The British Council in Saudi Arabia are hosting collaborative dialogues with leading academics and key individuals from across the higher education and corporate sectors through its series of virtual events called New Directions MENA X 2021.

New Directions MENA X 2021 aims to build a community of best practices through a series of expert-led events that will continue to be hosted by the British Council. The purpose of the events is to sustain an open dialogue, and keep abreast of leading developments in the field, all of which will contribute for a better understanding for the current challenges, and identify opportunities for development to support English students across Saudi Arabia.

The series is targeted to academics, researchers, education officials, and teachers from all education sectors - higher, vocational, secondary, and primary - as well as parents and learners who are committed to improving their English language skills.

Insights from the first session included discussions on what it takes to employ a comprehensive learning system that’s fits the business landscape of Saudi Arabia, the impact of artificial intelligence on language assessments and traditional versus modern methods of assessment and language development.

Key panellists who shared their valuable and rich-knowledge on the field in the first session comprised of: Mr Rashed Al-Hamad Head of English Language Programmes, Ministry of Education, Dr. Abdullah Al-Bargi Dean, English Language Institute, King Abdulaziz University, Dr. Hessah Shajaa Abaalalaa Dean English Language Institute Princess Nourah University, Dr. Mansoor Almalki Dean English Language Institute Taif University, supported by Professor Barry O’Sullivan OBE, Head of Assessment Research & Development at the British Council and Mr. Tim Hood, the British Council’s Regional Examinations Director for the Middle East, and North Africa.

To know more about “New Directions MENA X 2021” or to register your intertest to join the upcoming sessions, get in contact with KSAMarketing@britishcouncil.org