The British Council is pleased to join the 7th MENA Higher Education Leadership Forum (MENA-HELF) as a Knowledge Partner, bringing our expertise and perspectives to conversations on the future of higher education in MENA and beyond.
Theme: Global Challenges, Local Impact: Higher Education’s Role in Shaping a Resilient Future
MENA-HELF brings together higher education leaders, policymakers and experts to exchange perspectives, explore shared challenges and identify practical approaches to building more resilient higher education systems.
Our sessions
Session 1: Shaping Resilient Futures: Rhetoric or Reality? Higher Education’s Real-World Impact
30 September | 09:40–10:10
Moderator: Catriona McCarthy, Director Education, British Council
Speaker: HE Prof. Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary General of the Association of Arab Universities
Are universities truly strengthening societal resilience, or are claims of impact outpacing measurable outcomes?
In this fireside chat, Catriona and Prof. Salama will explore how higher education institutions can demonstrate their real-world contribution to communities and societies. The conversation will look at how impact can be meaningfully defined and measured, where gaps remain between institutional ambitions and actual results, and what it takes to move from intention to evidence.
Session 2: Strategic Leadership Focus Group: Strengthening Higher Education Systems through Regional Collaboration
30 September | 14:30–16:00
Facilitator: Nesma Mostafa, Head of MENA Higher Education Insights and Student Mobility, British Council
Experts’ panel: Catriona McCarthy, British Council; Prof. Sherine Farouk, Abu Dhabi University; and Prof. Francois Therin, ICN Business School
How can regional collaboration move from individual initiatives to stronger, more coordinated approaches that deliver system-level impact?
Led by Nesma, this interactive 90-minute session will explore opportunities for collaboration across quality assurance, research, mobility, digital transformation and capacity building.
Participants will work together to identify priority actions, key enablers and practical roadmap elements that can help strengthen regional higher education ecosystems while respecting institutional diversity and autonomy.
Pop up at our booth and meet the team, learn about our recent insights and our work across MENA!
Register now to join us at MENA-HELF 2026 and be part of the conversation