Quo vadis is a term that heralds the future. In particular, it stimulates critical and reflective thinking as contextualized in HE in the GCC. This workshop leaps into the future as the participants examine the dialectical tension between the current scenario and the ideal prospects for HE in the Gulf region. Answers to the preceding questions are uncertain, and more questions could be deciphered at the horizon that necessitate this workshop: • Can the public and the stakeholders be assured of quality in HE in the Gulf? • What lies ahead in HE in GCC? • What factors can rationalize the quality of HE in the Gulf? • What are the metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) that can improve the quality of HE in the GCC? Quality is an embedded element of HE worldwide. It is a requirement that every HEI endeavors to achieve sustainable development. As conceived by UNESO (2017); Education is a public good, a fundamental human right and a basis for guaranteeing the realization of other rights. It is essential for peace, tolerance, human fulfilment and sustainable development. We recognize education as key to achieving full employment and poverty eradication. We commit to quality education and to 3 improving learning outcomes, which requires strengthening inputs, processes and evaluation of outcomes and mechanisms to measure progress. Quality education fosters creativity and knowledge, and ensures the acquisition of the foundational skills of literacy and numeracy as well as analytical, problem-solving and other high-level cognitive, interpersonal and social skills (pp. 6-7). Over the years, HEIs in the Gulf have embraced quality in the delivery of programs and services. One evidence to support this claim is the substantial improvement of the Gulfbased HEIs in global rankings. For instance, in the World University Rankings 2018, 12 HEIs from the Gulf have achieved the top 1000 positions while 18 of them were included in the QS World University Rankings 2018. Despite this performance, however, a closer scrutiny of each GCC country in the said surveys shows that more work is needed in order to fortify the performance of the said HEIs. Of the six GCC countries, Saudi and United Arab Emirates posted the highest number of “global universities” in both rankings while the rest had one HEI in the top spots. Although these rankings are not absolute measures of “quality”, it is imperative that key players in HE and HEIs have to engage more actively in their efforts for continuous improvement and quality assurance initiatives. Apparently, without quality, HEIs may be said to have failed in their raison d’etre. This creates a huge gap in research and in HE management and as such, it is imperative that a global forum be conducted in order to thresh out macro and micro factors that interweave with quality HE in the context of GCC. There are several potential factors that may be relevant. These include, for instance the embeddedness of approaches to ensure quality HE, which could be defined as the degree to which the whole institution works to implement and evaluate approaches that promote excellence. Questions can be asked as to whether the approach itself articulates a clear vision that can be translated into action; and if it draws upon evidence-based strategies that are proven to achieve the best possible student outcomes. It can be considered whether any approach identified is outward facing and highlights the importance of engagement between HE and industry. There is a need to identify how teaching excellence is best recognized and rewarded through institutional cultures within the GCC. Finally, it should be considered how quality HE in the GCC should encourage students to be active participants within their own education; and to work to not only obtain their qualification but also contribute to the culture of teaching and learning excellence within an institution.