ICEF hosted a World Student Scholarship Education Programme in the Gulf, bringing together 100 scholarship providers with institutions in 20 countries.

Kuwait's ministry of higher education is to give Kuwaiti students 4,500 scholarships to study abroad in 2013-14. The scheme is designed to improve Kuwaiti human capital with awardees studying majors that accord with labour market needs. The awards can be used at top universities in 13 countries, although details of these are yet to be published.