EdTech is the silver bullet to the Middle East’s education sector post-pandemic
With most higher education facilities temporarily closing their campuses during the pandemic, the educational system has had no other choice but to rely on digital platforms and to quickly shift to online learning
The pandemic has affected 91 percent of the student population worldwide, according to UNESCO, creating unpreceded disruption in our global education sector. In many countries, schools and universities were among the first places to close their doors, disrupting the lives of millions of students.
With most higher education facilities temporarily closing their campuses during the pandemic, the educational system has had no other choice but to rely on digital platforms and to quickly shift to online learning. The result? Education and learning have changed as we know it. However, with change comes opportunity and innovation – and this is where technology is significantly transforming the landscape of education.
The pandemic has brought with it unprecedented change to education and with it a major opportunity for innovation in the Middle East
According to Alpen Capital, the Dubai-based leading investment bank for the GCC and Asia, the total number of students in the GCC is projected to reach 14.5 million in 2022. A growing student population, coupled with ongoing technological disruption and governments’ efforts to develop a knowledge-based economy, provides EdTech companies a significant opportunity for scale and long-term growth in the region. It will be essential for educational institutions and facilities around the world to modernise their learning techniques to align with the needs of future generations of students and to better equip them with the digital skills and tech savviness required for the future job market, which will place increasing value on data, analytics and technology proficiency.
Prior to the pandemic, governments in the UAE and the Gulf saw the importance of e-learning and digital services to increase access to education and diversify skills development for the future generation. To enhance the traditional learning process, they were already in the process of integrating digital solutions and technology to existing curricula. The early adoption of learning technologies in the Middle East has allowed the region to transition quickly and effectively, entering the new pandemic-era from a position of strength. The lockdown set in motion a complete shift to digital learning as a critical pre-requisite for the continuation of education services. Where many nations are still confronting the impact of the pandemic and remain weighed down by the pressures of remote working, the Middle East’s openness to adapt and innovate has enabled technology-led education services to be rolled out in the region with a far greater speed, fluidity and continuity than many of its neighbours.
The shift to technology-based learning will be a key catalyst for a resilient future and economic growth in the GCC
The widespread adoption of online learning and the surge in demand for digital solutions during the pandemic has undeniably accelerated the uptake of EdTech solutions. According to Middle East consultancy ValuStrat, the value of the global EdTech market is forecasted to reach US$40 billion by 2022.
Furthermore, the UAE’s Ministry of Education is expected to expand its spend on e-learning initiatives by 60 percent to a worth of $7.1 billion by 2023. This is a significant rise considering in 2017 just $2 million was invested in EdTech start-ups across the entire MENA region.
In recent years, we have seen the Middle East’s EdTech scene flourish, supported by increasing investment into the sector, which has provided successful start-ups with much-needed growth capital. Take, for instance, Almentor, Dubai’s online video learning platform, and Saudi Arabia’s Noon Academy, which raised $13 million in 2020.
For many GCC nations, accelerating economic growth is underpinned by developing a knowledge-based ecosystem. As a result, smart education and equipping youth with the skillsets needed for the future is crucial. Internationalisation and partnering with pioneering technology markets like Northern Ireland can help shape a more resilient education system, built to meet the needs and demands of more digitally-focused education services in the future.
Global partnership has proved an effective vehicle in accelerating the Middle East’s EdTech sector – and Northern Ireland has been a key partner
Governments across the Gulf have been collaborating and partnering with international institutions to deliver world-class education, on par with global standards and best practices. Northern Ireland, in particular, has for many years been actively collaborating with stakeholders in the Gulf, facilitating partnership with schools and universities to help them deliver cutting-edge learning technologies.
Through key partnerships with Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Zayed University and Qatar Foundation, Texthelp, an education software firm from Northern Ireland, has been supporting students across the Gulf with their literacy software solutions. Likewise, Edmin Software, an inclusive online community of professionals and parents of children with additional needs, is also running a pilot of their student support portal with several local schools in the UAE, including the Dubai Autism Centre, and Latifa School for Girls. Companies like EventMAP have been working with the likes of Zayed University, Al Ain University, and NYU Abu Dhabi, providing them with innovative software solutions to help optimise resource planning and management.
A bright future awaits for Middle East EdTech
Innovation to the Middle East’s education system is far from over, emphasising the indispensable role of EdTech. Schools and universities may not return to what they were before the pandemic, indeed they will likely be even better. So long as governments and industries continue to stay open for partnerships and innovation in the EdTech space, we can look forward to education systems that are broader, richer, more sophisticated, and more inclusive. We have seen technology transform the global financial services and retail sectors, and the opportunity that exists for educating and empowering the GCC’s young leaders of tomorrow is even more exciting.
Kevin Holland, CEO of Invest Northern Ireland
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EdTech is the silver bullet to the Middle East’s education sector post-pandemic
With most higher education facilities temporarily closing their campuses during the pandemic, the educational system has had no other choice but to rely on digital platforms and to quickly shift to online learning
Kevin Holland, CEO of Invest Northern Ireland
The pandemic has affected 91 percent of the student population worldwide, according to UNESCO, creating unpreceded disruption in our global education sector. In many countries, schools and universities were among the first places to close their doors, disrupting the lives of millions of students.
With most higher education facilities temporarily closing their campuses during the pandemic, the educational system has had no other choice but to rely on digital platforms and to quickly shift to online learning. The result? Education and learning have changed as we know it. However, with change comes opportunity and innovation – and this is where technology is significantly transforming the landscape of education.
The pandemic has brought with it unprecedented change to education and with it a major opportunity for innovation in the Middle East
According to Alpen Capital, the Dubai-based leading investment bank for the GCC and Asia, the total number of students in the GCC is projected to reach 14.5 million in 2022. A growing student population, coupled with ongoing technological disruption and governments’ efforts to develop a knowledge-based economy, provides EdTech companies a significant opportunity for scale and long-term growth in the region. It will be essential for educational institutions and facilities around the world to modernise their learning techniques to align with the needs of future generations of students and to better equip them with the digital skills and tech savviness required for the future job market, which will place increasing value on data, analytics and technology proficiency.
Prior to the pandemic, governments in the UAE and the Gulf saw the importance of e-learning and digital services to increase access to education and diversify skills development for the future generation. To enhance the traditional learning process, they were already in the process of integrating digital solutions and technology to existing curricula. The early adoption of learning technologies in the Middle East has allowed the region to transition quickly and effectively, entering the new pandemic-era from a position of strength. The lockdown set in motion a complete shift to digital learning as a critical pre-requisite for the continuation of education services. Where many nations are still confronting the impact of the pandemic and remain weighed down by the pressures of remote working, the Middle East’s openness to adapt and innovate has enabled technology-led education services to be rolled out in the region with a far greater speed, fluidity and continuity than many of its neighbours.
The shift to technology-based learning will be a key catalyst for a resilient future and economic growth in the GCC
The widespread adoption of online learning and the surge in demand for digital solutions during the pandemic has undeniably accelerated the uptake of EdTech solutions. According to Middle East consultancy ValuStrat, the value of the global EdTech market is forecasted to reach US$40 billion by 2022.
Furthermore, the UAE’s Ministry of Education is expected to expand its spend on e-learning initiatives by 60 percent to a worth of $7.1 billion by 2023. This is a significant rise considering in 2017 just $2 million was invested in EdTech start-ups across the entire MENA region.
In recent years, we have seen the Middle East’s EdTech scene flourish, supported by increasing investment into the sector, which has provided successful start-ups with much-needed growth capital. Take, for instance, Almentor, Dubai’s online video learning platform, and Saudi Arabia’s Noon Academy, which raised $13 million in 2020.
For many GCC nations, accelerating economic growth is underpinned by developing a knowledge-based ecosystem. As a result, smart education and equipping youth with the skillsets needed for the future is crucial. Internationalisation and partnering with pioneering technology markets like Northern Ireland can help shape a more resilient education system, built to meet the needs and demands of more digitally-focused education services in the future.
Global partnership has proved an effective vehicle in accelerating the Middle East’s EdTech sector – and Northern Ireland has been a key partner
Governments across the Gulf have been collaborating and partnering with international institutions to deliver world-class education, on par with global standards and best practices. Northern Ireland, in particular, has for many years been actively collaborating with stakeholders in the Gulf, facilitating partnership with schools and universities to help them deliver cutting-edge learning technologies.
Through key partnerships with Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Zayed University and Qatar Foundation, Texthelp, an education software firm from Northern Ireland, has been supporting students across the Gulf with their literacy software solutions. Likewise, Edmin Software, an inclusive online community of professionals and parents of children with additional needs, is also running a pilot of their student support portal with several local schools in the UAE, including the Dubai Autism Centre, and Latifa School for Girls. Companies like EventMAP have been working with the likes of Zayed University, Al Ain University, and NYU Abu Dhabi, providing them with innovative software solutions to help optimise resource planning and management.
A bright future awaits for Middle East EdTech
Innovation to the Middle East’s education system is far from over, emphasising the indispensable role of EdTech. Schools and universities may not return to what they were before the pandemic, indeed they will likely be even better. So long as governments and industries continue to stay open for partnerships and innovation in the EdTech space, we can look forward to education systems that are broader, richer, more sophisticated, and more inclusive. We have seen technology transform the global financial services and retail sectors, and the opportunity that exists for educating and empowering the GCC’s young leaders of tomorrow is even more exciting.
Kevin Holland, CEO of Invest Northern Ireland
Follow us on
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