Spotlight on Kais Zribi General Manager, MEA , Coursera

ME-HR & LearningTalks to Kais Zribi, about his role and his vision of how Coursera can help governments, businesses, and individuals focus on career-relevant education and build a more resilient and future-ready workforce. across the Middle East and Africa?

SPOTLIGHTS & INTERVIEWS

ME-HR & Learning

8/16/20266 min read

You've built your career at the intersection of technology, business and education. What inspired you to join Coursera, and what has been the most rewarding part of leading the Middle East and Africa region?

Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work across technology and education, and one thing has remained constant: education has the power to create opportunity. Technology can expand access at an unprecedented scale, but it is education that enables people to build better careers, adapt to change, and contribute to their communities. Joining Coursera brought those two worlds together through a mission I deeply believe in: providing anyone, anywhere, with access to world-class learning.

The Middle East and Africa is one of the most exciting regions to be working in today. Governments are making bold investments in digital transformation and AI, businesses are evolving their workforce strategies, and there is an appetite among learners to gain new skills. At the same time, the region is home to a young and ambitious population that is eager to participate in shaping the future. Helping connect that ambition with learning opportunities is incredibly motivating.

The most fulfilling part has been seeing the real impact learning can have at every level. Whether it is helping an individual acquire the skills to advance their career, supporting a university in preparing students for a changing labor market, or partnering with governments and businesses to cultivate future-ready workforces, it is rewarding to see education translate into tangible outcomes.

The way we learn and build careers is changing rapidly. In your view, what are the biggest shifts shaping the future of education and workforce development today?

The pace of technological change means that skills are evolving faster than ever. Today’s learners recognize that a degree is an important foundation, but it is not the finish line. Building new capabilities throughout a career is becoming essential to maintaining resilience in a changing job market.

One of the biggest shifts is the move toward more flexible and skills-based learning pathways. Learners are looking for opportunities to build specific, workplace-ready skills that they can utilize immediately and update over time. At the same time, employers are placing emphasis on what individuals can do with their knowledge. They now assess talent through a combination of academic qualifications, hands-on experience, and demonstrated skills, looking for evidence that candidates can apply what they have learned in real-world settings.

AI is accelerating these changes further. As it becomes integrated into more industries and roles, people across sectors will need to develop both AI literacy and the confidence to use these tools effectively. The future of learning and work will be defined by the capacity to adapt and turn knowledge into meaningful outcomes.

Employers are increasingly prioritizing skills over traditional credentials. Do you believe we're entering a skills-first era, and what does that mean for students and professionals across the Middle East?

We are seeing a stronger focus on skills and job readiness, which is reshaping how people build careers and institutions design education. However, this does not mean degrees are becoming less important. Degrees remain foundational because they provide learners with critical knowledge, analytical skills, and broader academic grounding that continue to be valued by employers.

In a skills-first environment, learning needs to translate into demonstrable, real-world capabilities. This is where complementary learning pathways, including micro-credentials, play a valuable role in validating current skills and providing employers with clearer signals of job readiness.

In the Middle East and North Africa, this transition is already gaining momentum. Our data shows that 97% of employers in the region are willing to offer higher salaries to candidates with micro-credentials, while 97% of UAE students believe Professional Certificates can improve employability. In Saudi Arabia, 86% of employers report using skills-based hiring extensively, reflecting the increasing importance of skills validation in recruitment decisions.

For students and professionals, the message is clear: building skills does not end with a degree. The future is unlikely to be degrees versus skills; it will be degrees strengthened by industry relevance, practical application, and lifelong learning.

AI is transforming almost every industry. Beyond technical expertise, what are the human skills that will become even more valuable in the years ahead?

As AI becomes more integrated into everyday work, the value of uniquely human skills will continue to grow. The professionals who stand out will be those who combine AI literacy with skills such as critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. AI tools are powerful, but they still require human judgment to evaluate outputs, make informed decisions, and act on insights effectively. This is why human-in-the-loop skills are becoming increasingly important as organizations adopt AI across their operations.

Our 2026 Job Skills Report highlights this shift. In the UAE, Critical Thinking enrollments among enterprise learners grew by 107% year over year, emphasizing the demand for capabilities that help employees work confidently with AI. We are seeing similar momentum in Saudi Arabia, where human skills have also gained significant traction. Skills such as creative problem-solving, adaptability, and emotional intelligence will continue to be essential to collaborate, lead, and navigate complexity.

Success in an AI-driven workplace is not about competing with AI. It is about knowing how to use AI to enhance productivity, creativity, and decision-making while applying the human skills that drive innovation and responsible outcomes.

The UAE has made significant investments in education, innovation and digital transformation. What opportunities do you see for the country's young people, and how can they best prepare themselves for the future of work?

The UAE has created an environment where young people have meaningful opportunities to participate in the future economy. Through investments in AI, digital transformation, and innovation, the country is creating new avenues across sectors ranging from technology and data to entrepreneurship and emerging industries.

Through initiatives such as the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, advancing AI and technology skills has become central to the country’s broader vision for economic diversification and workforce readiness. This creates opportunities for the next generation to build skills in areas such as Generative AI, data science, and other high-growth areas.

For young people, preparing for the future of work starts with a mindset of ongoing learning. Technical skills will continue to evolve, but the ability to learn and put that knowledge to use will be among the most valuable assets for long-term success.

You have said that Institutions Must Invest in Career-relevant Education. In your view, what careers should institutions be focusing on?

Institutions should focus on equipping learners for careers where demand is growing while giving them the resilience to navigate dynamic industries. This includes technology-driven fields such as software and product development, cybersecurity, and cloud technologies, as well as roles across industries that are being reshaped by these technologies.

Career relevance, however, is not only about targeting today’s fastest-growing roles. The pace of technological change means students need skills that enable them to succeed across multiple roles throughout their careers. Alongside technical expertise, institutions should also help students develop transferable capabilities that remain valuable as industries evolve.

Looking ahead, what role do you see Coursera playing in helping governments, businesses, and individuals focus on career-relevant education and build a more resilient and future-ready workforce across the Middle East and Africa?

Coursera’s role in the Middle East and Africa is to help bridge the gap between education, skills, and economic opportunity. We aim to serve as a strategic partner in the region’s transition to a skills-first, digital economy by working with governments, educational institutions, businesses, and learners to broaden access to high-quality learning.

For governments, we support national priorities around digital transformation, AI adoption, and workforce development by providing scalable learning solutions that help build future-ready talent and advance national visions. For businesses, we help organizations close critical skills gaps and equip employees with the capabilities needed to meet changing industry demands and drive innovation. For higher education institutions, we support efforts to integrate industry-aligned learning into academic programs and strengthen graduate employability.

Across the Middle East and Africa, we serve more than 26.8 million learners, supporting individuals across different stages of their careers, from recent graduates to mid- and late-career professionals. In the UAE, Coursera has more than 1.6 million learners and works with over 100 institutional customers. We are also continuing to expand our ecosystem of partnerships and locally tailored content to reach learners across the region.

At the same time, we are investing in platform innovation, including AI-powered learning experiences, greater language accessibility, and more personalized pathways that allow individuals to continuously acquire in-demand skills.

Our ambition is to ensure everyone can access world-class, job-relevant learning, develop valuable skills, and participate in the region’s evolving economy. By deepening the connection between learning and employment outcomes, we can help turn skills into opportunities for individuals, organizations, and economies.

Kais’ profile

linkedin.com/in/mohamed-kais-zribi