QS%20HES%20ME%202026%20Reg%20-%20Ghost%20Newsletter&utm%5Fcontent=What%20will%20define%20the%20Middle%20East%E2%80%99s%20next%20generation%20of%20universities%3F%20-%20Ghost%20Newsletter)

Best wishes,

QS Team