RIYADH: A forum on the future of learning and technology was inaugurated on Monday in Riyadh by the Ministry of Education and the Saudi Electronic University. The two-day Global Trends in E-Learning event takes place from Feb. 21-23, online and in-person, with over 40 speakers, 50 companies, and 20 countries taking part. It brings together diverse speakers from the education sector to share their insights at one event. “We are required to build for future generations an e-education system that addresses the challenges of the future, provides knowledge and skills in a form that stimulates development and innovation, and ensures sustainability according to well-established and flexible scientific foundations,” said Saudi Education Minister Hamad Al-Asheikh. In a ceremony hosted at the capital’s Burj Rafal hotel, the minister and the university president Dr. Lilac Al-Safadi emphasized the importance of advancing educational methods and digital learning to address future challenges. As the first university in Saudi Arabia to exclusively adopt e-learning strategies and technologies in education, the Saudi Electronic University is the host of GTEL. “We are witnessing a technological era that has affected all sectors, including education,” said Al-Safadi. The forum aims to equip educators and institutions with the necessary tools to advance e-teaching and the role of technology in learning. Speakers will demonstrate the newest methodologies and how they can better serve online learning. She said that GTEL would allow participants to “exchange experiences, knowledge, and get acquainted with the most prominent practices in e-learning, and the latest emerging technologies in education.” In her speech, Al-Safadi said that, by 2025, 85 million jobs would be replaced by artificial intelligence technology and that 33 percent of jobs would be transferred to remote work. “The size of the global educational technology market exceeds $400 billion, including virtual reality technologies, estimated at $12 billion, and artificial intelligence technologies at $6 billion,” she added. She said that non-traditional learning models were the future of education, such as the use of smart technology in classrooms.  The forum seeks to accelerate technological growth in the education sector globally. It is discussing the future of e-learning and what it is required today to anticipate future challenges. “The Kingdoms Vision 2030 outlined several strategic goals, including the goals of education, to develop its outputs, improve equal access to education, and achieve global competition,” said the minister. After their speeches, the minister and the university returned to the stage to honor the forums strategic sponsors and keynote speakers. The ceremony concluded with the first session of discussions held by four global speakers talking about the major challenges facing the future of education.