Page - 173 - in Radical Solutions and Open Science - An Open Approach to Boost Higher Education

11 TheResponseofHigherEducation… 181 towards reducing the carbon footprint bymoderating carbon emissions and energy consumption, controlling thewastegenerated, smarter useof air conditioning, pro- moting recyclingasgoodpractice, and introducing transport regulationsonstudent andfacultycarusage(endorsingpublic transport).Movingforward, it iscritical that universitiesmust take responsibility for their environmental footprintsandaspire to integrateenvironmentalmanagementgoodpractice intodailybusiness.Higheredu- cationmustaimforeco-friendlycampusesbyrefurbishing,designing,andmanaging existingand futurecampuses. In2016,theUniversityofBahrainbegantosubscribetotheGreenMetricranking, ranked 307 globally in 2017 (GreenMetric, 2017), in order to monitor its own progress and its keyperformance indicators towards becoming an environmentally friendlycampus (Hamzah,Alnaser,&Alnaser, 2018). As Bahrain’s population increases, it is clear that technology is being used in the development of smart townswith energy efficient housing and roads designed tominimize trafficcongestion through theuseof interconnected trafficsignals.The greatest potential savings are in energy consumption. Total household electricity spending in theMENAregion is expected to reach approximately $250 billion by 2025. Technology such as connected thermostats and remotely controlled lighting could savearound10–15%, inaddition to saving time throughautomated tasks. Technology plays a significant role in innovationwith the potential to address manyof the regional challenges.Large investments in innovation, suchas thepart- nership with AmazonWeb Services, are testament to the growing importance of innovation on the business and national agendas of countries within the MENA region.Promptly, theUniversityhasestablishedoneof thefirstAmazonAcademies in the region. The riseof theFourth IndustrialRevolutionhas created talentmismatches,with 65%ofemployersand59%ofjobseekersintheMENAregionbelievingthataskills gapexists (Bayt.com,2017).Clearly there isadisconnectbetweentherequirements ofnewjobsdrivenbytechnologyandtheskillsetsofgraduates.TheFourthIndustrial Revolutionisdisruptingthewayworkisbeingdone,howpublicservicesaredelivered and how economies are being shaped.We live in permanent disruptionwhere the mantra is to innovate or become obsolete. According to the Future of Jobs and Skills in theMiddleEast andNorthAfrica report, (WorldEconomicForum,2017) the skills relevant in industry include complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, peoplemanagement, coordinatingwith others, judgement and decision- making,service-oriented,negotiation,andcognitiveflexibility.Numerousemployer surveys suggest that themajorityof students graduating from theeducation system lack these skills. Graduates need to develop the relevant skills that allow them to compete in a competitive anddynamic jobmarket, as oneof thebiggest challenges in the region is youth unemployment as a result of rapid change in labormarket requirements. Universitiesmust, therefore, revisehowtheyoperate, and investment in technology, teaching and career advice is critical to ensure skilled graduates and a productive labormarket.