As part of the activities of the Twenty-Eighth Meeting of the Committee of Presidents and Directors of Universities and Higher Education Institutions in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Jouf University hosted a symposium entitled “University Differentiation: Current Reality and Future Visions”, with the participation of several educational leaders from across the Gulf.The symposium was inaugurated by His Excellency, the President of Jouf University, Professor Dr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Shaya, with a welcoming speech in which he expressed the University’s pride in hosting this significant scientific event. He warmly welcomed the distinguished presidents and directors of Gulf universities, as well as the symposium’s honored guests, Eng. Mohammed bin Nasser Al-Ghamdi, Assistant Minister of Education, and Dr. Waleed bin Mohammed Al-Saleh, President of the Evaluation and Training Authority, appreciating their presence and contributions to enriching the meeting’s discussions . Dr. Al-Shaya emphasized that convening this symposium reflects the continuous support provided by the GCC countries for the advancement of education, as well as their forward-looking vision in empowering human capital and promoting knowledge-based development across various sectors.Eng. Mohammed bin Nasser Al-Ghamdi highlighted that the symposium focuses on university leadership and its role in economic development, noting that the expected outcomes will provide valuable opportunities for exchanging expertise and strengthening educational partnerships among Gulf countries. He further explained that institutional excellence in universities is no longer an administrative choice but a national necessity to enhance efficiency and innovation in higher education, citing OECD reports indicating that education systems based on differentiation achieve outcomes more than 25% higher than others . In his remarks, Dr. Waleed bin Mohammed Al-Saleh affirmed that the quality of education is a cornerstone of the economy and national development, and that pursuing university differentiation is not a luxury or secondary consideration, but a national priority directly linked to achieving countries’ aspirations in competitiveness and sustainable development.