Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

This first of three video conferences is meant to evaluate whether or not the school curriculums in six Middle Eastern countries are in line with the skill needs of the national economies. Organized by the World Bank Institute's Education Program in coordination with the Ministries of Education in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, and Yemen, and Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAGI), this event will allow authorities in education and private industry the opportunity to hear what the experts have found to be the skills most beneficial to the region.
Special thanks to our expert presenters Mr. Guillermo Hakim, The World Bank, and Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman of TAGI.

View agenda and additional resources
Global Dialogue on Skills for the 21st Century
Date: January 6, 2004 - First Video Conference
Topic: Skills for the 21st Century
Participating Countries: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Palestine, Washington, D.C.
Presenters:Introduction to Labor Market needs in MENA Region
Ms. Elena Carrero (View the presentation in English 19KB)
Expert Vocational Education and Training
European Training Foundation (ETF)
Turin, Italy
Labor Market needs in MENA Region
Mr. Luis Guillermo Hakim (View the presentation in English 36KB and Arabic 70KB)
Senior Economist, MENA
The World Bank
Washington, DC
Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh (View the presentation in English 28KB)
Chairman & CEO
TAGI
Jordan
Moderator:Mr. Robert Hawkins
Senior Educator, Education Program, WBI
The World Bank
Washington, D.C.
Participating sites:Cairo, Egypt (policymakers, private industry)
Amman, Jordan (policymakers, private industry)
Beirut, Lebanon (policymakers, private industry)
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (policymakers, private industry)
Sanaa, Yemen (policymakers, private industry)
Palestine (policymakers, private industry)
Washington, D.C. USA (moderator, presenter)
Videoconference length:2 hours - Washington D.C. (EST) from 9 AM to 11 AM
Projected start times: Washington, D.C. 9:00am EST
Jordan, 4:00pm
Egypt, 4:00pm
Palestine, 4:00pm
Lebanon, 5:00pm
Saudi Arabia, 5:00pm
Yemen, 5:00pm
Event running order (agenda)
0.15 Local coordination at each participating site
Participants are seated
General introductions
Local coordinator explains videoconference running time and rules
Overview of topics discussed
Distribution of hard copies of materials to be presented
Collection of final participant information
Prompting for preliminary gathering of questions from participants for presenters
[during this time, technical connection is established between sites]
0.00 Videoconference begins
General welcome message from moderator
Presenters are introduced
Quick overview of videoconference topics and agenda
0.03 Introduction of sites (2 minutes each)
Local coordinator in Egypt
Local coordinator in Jordan
Local coordinator in Lebanon
Local coordinator in Saudi Arabia
Local coordinator in Palestine
Local coordinator in Yemen
0.15 Introduction to MENA Labor Market Needs (Elena Carrero, ETF)
0.20 First presentation – MENA Labor Market Needs (Luis Guillermo Hakim, The World Bank)
[during presentation, local coordinator collects questions]
0.35 Comment/Questions from each site (2 minutes each)
Egypt
Jordan
Lebanon
Saudi Arabia
Palestine
Yemen
Washington, D.C.
0.50 Presenter responds to questions
1.05 Second presentation –Private Sector Perspective (Talal Abu Ghazaleh, TAGI)
[during presentation, local coordinator collects questions]
1.20 Comment/Questions from each site (2 minutes each)
Egypt
Jordan
Lebanon
Saudi Arabia
Palestine
Yemen
Washington, D.C.
1.35 Presenters respond to questions
1.40 Moderator wraps up first discussion
1.50 Closing remarks, and general questions and answers from each site
Egypt
Jordan
Lebanon
Saudi Arabia
Palestine
Yemen
Washington, D.C.
1.55 Final remarks from moderator
2.00 Videoconference ends
Responsibilities of local coordinators
Each videoconference site will have one "local coordinator" who will:
  • liaise with the moderators in Washington
  • liaise with GDLN/Resident Mission site staff
  • distribute hard copies of presentations
  • collect participant information (participant data and evaluations) and send to Washington
  • enforce the videoconference rules and time restrictions (!! very important!!)

attend to participant needs

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