Page 34 - HBMSU PR REPORT - DECEMBER 2023

1/2/24, 10:56 AM Latest News
was implemented by ten universities of the Consortium, followed by the findings of the two expert committees
nominated at the previous Members' meeting. The meeting also discussed future plans to enhance online

higher education, in alignment with the Consortium’s growth trajectory and maintaining top-quality output
standards.

H.E. Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of HBMSU commented: “The Annual Meeting is a strong reminder of
the collaborative spirit and commitment that drive our common goal of raising the bar for online education

worldwide. This common outlook and dedication have greatly contributed to the success of the Consortium
for the Benchmarking Framework since its inception nearly five years ago. The year 2023, marked by its

noteworthy accomplishments and innovations, therefore serves as a testament to our combined efforts in the
field of online, open, smart, and technology-enhanced higher education.”

His Excellency added, “A major contributor to the Consortium's success has been the continued assistance

we have received from member universities and partners. We firmly believe that this meeting, providing
ample opportunities for all members to leverage their participation in our digital transformation endeavor, is
essential to the Consortium's continued growth and development.”

H.E. Dr. Mansoor Al Awar made the opening remarks at the meeting, which was followed by remarks from

H.E. Dr. Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary General, Association of Arab Universities (AARU), who expressed his
gratitude to HBMSU for initiating the Consortium and bringing together all its members. He emphasised the

crucial goal of the Consortium — to establish a collective understanding of quality in online higher education
in the rapidly changing world and to ensure that students receive the highest levels of educational

excellence.

Ms. Torunn Gjelsvik, Secretary General of the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE),

reaffirmed ICDE's steadfast support to the Consortium as a strategic partner, expressing, “I must commend
HBMSU, led by Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, for the notable achievements in 2023. The creation of a highly valuable

toolkit is particularly noteworthy.”

Prof. Moustafa Hassan, Vice Chancellor for International Cooperation in HBMSU, presented the
benchmarking implementation cycle report for 2023, while also making a presentation on the benchmarking

framework toolkit. Several other discussions on key topics that would impact the future of online higher
education were also held, making the Annual Meeting for Online Higher Education Consortium a remarkable
success.

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