Under The Patronage of

Restructuring Engineering and Technology Education seems to be of increasing interest not only nationally but also worldwide. In fact, there is an increasing debate on whether educational systems are adapting to the overwhelming changes both in today’s technology and capacity building needed for the future and more importantly, if they still answering the industry and business evolving needs. The role of Engineering and Technology Education in building and enhancing Knowledge Economy needs also to be discussed further. An important objective of the Royal Commission is to develop human resources and to provide Saudi manpower with qualified high technical education and training, so they can effectively participate in managing the country growing economy in its various fields. It is then no surprise that Royal Commission has a great interest in the debate about the “most suitable Engineering and Technology Education” leading to real needed modification of the colleges output to keep pace with the technological and educational developments enhancing capacity building in line with the National Saudi Strategic Plan.

Education is the key element of a knowledge based, innovation-driven economy. It affects both the supply and demand for innovation with human capital and skilled labors compliment technological advances. It is then obvious that new technologies cannot be adopted and used without simultaneously preparing well educated and trained workforce. Industry has complained that engineering graduates, in general, fall short on practical skills and hence, need more than one year of retraining and adaptation to new skills at extremely high cost.

Hence, Jubail Engineering Education Conference is planned to be the umbrella for many important reforms covering technical, economic, social and environmental concepts. This is in line with the national debate for reforming engineering, technology, vocational and technical education; prep-year program; research and public education. The establishment of universities of technologies has also been put forward as an alternative to the present provisions of higher education to create the impetus needed for developing interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields in order to improve on the present lack of STEM workforce in the Saudi Arabian economy which are needed for growth and development.

• To create awareness of the capacity building process that is underway in different countries for the knowledge economy in engineering, technology, vocational and technical education at the post-secondary and public education level.
• To increase awareness of innovation in curriculum and engineering reforms in advanced countries.
• To get exposure from national and international expertise in the field.
• To provide a forum for discussion of how to develop new curricula with more concentration on basic science and simultaneously touching in new very much evolving technology all in not heavily loading the curriculum hours which are exceeding advanced countries curriculum hours.
• To provide a forum for collaboration and cooperation between national and international experts in the field.
• To contribute to the national educational debates regarding post-secondary engineering, technology, vocational and technical education and public education reform for developing the STEM workforce.