Category: News update

The international seminar “Skills and Jobs of Tomorrow” that the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held yesterday, in partnership with several international organizations and bodies featured many ideas and views about necessary future skills and the jobs that will prevail across the world in the coming years and brought together high-level participants from among experts and academics in the field of education, science, culture, and strategic foresight.

The opening session of the seminar kicked off through videoconference and face-to-face participation at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat and commenced with the address of Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), wherein he reaffirmed that the world is changing radically. He stated that studies show that 60% of future jobs do not exist today and that 14% of today’s jobs will disappear within 15 and 20 years due to automation thus the need for building youth’s capacities for the future since they are the driving force of nations.

Dr. AlMalik recalled that ICESCO has placed the youth at the core of its action priorities and that transition toward an educational model that will support youth and students’ skills is what mostly drives the Organization’s partnerships with universities and educational institutions. He noted that ICESCO provides young men and women with an opportunity to benefit from useful training in its action areas.

In his address, Mr. Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director for Education and Skills, reaffirmed that the new educational model should be founded on technology and innovation, especially that the current model does not serve young talents in the Islamic world. He also called for helping youth to discover the future and identify its needs in terms of skills and expertise.

Dr. Slim Khalbous, Rector of the Francophone University Agency (AUF), recalled the rapprochement between the principles of AUF and ICESCO in terms of diversity and linguistic variations and the importance of foresight. He underscored that with the prevailing uncertainty, the need for foresight emerges especially the one based on scientific grounds.

In her address, Ms. Giovanna Barberis, UNICEF Representative in Morocco, talked about digitalization and its deep impact on a wide range of jobs. She reviewed UNICEF’s experience in the MENA region in the development of key skills of the region’s youth and proposed the adoption of many initiatives such as second-chance schools and the promotion of entrepreneurship skills among the youth.

Dr. Ali Serhrouchni, Director of HEM Rabat, stated that the labor market that was in a transitional period now suffers from the lack of necessary skills and that technology has changed working methods and opened new prospects while noting that language diversity should be considered in preparing for the jobs of tomorrow.

Mr. Fariz Ismailzade, the Executive Vice-Rector of ADA University in Azerbaijan, pointed out that some of the jobs that flourished during the pandemic invite us to think of developing skills and technology, especially that new jobs will appear with the changing environment in the future. He also stressed the need to revise and update curricula to adapt them to current and future requirements.

Dr. Abderrahman Tenkoul, Dean of the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences of EUROMED University, recalled the necessary incorporation of theoretical and practical parts in curricula and the adoption of proactive approaches to addressing future changes and challenges and sustainable training to keep pace with the emerging jobs.

At the close of the opening session, Dr. Kais Hammami, Director of ICESCO Strategic Foresight Center, made a presentation on the jobs of the future. Then, the working session included several topics respectively “Value and Challenges of Cultural and Creative Industries in the Future,” “Challenges of Fourth Industrial Revolution and its Impact on the Labor Market,” and “Methods of Training Youth and Young Teachers to Keep Pace with the Future World.”

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) took part in a panel that the United Nations Human Rights Training held along with the Documentation Centre for South-West Asia and the Arab Region and the Regional OHCHR Office in Beirut, on “Stereotypes and Images of Social Gender in School Curricula.” The panel was held via videoconference as part of efforts to raise awareness of human rights, stress the importance of upholding the right to education and underline the necessity of eradicating stereotypical concepts in education.

Dr. Ahmad El-Zonfoli, Expert at ICESCO Sector of Education, represented the Organization in the panel, held on Thursday, April 8, 2021, and presented a research paper on the “Future Orientations to Empower Women and Girls and Support Social Gender as part of ICESCO New Vision.” Dr. El-Zonfoli explained that the paper focuses on the Organization’s orientation regarding rehabilitating girls and women and supporting the social gender within the framework of its new vision, in efforts to promote women’s contributions to society and achieve gender equality.

The ICESCO official also noted that the Organization proclaimed 2021 as the Year of Women under the slogan “Women and the Future,” in a bid to promote the status of women as well as their values and noble mission and recognize their efforts, vital roles, and major contributions to building the future and developing societies.

Dr. El-Zonfoli added that ICESCO prepared an ambitious program for the year focusing on four axes, namely, conferences and seminars, programs and projects, prizes, and initiatives. Dr. El-Zonfoli further explained that all axes revolve around the issues of supporting, rehabilitating, and building the capacities of women, promoting their leading role, improving their situation, fighting illiteracy, and guaranteeing girls’ rights to education.

The Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW), a subsidiary organ of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), took part, yesterday, April 7, 2021, in the proceedings of the 33^rd session of the Board of Trustees of the Islamic University in Niger (IUIN). Ambassador Nasser bin Abdullah bin Hamdan Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, chaired the session, held via videoconference, while Ms. Mamadou from the Presidential Office of Niger, and Ambassador Dr. Askar Mussinov, Assistant Secretary-General for Science and Technology at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) participated in the event.

Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Cultural Adviser of ICESCO Director-General, represented the Organization in the meeting.

The Board adopted several reports that the University Rector submitted on several issues, namely the University’s financial, academic, and administrative situation; Iqraa Institute for Vocational and Technical Training; the Schools of Solidarity, the University’s Waqf; and the Charity Fund.

The Board adopted the report that Mr. Abdurrahman Al-Jarawan, Chair of the University’s Consultative Academic Committee, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees, submitted on the inauguration of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud University Campus in Niamey, on March 29, 2021, which the President of the Republic attended.

At the close of the session, the Board adopted the University’s new draft budget for 2020-2021.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) will hold tomorrow, April 7, 2021, an international webinar on “Reconceiving post-COVID Islamic World” to exchange views and explore the future prospects of the Islamic world post-COVID-19.

The symposium, which will be held via videoconference tomorrow at 01:00 pm UTC (2:00 pm Rabat Time), will kick off with the opening session featuring addresses by Mr. Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, the Symposium’s guest of honor, and Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG).

Following the opening session, this major event will discuss several themes with the participation of several representatives of prominent international institutions and universities. The themes are as follows:
– Inter-civilizational Dialogue in the Post-COVID Islamic World
– Challenges and Prospects of Chinese-African Cooperation
– Vaccination Progress in the Islamic World
The proceedings of the symposium will be broadcasted live on ICESCO’s Facebook page, via the following link:
https://www.facebook.com/ICESCO.En/live

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) will hold, on April 8, 2021, an international seminar on “Skills and Jobs of Tomorrow” to explore the changes the labor market will witness in the future and identify the professions and skills necessary to improve socio-economic growth in the Islamic world.

ICESCO organized the seminar in partnership with UNICEF, OECD, AUF, ESCWA, WFP, ILO, and the “Economia” Research Center of the Higher Institute of Management Studies (HEM). The event will kick off at 9:00 UTC (10:00 Rabat Time) face-to-face at ICESCO headquarters and by videoconference. The seminar will also bring together high-level representatives of prestigious international organizations and institutions and several experts.

ICESCO Center of Strategic Foresight will oversee the event, which is part of the Organization’s efforts to support foresight culture as a strategic mechanism for decision-makers to identify and anticipate future challenges and find appropriate solutions thereof.

The seminar’s agenda features an opening session to give an overview of future professions to be followed by a session on the value and challenges of future cultural and creative industries. The second session will explore the challenges of the 4th industrial revolution while the third session will tackle ways of training youth and young teachers on how to keep pace with the future.

The seminar can be followed live on ICESCO’s official Facebook page at the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/ICESCO.En/live

The Islamic Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a coordination meeting with Al-Erfan Foundation for Educational Consulting and Vocational Development in Morocco to examine cooperation prospects in language proficiency assessment for non-Arabic speaking students in the Islamic world and beyond.

Dr. Majdi Haji Ibrahim, President Center of Arabic for non-Arabic Speakers, and Mr. Adel Bouraoui, Advisor to the Director-General for ICESCO’s External Centers and University Chairs in the field of Arabic Language; and Dr. Youssef Ismaïli, an expert at the Center, represented ICESCO in the meeting at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat. Dr. Mohamed El Hannach, Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Directors represented Al-Erfan Foundation.

During the meeting, Dr. El Hannach reviewed in detail Al-Erfan’s project of the platform to measure the skills of non-Arabic speakers and focused on the components of the platform, its characteristics, and placement testing for Arabic language learners, in line with international standards for language proficiency assessment. Dr. El Hannach also proposed a model of the final Arabic language proficiency test commensurate with the reality of teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers in the Member States.

ICESCO’s representatives reviewed the role of the Center and its efforts in supporting digital programmes and products with educational uses that serve the teaching of Arabic in non-Arabic speaking countries. The representatives noted the important roles the center plays in support of placement tests for non-Arabic speakers with international organizations, governmental institutions and public and private institutions operating in this vital field.

At the close of the meeting, the two parties agreed to explore ways of cooperation to serve the Arabic language, especially with regards to language proficiency assessment for Arabic language students all over the world.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) commended the “Middle East Green initiative” that H.R.H. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, announced its upcoming launch. The initiative seeks to boost the effort towards renewable energy production, enhance environmental protection undertakings by planting 50 billion trees in partnership with the Middle East countries.

ICESCO appreciates the outstanding initiative, which will be at the core of a clear and ambitious roadmap that will enable it to further contribute to increasing the production of clean energy, attain the global objective of planting 1 trillion trees, and restore 200 hectares of degraded land, to reduce global carbon emissions by 2.5%.

ICESCO affirms its willingness to cooperate and work with the Middle East Green initiative, whose objectives are aligned with the Organization’s new working strategy which adopts environment protection issues through ambitious programmes and projects to improve ecological conditions and foster and manage water resources. It also seeks to coordinate cooperation with the Islamic world countries in these fields, embodied in ICESCO’s deep interest in organizing the Islamic World of Environment Ministers Conference of which the 8^th session was held in October 2019. ICESCO will ensure that the initiative of the Saudi Crown Prince will be at the core of the agenda of the 9^th session of the Conference.

In cooperation with the competent Saudi authorities, ICESCO will also sustain the excellence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Award for Environmental Management in the Islamic World. The Organization acts as the Secretariat of the Award for which it will launch the call for papers for its upcoming session.