The aim of this conference is to critically discuss the impact of Covid-19 pandemic lockdown on the future role of higher education (HE) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) towards achieving the United Nations Agenda 2030 and 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The conference will therefore explore the role of academic and research institutions to enable countries in the MENA region reap the digital benefits form the global growth in the digital economy particularly for the region’s Digital Natives (Youth). The conference also aims to provoke forward thinking on the role of science, innovation and research in solving global problems related to sustainability as well as the potential of Industry 4.0 for the implementation of SDGs. While it is largely argued that Industry 4.0 has the potential to produce innovative solutions to global issues but the problematique of managing science, innovation and research for SD is strongly influenced by the institutional culture in which international discussions have taken place.