Beirut, 16-17 October 2019

A Regional Workshop on mainstreaming digital and entrepreneurial skills into TVET systems in the Southern Mediterranean countries was hosted by the UNESCO Regional Office in Beirut as part of the YEM Project. This workshop served as a platform for sharing the preliminary findings of the a study commissioned under the YEM Project to assess national priorities concerning entrepreneurship and digital skills, and their integration in TVET curricula.

The opening session was attended by the Lebanese Minister of State for Investment and Information Technology Mr. Adel Afiouni, a representative of Director General of TVET at Lebanon’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education Dr. Mohammad Abou Haidar. They reiterated the Lebanese government’s commitment to address the issue of youth unemployment in Lebanon by making the education system more responsive to the needs of the market, and by seeking to boost investment in order to create more job opportunities.

In the opening session, the Representative of the EU Delegation in Lebanon Mrs Maria El Hasrouni, expressed the EU's continuing commitment and support to empower youth to organize themselves effectively, to improve their capacity to dialogue with local authorities, and to establish networks and learn from each other. The EU also supports youth employment and encourages entrepreneurship in the South Mediterranean region. The Director of UNESCO Regional Bureau for Arab States, Dr. Hamed Al Hamami also highlighted the challenges presented by the socio-economic and political landscape in the region, particularly demographic changes, forced displacement, and high youth unemployment rates. He highlighted the role of the UNESCO TVET Strategy and how it guides the actions of UNESCO and its partners in promoting employment, productive livelihood and life-long learning opportunities for the youth.

During the two-day workshop, participants discussed the preliminary findings of UNESCO’s study, and discussed challenges and opportunities for mainstreaming digital and entrepreneurship skills into TVET systems in the region. The workshop offered participants an opportunity to share experiences and good practices, and to learn how to use the YEM Platform as a tool for knowledge sharing and regional cooperation on TVET.

The workshop concluded with a visit to Beirut Digital District that showcased a conducive environment for digital entrepreneurship and digital skills development.