The Kuwait Cultural Office – Canada was established in 2015 with the mission to support Kuwaiti students and scholars studying across universities in Canada. In addition, the office seeks to establish and strengthen collaborations with institutions in the region. Students and scholars are advised in their studies and the office ensures they are attending superior educational programs to prepare them for the market needs of the country.

Institutions and programs that students attend must be approved by the Kuwait National Bureau for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance (NBAQ). There are specific selection criteria and guidelines for ESL and academic programs. All institutions and majors must have regional accreditation, professional accreditation for specific academic disciplines, and be rigorous in academic quality and admission standards.

The majority of students that the office oversees are sponsored through the Kuwait Ministry of Higher Education, but there are a smaller number of students through special Kuwait sponsors; graduate students and scholars; and privately funded students. Within the Cultural Office there are the Placement, Advising & Counseling, Graduate, Program Evaluation and University Outreach Departments. Each respective department has distinct aims for the advancement of the office and the students it represents. The dedicated individuals working for the Kuwait Cultural Office make it their goal to facilitate the academic success of Kuwaiti students and to promote the educational objective of the Ministry of Higher Education and the State of Kuwait

Dr. S. Yousef Alrefaei is the Cultural Counselor and Director of the Kuwait Cultural Office in Washington, DC and Ottawa. As a scholar and academic leader, he has built a career spanning public health, parasitology, biomedical sciences, and higher education administration.

Dr. Alrefaei began his academic journey at the College of Health Sciences under the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) in Kuwait, where he joined the Medical Laboratory Department in 1998. Throughout his tenure, he served in several leadership roles, including Head of the Medical Laboratory Department and Chair of multiple academic and administrative committees.

He earned his Master of Science in Public Health and Tropical Medicine (MPH & TM) from Tulane University in 2002, followed by a PhD in Biomedical Sciences with a specialization in Microbiology and Tropical Medicine from The George Washington University in 2011. His doctoral research focused on the molecular biology and genetic manipulation of Schistosoma mansoni, contributing to advancements in neglected tropical disease research.

Since 2012, Dr. Alrefaei has served as an Assistant Professor and staff member at the Medical Laboratory Department at PAAET, teaching courses in parasitology, microbiology, and medical laboratory science. His research interests include schistosome genetics, transgenesis, diagnostic tool development, infectious diseases, public health awareness, and health education. He has presented his work at major international conferences and published in several peer-reviewed scientific journals.

From 2022 to 2025, Dr. Alrefaei served as the Cultural Attaché at the Kuwait Cultural Office in Washington, DC. In 2025, he was appointed Cultural Counselor and Director of the Washington, DC and Ottawa offices, where he continues to lead Kuwait’s educational mission, fostering academic excellence, student support, and international collaboration.