With one of the largest relative youth cohorts in the Gulf – the share of the population under 35 stood at 50% as of 2022 – Kuwait has a vested interest in achieving positive learning and health outcomes for nationals and foreign residents alike. As was the case around the world, the Covid-19 pandemic posed specific and immediate challenges for educators and medical workers in the country, which…
Interview: Thamer Arab Where do you see opportunities to deepen private participation in health care provision? THAMER ARAB: The integration of private health care providers into Kuwait’s health care system is still in its early phases, but it is progressing satisfactorily, and so far, the experience has been positive. We expect that the country’s private health operators will have significant…
After a surge in uptake during the Covid-19 pandemic, the telehealth industry is courting new investment to further innovation and increase access to care in emerging markets. Digital health companies raised a record $57.2bn in global venture capital funding in 2021, a 79% jump from the $32bn raised in 2020, with 30% of the total directed towards telehealth. An estimated $140bn in private sector finance…
In terms of the filing of international patents, 2021 was a record-breaking year, with higher education playinga significant role in driving innovation and expanding intellectual property (IP). According to the UNWorld Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), 277,500 international patents were filed in 2021, a 0.9% increase from 2020 andrepresenting the 12th consecutive year of…
In a bid to expand access and widen their reach, educational institutions are exploring the possibilities of the metaverse and associated extended-reality (XR) approaches. The metaverse comprises a range of technologies that immerse users in a virtual environment. It denotes a 3D medium that combines virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) into a new digital realm, sometimes known as XR. These…
As GCC countries look to rationalise public spending and stimulate private enterprise, public-private partnership (PPP) opportunities are opening up across a range of industries. After the Gulf’s health care systems coped relatively well with the Covid-19 pandemic, attention has returned to finding the most efficient ways to provide coverage to the region’s growing population. In Kuwait, the Health…
With one of the largest relative youth cohorts in the Gulf – the share of the population under 35 stood at 50% as of 2022 – Kuwait has a vested interest in achieving positive learning and health outcomes for nationals and foreign residents alike. As was the case around the world, the Covid-19 pandemic posed specific and immediate challenges for educators and medical workers in the country, which…
Aided by elevated oil revenue and the resumption of economic activity after the Covid-19 pandemic, Kuwait was able to narrow its budget deficit for FY 2021/22 year and record GDP growth in excess of 8% in 2022. With a newly elected Parliament in place and a new Cabinet appointed, there is renewed hope that the country will undertake the reforms needed for long-term economic growth and diversificat
In a bid to expand access and widen their reach, educational institutions are increasingly exploring the possibilities of the metaverse and associated extended-reality (XR) approaches. The metaverse comprises a range of technologies which immerse users in a virtual environment. It denotes a 3D medium that combines virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) into a new digital realm, sometimes known…
Saudi Arabia’s tertiary education segment is steadily deepening its contribution to the country’s push for higher competitiveness via applied research and the alignment of educational outcomes with economic needs and labour market realities. This improvement is apparent in the expanding presence of Saudi universities in international rankings. The 2022 edition of the Academic Ranking of World Universities,…