What will define the Middle East’s next generation of universities?
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, 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.
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.
Best wishes,
QS Team
