Wednesday 30 / July / 2025
The Modern College of Business and Science (MCBS) proudly co-hosted the QS Africa Forum 2025 in Zanzibar from July 3–4, under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar. Held at the Golden Tulip Zanzibar Airport Hotel, the event brought together higher education leaders, policymakers, and researchers to discuss the theme: “Maximising Africa’s Potential: Scientific Research, Knowledge Transfer, Innovation, and Skills for a Thriving Future.”
MCBS played a key role in organizing the forum in collaboration with QS, demonstrating its commitment to academic excellence and regional collaboration. The forum aligns with Zanzibar’s strategic vision to become a regional hub for education and innovation.
MCBS Executive Chairman Dr. Muneer Al Maskari underscored this vision in his address, highlighting the college’s mission of global engagement:
> "The Modern College of Business and Science (MCBS), based in Muscat, is proud to co-host this Forum as part of our commitment to international collaboration and academic excellence. As one of Oman’s premier private institutions, MCBS fosters innovation, entrepreneurship, and research that addresses real-world challenges. In doing so, we see education not only as a national priority, but as a global mission—one that binds our future with yours."
His sentiments were echoed by President Mwinyi, who recognized MCBS’s role in enabling the summit:
> "I wish to recognise the Modern College of Business and Science in Oman, whose vision and partnership have been instrumental in bringing this summit to Zanzibar. Institutions like MCBS demonstrate that through collaboration and a shared commitment to education, we can build bridges that span continents and a future that uplifts all of us."
The forum also spotlighted Zanzibar’s educational transformation, including initiatives such as the IIT Madras Zanzibar Campus, the Airtel Africa Fellowship Programme, and the "Silicon Zanzibar" digital free zone. These developments underscore the island’s rapid growth as an innovation and learning destination. Notably, the Zanzibar campus of IIT Madras signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MCBS, strengthening academic collaboration, innovation, and research between Zanzibar and Oman while expanding both institutions' global footprint.
Jason Newman, Chief Commercial Officer at QS, reflected on the forum’s wider significance:
> "This is a pivotal moment where strategy meets action and vision meets implementation. As we look to the future, our focus remains on the big picture—empowering educational institutions to excel independently as well as collectively. We must work together to showcase the strength of African institutions across the international education landscape, turning opportunity into action and ambition into achievement."
As a leading academic institution in the region, MCBS remains committed to strengthening global partnerships and supporting transformative education initiatives across Africa and beyond.
