On the impact of higher education on economic diversification In what ways is Kuwait’s investment in higher education contributing to the country’s long-term economic goals, especially in terms of workforce diversification? RICHARD JOHNSON: The evolution of higher education in Kuwait is pivotal to achieving the country’s long-term economic goals, particularly with respect to workforce…
Interview: Ahmad Nasrallah, CEO, Dar Al Shifa Hospital To what extent is Afya contributing to the growth and resilience of private health care? AHMAD NASRALLAH: The Afya insurance policy for retirees has been pivotal to the growth and resilience of private health care in Kuwait. The Ministry of Health (MoH) initiated this innovative programme to contract private care services to an insurance company…
Kuwait’s education landscape is poised for notable change as the sector awaits the publication of a new national education development plan designed to align learning outcomes with the evolving needs of the economy. The health care sector, meanwhile, is on the cusp of significant transformation, with the Health Assurance Hospitals Company ready to assume responsibility for the medical needs of the…
In September 2023 Kuwait’s newest public university, Abdullah Al Salem University (AASU), received its first batch of 605 new students for the 2023/24 academic year. Viewed by the government as a reflection of its efforts to become a strategic partner in the higher education sector, AASU and other public education initiatives are working to ensure that Kuwaiti citizens are prepared for the labour…
Kuwait’s education landscape is poised for notable change as the sector awaits the publication of a new national education development plan designed to align learning outcomes with the evolving needs of the economy. The 2023 education budget, allocated 11.5% of total expenditure, underscores a commitment to quality improvement in line with the objectives of New Kuwait 2035, the country’s long-term…
High global oil prices have enabled Kuwait to maintain a trade surplus despite the domestic political changes observed in recent years, measuring a GDP growth of 8.9% in 2022. Although 2023 saw the country’s GDP contract by 0.6% amid global headwinds, diversification efforts guided by New Kuwait 2035, new infrastructure developments in and beyond the hydrocarbons sector, and a push for privatisa
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…
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…
