Doha is set to host the Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ANQAHE) Forum 2026 on October 7 and 8 at Sheraton Grand Doha, under the patronage of Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater. The event is organized by the National Committee for Qualifications and Academic Accreditation (NCQAA) in cooperation with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) under the theme "Exploring Opportunities in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation". The committee has declared the launch of the official forum website and registration has started for academics, researchers and stakeholders in higher education and quality assurance from all over the Arab world.Why the Forum Carries Regional Weight
This forum comes at a time when accreditation systems in the Arab region are evolving with rapid technological developments. The choice of Qatar as the venue, and cooperation with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), are indicative of the country's growing role in regional discussions on the future of the higher education sector. The forum also provides an opportunity for ANQAHE, established in 2007 and with accreditation bodies from several Arab countries, to convene national quality agencies for the exchange of expertise and discussion of approaches to quality assurance and accreditation consistent with international standards.Themes Intersecting with Academic Integrity Questions
The chairman of the National Committee for Qualifications and Academic Accreditation, Professor Mazen Hasna, said at a press conference in April that the forum will center around a core theme on academic integrity and authentic assessment in an era of artificial intelligence, to preserve the credibility of educational outcomes. This theme is very relevant to the challenge universities are facing worldwide, because the development of generative AI tools is forcing a fundamental rethinking of traditional assessment methods. Also, the forum will discuss a transition from checking compliance with standards to measuring the actual impact of higher education institutions on society and the economy, a methodological transition that reflects a global trend in quality assessment away from bureaucratic formalities to concrete results.Digital Transformation as Opportunity, Not Just Threat
The forum wants to frame digital transformation as an opportunity to improve the accreditation and quality assurance systems themselves, rather than framing artificial intelligence primarily as a threat to educational credibility, which is often the case in the discourse. Dr. Tariq Al Sindi, Secretary-General of ANQAHE, called on researchers and practitioners to submit proposals for presentations and workshops on innovative ideas. He added that the forum will shed light not only on the risks, but also on digital instruments that could improve the efficiency of the evaluation and accreditation processes. The approach is seen as an attempt to balance regulatory caution and practical engagement with new technologies in a sector that includes some 27 local and international higher education institutions in the host country alone.