Renowned experts and investors will help identify opportunities for collaboration in upgrading the quality and delivery of education at an upcoming conference in Abu Dhabi.

Building Future Education Mena, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre on October 25 and 26.

The high profile gathering highlights the urgent need for reforms in the education sector in the Middle East, where 25 per cent of the youth population is unemployed, and a situation which has resulted in an economic loss of between $40 - $50 billion dollars annually for the Arab world, said a statement.

"There is a critical need to equip young people throughout the region with the right skills for the job market, hence our decision to adopt the theme 'Modernising education to create tomorrow's workforce," said Andrew Pert, regional director, UBM Middle East, organisers of BFE Mena 2011.

"Our knowledge partners - Booz & Company, the Parthenon Group and RAND will be presenting research studies that will reveal investment opportunities available in the private education sector in the region," he added.

As well as an interactive exhibition floor, this year's Building Future Education Mena will include a full free-to-attend conference including world-renowned speakers from the field of education, the public awareness programme, high-level roundtable forums and design my learning space competition.

The main conference will bring together those at the forefront of education from ministries, institutions, operators, architects and investors.

The conference features in-depth panel discussions, based around specific research studies from BFE Mena's Knowledge Partners Booz & Company, Parthenon and RAND Qatar Policy Institute (RQPI), assessing the education market in the GCC and areas of potential investment.

The conference will also cover key topics such as world-class facilities and learning environments, curriculum and school improvement, quality assurance, special education needs and sustainable education facilities. – TradeArabia News Service