Set to be the largest government-backed education event in the region, the landmark ICEF Middle East Scholarship and Partnership Summit is a joint venture between ICEF, Gulf Conferences and the Sultanate of Oman's Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.

Returning to Muscat for its third edition on February 16 - 17, the summit attracts over 100 higher education institutions from 20 countries, including the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Spain, and Italy, in order to forge partnerships with scholarship organisations, senior representatives from government entities, and universities from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, as well as Iraq and Libya.

The summit’s principal goal is to unlock new pathways for the 200,000 Middle Eastern students who study abroad through scholarships, training programmes, and international education partnerships. Taking place over two days at the Kempinski Hotel Muscat, the format allows for high-level discussion and collaboration, as well as pre-arranged, one-to-one meetings where the regional and international delegates can focus on establishing new relationships and expanding existing partnerships. Day one of the summit sets the scene as around 30 expert speakers, including senior government officials from Gulf countries, provide their perspective on the prevailing national and regional trends, as well as projected governmental responses. Additionally, representatives from key study destinations such as the USA, UK, and Germany discuss the value of scholarships to both students and their home countries, while senior education and private sector representatives from Gulf countries focus on collaborative endeavours, detailing the importance of aligning the training capacity of education institutions with the evolving needs of business.

Providing a comprehensive platform for government-funded education opportunities, the ICEF Middle East Scholarship & Partnership Summit is perfectly aligned with the region’s ambitious national development plans, including Saudi Vision 2030 and Abu Dhabi 2030, all of which require the existing workforce to be upskilled. Faced with a range of challenges, including a digital skills shortage, GCC countries are invested in forming mutually beneficial partnerships with industry and international education providers in order to develop a pool of domestic talent that will allow them to achieve their goals.