UAE’s education sector is entering a crucial phase enabling it to reach its potential, an industry expert said, adding that opportunities to invest are plentiful in the sector.

Emad Mansour, CEO of Audacia Capital was speaking at the recent London Business School’s first Catalyzers Series forum, which brought together leading industry figures in Dubai.

The event, held at Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, featured two panel discussions on the future of investments and private equity in education and healthcare. Leading healthcare magnate Dr B R Shetty discussed his revolutionary work within the nation’s healthcare industry and London Business School Term Professor of Accounting Florin Vasvari delivered a keynote speech about current market scenarios.

The panel collectively agreed that the education space in the country has had many new entrants in recent years as Dubai becomes more visible on the global map as a world-class destination for prospective students.

Dr Pablo Fetter, education investment expert and former CEO of Kings’ Education added that Dubai “is second to Singapore in the schools market internationally,” highlighting the level of investments into the sector, which he described has seen a shift in the school landscape locally.

The UAE has invested $2.72 billion into the education sector, marking a 22 per cent increase in government spending on education. The UAE Vision 2021 National Agenda emphasises the development of a first-rate education system, which will require a complete transformation of the current education system and teaching methods.

Founder and executive director of Learning Curve Holdings and LBS alumnus, Basem Abu Dagga, said there are still some fantastic opportunities to make money with some very ambitious and solid operators. He also touched on the future of education and the amount of reform that will be necessary to reinvent outdated systems and curriculums.

The panel shed light on the supply of skilled teachers to the education market in Dubai, which must be kept in line with growth in student numbers to ensure the welfare of the industry. Dr. Fetter also spoke about technology and innovation - pillars of Dubai’s advancements - having an impact on education.

The discussion then centred on public-private partnerships (PPP) in the UAE, which the experts agreed is yet to realise its full potential in the healthcare space. Nasser Massoud, LBS alumnus and Managing Director at Concept Realisation, highlighted examples from the UK’s NHS of successful partnerships around orthopaedic care.

The Catalyzers Series, a new collection of forums organised by London Business School’s Gulf Association and The Learning Curve Holdings, will focus on a range of sectors that are at the heart of the UAE and the Gulf Region’s future.- TradeArabia News Service