Riyadh is hosting representatives of 23 countries from around the world and more than 262 international and local universities to discuss the education sector after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The International Education Conference 2022, which kicked off on Sunday, tackles the global education policies and examines the most effective experiences and means to overcome challenges and improve outputs in line with international standards and indicators.

In a speech at the opening ceremony, Saudi Minister of Education, Dr. Hamad Al-Sheikh, said that the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the development of operating systems that serve the education sector.

He underlined the need for creative planning to overcome challenges facing the education sector around the world, which include economic conditions and global transformations.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Egypt’s Minister of Education, Dr. Tarek Shawky, stressed the importance of the conference in seeking to find the means to address the educational gap among students, and discussing partnership opportunities within the framework of digital transformation.

“It is an opportunity to discuss common issues with representatives from the World Bank, UNESCO and international and regional organizations, who met in Riyadh, to engage in a joint thinking process, following two years of isolation due to the pandemic,” the minister added.

The four-day conference is held in parallel with an exhibition that showcases the experiences of 145 universities and international educational institutions, as well as nearly 130 workshops targeting large segments of workers in the education sector.

Topics that will be discussed during the conference include digital education, artificial intelligence, technical alternatives, and educational skills that support sustainable and inclusive development.