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Web Release
17-07-2025
- Web Release
AUB Holds Panel Discussion on the Reform of Governance in Saudi Arabia
The Good Governance and Citizenship Observatory (GGCO) at the Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship at the American University of Beirut (AUB) hosted a panel discussion titled 'Hawkama and Vision 2030: The Reform of Governance in Saudi Arabia.' The event featured Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University Bernard Haykel, a leading expert on the Gulf and Middle East. The conversation explored how institutional reform and regulatory change are advancing transparency, accountability, and sustainable development as part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's broader transformation agenda. The panel drew a distinguished audience, including Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Dr. Waleed Al-Bukhari; Spanish Ambassador to Lebanon Jesús Santos Aguado; Mexican Ambassador to Lebanon Francisco Romero Bock; Dr. Fadi Makki, Lebanon's minister of state for administrative reform; and former ministers. Also in attendance were Dr. Fadlo Khuri, AUB president; Dr. Zaher Dawy, AUB provost; as well as university deans, senior administrators, and faculty members. Director of the Asfari Institute Lina Abou-Habib opened the event by welcoming the attendees and highlighting the significance and timeliness of the discussion, describing it as 'within the mandate of the institute, to discuss prospects, trends, and emerging initiatives that influence governance structures in the Arab region, particularly at this incredibly important moment of transition and instability.' Dr. Simon Kachar, GGCO founding and current director, and lecturer in political science at AUB, followed with opening remarks that placed the discussion in a broader regional and institutional context. 'In an era marked by rapid transformations and evolving global dynamics, understanding the nuances of governance reform becomes paramount,' he said. 'Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 represents an ambitious and far-reaching blueprint for economic diversification and social change, and at its very core lies the fundamental pillar of governance.' Kachar noted that the GGCO was established to foster critical thinking, encourage informed dialogue, and advance knowledge on good governance and active citizenship within Arab contexts. 'We believe that genuine progress and sustainable development are linked to transparent, accountable, and inclusive governance structures,' he added. He emphasized that the panel provided an opportunity to examine how Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 is being translated into practice and how governance reforms are reshaping institutions. 'Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a forward-looking nation, globally integrated and domestically resilient,' he said. Dr. Fadlo Khuri, AUB president, then delivered his welcoming remarks, highlighting the panel's regional and global relevance. 'Questions like how Vision 2030 is shaping Saudi Arabia in the region are extremely germane to what's happening in Lebanon and the entire region,' he said. He added that understanding what is happening in Saudi Arabia is essential—not only for neighboring countries, but for the international community as a whole. 'Saudi Arabia is a global concern,' he noted. He went on to commend the event's keynote guest, Professor Haykel, for his academic depth and candid insight. 'I feel fortunate that today at AUB, we have arguably the most insightful expert—and also one of the most honest experts in the region. Not just academically qualified, but more than happy to share careful observations from a place of objectivity and great knowledge,' Khuri added. The panel discussion was moderated by Dr. Tania Haddad, associate professor of public administration and nonprofit management at AUB and member of the GGCO Steering Committee. She opened by framing the scope of the conversation: 'Over the past decade, the kingdom has undertaken one of the most ambitious state-led transformation agendas in the region. Anchored in Vision 2030, these reforms span economic diversification, bureaucratic modernization, social liberalization, and institutional restructuring. This panel aims to critically examine the governance dimensions of these reforms, including their origins, mechanisms, and implications.' Haddad then introduced Professor Haykel as a prominent scholar of the Arabian Peninsula, whose work focuses on the politics, economics, and history of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Yemen, and 'has critically engaged with questions of state reform, institutional change, and governance in the kingdom.' The discussion unfolded as a moderated, in-depth exchange, structured around four key themes central to understanding Saudi Arabia's governance reform trajectory. It began by examining the driving forces behind the reform agenda. Haykel traced the impetus to a growing realization among Saudi leadership—and increasingly, among the public—that the previous system of governance had become unsustainable. 'The driver for reform in Saudi Arabia is a sense that exists among the leadership—but I think it's also prevalent in society—that the country, as it was functioning before the accession of King Salman in 2015… was unsustainable, and that the country needed to dramatically change,' Haykel said. He added that 'what's particularly distinctive about the kingdom, and you don't find it in other countries of the GCC, is the brutal honesty with which the leadership in the kingdom talked about this need.' The conversation then explored how reforms have reshaped the relationship between the state and its citizens, particularly through the strategic deployment of nationalism, identity, and new narratives of civic responsibility. It also addressed the institutionalization of accountability, transparency, and citizen participation, and concluded with a reflection on the broader regional implications of the Saudi reform experience. The event concluded with a question-and-answer session that invited reflections on the sustainability, implementation, and broader impact of the reforms.
The National
02-07-2025
- The National
Top Indian business school among three new global universities to open in Dubai
Dubai is set to host three new international universities that will open during the 2025-26 academic year. The Indian Institute of Management, the American University of Beirut and Saudi Arabia's Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences will all open, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority has confirmed. IIM's business and management programme is ranked 27th in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, while AUB has an overall QS ranking of 237. There is also strong interest from other major universities to open campuses in Dubai, with several in discussions or pending final approval, the KHDA said. Dubai currently has 41 international higher education providers, 37 of which are international branch campuses. Two British universities with campuses in Dubai are ranked among the top 100 globally by QS: the University of Manchester (35th) and the University of Birmingham (76th). Two Australian universities, also with Dubai campuses, are ranked in the top 200: Curtin University (183rd) and the University of Wollongong (184th). Education 33 strategy The announcement comes after Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, chaired the Dubai Executive Council last week. During the meeting, the council approved a project to attract top international universities to the emirate and discussed the Academic and Career Guidance Policy. This, Sheikh Hamdan said, would help Emirati students in future job markets with academic and career support, setting a target that 90 per cent would find employment within six months of graduation. The project aims to have international students comprise half of the students in higher education institutions in the emirate by 2033, contributing Dh5.6 billion and making Dubai one of the top 10 global cities for university study. In the last academic year, overall higher education enrolment in Dubai saw a record 20 per cent increase. International student enrolment rose by 29 per cent. A total of 42,026 students are now enrolled in Dubai, the highest number on record. 'Dubai's initiative to attract the best global universities, endorsed by the Executive Council, reflects the emirate's international stature,' said Dr Wafi Dawood, chief executive of the KHDA's strategic development sector.
Zawya
20-06-2025
- Zawya
Côte d'Ivoire Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé Opens 16th African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) General Assembly in Abidjan
Abidjan hosted the opening of the 16th General Assembly of the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) ( on June 19, 2025. The ceremony, held under the high patronage of Mr. Robert Beugré Mambé, Prime Minister of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, brought together a plethora of distinguished guests, including ambassadors, directors-general, ministers, academics, media professionals, students, and civil society members from around the world. Under the impactful theme "Developing Media: Strategies for Financial and Technological Resilience, and Innovative Content," this assembly promises crucial discussions for the future of the African media landscape. In his inaugural speech, Prime Minister Mambé highlighted the essential role of media in societal transformation: "Media represents a true opportunity for our country. We are counting on you to preserve and strengthen this asset, through the consultation framework offered to you. It is from this dialogue that the right answers to our questions will emerge." This was a clear call for collaboration and the search for collective solutions. For Cléophas Barore, President of the AUB Executive Council, the funding challenge is omnipresent: "The financing of production and broadcasting remains a daily struggle. These challenges are marked by resource scarcity, fierce competition from new media, information multinationals, and many others." This observation underscores the urgent need for innovation in a constantly evolving media environment. Amadou Coulibaly, Minister of Communication and Government Spokesperson, for his part, urged broadcasters to embrace new media to better capture the African audience. "With the AUB, your Union, I urge you to work tirelessly to sustainably retain the African audience, in its diversity, by notably taking into account new communication and broadcasting channels such as social media, streaming, OTT, and podcasts, by innovating and valuing local content, our historical, cultural, tourist, and socio-economic values. I commit you to this!" he affirmed, emphasizing the importance of innovation and the promotion of local content in the face of information globalization. The productive first day also featured a visit to the exhibition stands, offering participants the opportunity to discover the latest innovations in content creation and to forge partnerships. The 16th AUB General Assembly continues on June 20, 2025, with the Union's statutory proceedings and the Awards ceremony. Grégoire NDJAKA Director General Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union of Broadcasting (AUB).
