Sunday, 18 February, 2018

Conference supports the advancement of education in the region through the sharing of insights and knowledge The University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) recently hosted the first CASE Advancement Conference in the Middle East at its campus in Dubai Knowledge Park. Organised by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the conference brings together the expertise and knowledge on international best practices in alumni relations, fundraising, advancement services, marketing and communications to complement the current approaches in university and school advancement efforts in the Middle East and surrounding regions. “This is our first ever conference in the Middle East and it is an important milestone for CASE. We are grateful for the immense support from our host UOWD, our communities of professional practice and our partner institutions in the region”, commented Ms Tricia King, Vice President of Global Engagement, CASE. “Education and information exchange are clearly at the heart of this region, so we are delighted to be here to connect, share, engage and start a unique relationship. Our vision at CASE is to ‘Advance education to transform lives and society”. That purpose resonates so clearly in this region” she added. Welcoming the delegates to the conference, Prof Mohamed-Vall M. Salem Zein, President of UOWD said that the spotlight has fallen on education as a primary focus point for future progress, due to the economic growth in the UAE over the last few years, and that it is therefore a privilege to partner with CASE, to create a platform in the UAE to discuss the challenges and trends shaping the education landscape in the region. During his special keynote speech, Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General, Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) reflected on the achievements of KHDA to improve education and its vision for the future. The three-day conference commenced with a plenary session with Prof Mohamed-Vall M. Salem Zein; Ms Dina Abulfotuh, Vice President for Advancement and Communications, The American University in Cairo and Ms Tricia King (moderator) discussing their views of education and engagement in in the Middle East and their vision for future advancement. Numerous inspiring session and interactive workshops took place over the three-day period, which provided the delegates with new global and local insights on advancement and the tools to adopt appropriate strategies for their respective institutions. The conference concluded with one-to-one discussions with the faculty who led the workshops, roundtable discussions and a networking lunch. CASE is one of the world's largest non-profit educational associations in terms of institutional membership and includes more than 3,670 colleges and universities, primary and secondary independent and international schools, and non-profit organisations in more than 82 countries around the globe. It serves nearly 81,000 advancement professionals on the staffs of member institutions in helping them to build stronger relationships with all their relevant stakeholders by providing relevant research, supporting growth in the profession and fostering support of education.