The leadership training forum opened with a training course in strategic thinking skills for leaders of civil society organizations.

On Saturday, August 23, 2025, the Leadership Training Forum was inaugurated at the University of Science and Technology - Main Center, Aden. The forum is organized by the College of Administrative and Human Sciences, the Marketing and Public Relations Department, and the Consulting and Development Center, and will run from Saturday, August 23 to Thursday, August 28, 2025, under the generous patronage of a number of ministers, Al-Qutaibi Islamic Bank for Microfinance, Al-Etesam Group for Trade and Import, and Abu Sufyan Trading Company. The opening of the forum was attended by the Deputy Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Professor Sadiq Al-Jama’i, as well as from the university, the Acting President of the University, Professor Dr. Abdul Ghani Hamid Ahmed, the Assistant President of the University for Branches and Community Development Centers, Dr. Munir Al-Abadi, the Dean of the College of Administrative and Human Sciences, Dr. Bashir Muhammad Al-Hammadi, and the Director of the Marketing and Public Relations Department, Dr. Samir Muthanna. The forum's activities began with a welcoming speech delivered by the Acting President of the University, Professor Dr. Abdul Ghani Hamid Ahmed, in which he welcomed the participants, stressing the importance of this forum for developing leadership skills and fostering strategic thinking. Then, Dr. Iskandar Hassan Abdul Sattar delivered the opening speech of the forum, during which he presented a brief overview of the forum's program of activities. Following that, the forum commenced with a training course sponsored by His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al-Zaouri, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, entitled: “Strategic Thinking Skills: Towards an Influential Vision and Sustainable Change”, presented by trainer Fawaz Abu Bakr Al-Fakhri, and targeted leaders of civil society organizations (unions, institutions, associations, and developmental, social and charitable forums). The course will continue over the two days of Saturday and Sunday, August 23 and 24, 2025. It will be followed – as part of the forum’s activities – by other training courses with the same title and by the same trainer, aimed at different groups in society, from leaders of institutions to researchers in scientific disciplines. It is worth mentioning that the trainer Fawaz Abu Bakr Al-Fakhri is a practicing trainer, specialist and certified by the De Bono Center for Thinking Education - Jordan in thinking, creativity and innovation programs (CORT, SCAMPER, TRIZ, the Twenty Keys to Thinking, and others). This training forum is being held as part of the University of Science and Technology – Aden’s efforts to enhance the leadership skills of institutional leaders and community actors, and to enable them to acquire strategic thinking tools, which will contribute to improving their performance and support sustainable development efforts.