Jordan:The British Council successfully concluded the 11th annual MENA UK Study Tour, bringing together influential education leadersand practitioners from across the MENA region. This year’s tour continued its legacy of fostering collaboration, exchanging ideas, and addressing critical challenges in education, solidifying its position as a cornerstone of British Council’s commitment to global educational excellence.
The theme for this year’s tour, “Leading in the Digital Age,” focused on equipping leaders with the tools and strategies needed to navigate the evolving educational landscape. Participants explored critical topics such as AI integration in schools, teacher recruitment and retention, and frameworks for self-evaluation, aligning with the urgent need to address the opportunities and challenges posed by digital transformation.
Ameera Manna’a, Director Exams MENA North (Jordan, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Iraq and Libya) at British Council said: “This year’s study tour emphasised the power of collaboration in tackling shared educational challenges across the MENA region and beyond. By fostering dialogue around digital transformation, well-being, and leadership, we aim to empower educators to create innovative and inclusive learning environments that prepare students for the future.”
Luma Salhab, Director of International Schools at the Islamic Educational College,said: “The MENA UK Study Tour 2025 was an enlightening experience that offered practical insights into integrating AI into teaching and improving recruitment and retention strategies. Visiting UK schools and engaging with their staff and students was invaluable, providing a fresh perspective on best practices that can be adapted to our local context.”
May Goussous, Principal of The National Orthodox School,said: “The opportunity to connect with fellow educators and learn directly from UK schools was transformative. The experiences shared by UK institutions highlighted how a strong emphasis on staff well-being and innovative teaching methods can create a thriving educational environment. In addition, we deepened our understanding of how to effectively integrate AI into our schools, paving the way for transformative impacts across various aspects of our work.”
Programme Highlights:
Participants engaged in an immersive week-long schedule that included visits to leading UK institutions such as The Perse School, Avanti House Secondary School, and Homerton College, Cambridge. Keynote sessions and panel discussions addressed timely topics like ethical AI usage, strategies for staff retention, and fostering leadership in the digital age.
The British Council remains steadfast in its mission to connect educators globally, providing platforms for meaningful dialogue and professional growth. The 11th MENA UK Study Tour underscored the value of shared experiences in addressing educational challenges, enriching curricula, and driving positive change across the MENA region.
ENDS
For media enquiries, please contact:Anna Koniuhova, Head of Communications, MENAatAnna.Koniuhova@britishcouncil.org
About the British Council
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2022–23 we reached 600 million people.
For more information, please visit: www.britishcouncil.org. You can also keep in touch with the British Council through http://twitter.com/britishcounciland http://blog.britishcouncil.org/.