Ministry

Background

One of the Highlights of G8 Sea Island Summit outcomes 2004 was to approve the Plan of Support for the Broader Middle East and North Africa, including the G8 commitment to help 20 million more people become literate by 2015.

The Arab region consists of 21 Members States of the Arab League. Although the countries of the Arab League share a common language and, to a large extent, a common religion and cultural heritage, they differ greatly in matters of geography, demographics, wealth, governance, educational systems. However, many of the issues and trends in education are similar.

Higher education institutions in this region are a fairly new development. In 1950, there were no more than 10 universities scattered across the region. Today, there are more than 200 with new higher education providers cropping up at an unprecedented rate of almost 10 new universities per year.

However, in spite of this new development, the call remains for reform of the higher education system. A fact, that points out to the failure of these institutions to meet the demands of human and social development required. One important consideration is that the calls for reform and attempts to implement said reforms, predates the World Conference on Higher Education in 1998. Researchers and education experts, at the regional and national levels, have been grappling with the issues surrounding higher education since the early 1980s.

These issues include the failure of the higher educational curriculum in general to meet the demands of rapid transformation in the world of today, whether in terms of the needs of the labour market or the needs of the societies in which these universities operate. Most disciplines on offer at universities were considered as traditional in nature and limited in scope with the humanities taking precedence over science and technology.

    • Ministry

      Papers

      Here you will find a list of the meetings bachground papers by topic, which can been downloaded directly only in English.
      [more] (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/177.php)
    • Ministry

      Registration

      Delegates and experts were kindly requested to cover their travel costs including costs for the accommodation for hotel rates and to settle their account prior to departure. The registration procedure was organized by the delegation contact person. All personal information was treated confidentially.
      [more] (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/92.php)
    • Ministry

      Venue

      The Third G8-BMENA Ministerial Meeting on Education was held in Bonn, at the Steigenberger Grandhotel Petersberg. The Senior Officials Meeting took place in Bad Honnef, Hotel Seminaris.
      [more] (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/97.php)
    • Ministry

      Programme

      Here you will find the structured programme of the Third Ministerial Meeting on Education of the Broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) countries and the Group of Eight (G8) on 21th - 22th November 2007 in Bonn/Petersberg.
      [more] (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/95.php)
    top