Welcome Message from EduData Summit Chair
On behalf of the QS leadership and our long-time sponsoring partner, American University of the Middle East, let me extend a warm, heartfelt welcome to Singapore and to the QS 2025 EduData Summit!
Our Summit has moved beyond the shores of the United States for the first time but not beyond issues of global importance with respect to data and decision-making in the context of the ever-changing—and ever-challenging—world of higher education. Our theme this year—Connecting EduData by Aligning Data Science, Skills, and Innovation—focuses on the critical intersections among analytics, skill-building, and innovation in education, or what I often refer to as, “edu-preneurship.” Higher education leaders, now more than ever, are facing serious existential crises and hard-to-answer questions around the real relevance of their offerings:
- What is the real value of the higher education that my institution offers?
- What data do I need to measure and/or to prove (or to “sell”) this value…especially to customers who may not want my “traditional” products?
- How do I translate these measurements and benchmarks into new curricula, credentials, and credibility for my institution…in ways that can help me get ahead of these ever-changing “demand curves?”
Several key stakeholders—including ministries of education, employers, funders, and innovative start-ups—have begun to question the core value propositions of our institutions. So how can we respond not just to address short-term demands and shifts but also to leapfrog to the next strategic horizon in higher education (and what does that horizon look like)? Fortunately, our esteemed collection of university leaders, industry entrepreneurs, educational policy experts, and QS thought leaders are with us here to tackle these tough questions…and to give us some concrete direction forward!
As chair, again, this year, I could not be more proud of the terrific keynote speakers, panel discussants, and break-out leaders QS has assembled for our next two days together. Whether onsite or joining remotely, I encourage all of us to actively engage in the discussion—and in the debate—around data, skills, and innovation. We need everyone’s thinking if we are to truly revolutionize what we do—and how we do it—to educate and to train the next generation of scholars, workers, and employers.
Again, welcome to EduData 2025. I am looking forward to meeting and to working with all of you here in Singapore!
Dr. Paul W. Thurman
Chair, EduData 2025
Professor of Management and Analytics
Columbia University
New York, USA
Welcome Message from Host
On behalf of AUM community, I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to all the esteemed speakers and participants of the EduData Summit 2025, a premier global forum that brings together data-driven leaders and innovators dedicated to advancing educational excellence.
We are pleased to be the host partner of this summit, themed this year “Connecting EduData: Aligning Data Science, Skills, and Innovation”, which reflects the global shift from using data solely for measurement to leveraging it for meaningful, cross-domain connections.
The summit offers a unique opportunity to explore how data can be more effectively understood and integrated into a comprehensive ecosystem that enhances institutional operations. Best practices on successful implementations will be presented, providing participants with innovative approaches to harnessing the transformative power of data in today’s AI-driven digital landscape.
I seize this opportunity to thank QS for their valuable efforts in promoting excellence and global recognition of higher education institutions worldwide through creating such engaging environments for knowledge exchange. We look forward to joining forces with the higher education community in the pursuit of data-informed and personalized learning for future generations.
Georges Yahchouchi, PhD
President
American University of the Middle East
Kuwait
