BackHome
Refresh: OffView Personal Schedule
Session Submission Summary
Share...

Direct link:

Globalization and education in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries

Thu, April 18, 10:00 to 11:30am, Hyatt Regency, Floor: Atrium (Level 2), Waterfront A

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

Globalization, especially in relation to the homogenization of knowledge and the increase in interconnectedness of nations, has had a profound impact on the education sector. In particular, countries from the Global North have exerted undue influence on the types of education policies and practices enacted in the Global South, mostly through aid and the accompanying requirements. However, within what is broadly defined as the Global South lie the oil rich countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). These countries are not aid dependent and enjoy high per capita incomes and large government budgets dedicated to the improvement of education (International Monetary Fund, 2018; Khaleej Times, 2014). Despite their financial independence from aid regimes that demand adherence to certain policies and programs, they are still looking to the North for advice and expertise to build and improve their education sectors (Ridge, 2011). This is motivated by the poor performance of their students on international assessments and concern over the employability of nationals when they graduate (EY, 2018; Pennington, 2016). A decline in oil revenues has led to an increase in policies designed to nationalize as much of the workforce as possible, especially in countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Kuwait, where the national population accounts for 30% or less of the total population (Gulf Labour Markets, Migration, and Population, 2018; Hertog, 2012). As such there are new demands and increased expectations placed on national education systems in the GCC.

The impact of globalization on the education sector in the GCC can be seen in a number of key areas. Firstly, Western, or Northern, ‘experts’ have been brought to countries to advise Ministries of Education and influenced the design and formulation of national education strategic plans as well as the development of new curricula and assessment materials. They have also been brought in to teach in the countries’ schools. Secondly, there has been an increase in the use of international assessments that has been accompanied by a national ambition in some countries, such as the UAE, to be in the top 20 countries on PISA (Pennington, 2017). This has resulted in an increase in engagement with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and experts affiliated with it to help advise on education strategies and a reexamining of the curriculum in light of the international assessments rather than local needs (UAE MOE personal communication, 2018). Thirdly, there has been an increased interest in signaling alignment and being seen to be key players in relation to global development agendas, in particular the SDGs where a number of quick wins in the education sector are possible due to the success of women throughout the region in educational attainment (Ridge, 2011). Finally, there is the issue of privatization of education and the role of the GCC countries in the global education industry. The UAE is home to the largest for-profit provider of education in the world, GEMS Education (Sharif, 2013). GEMS is also the parent organization of the Varkey Foundation, which annually awards the Global Teacher Prize at a ceremony where education union leaders not only attend but take the stage with the Founder and Executive Chairman of GEMS Education (Global Education Skills Forum, 2017).

As such, the GCC nations are both shaped by and shaping global trends in education. Due to the interconnectivity that is a key characterization of globalization, ideas, policies, practices, and people are moving back and forth between the GCC and the Global North. While GCC nations are keen to emulate, they also want to educate, especially in relation to their cultures, practices, and ultimately their beliefs, and show that they can also be a source of innovation in education.

This panel brings together papers examining countries of the GCC in order to explore the impact of globalization in the region. It will explore educational reforms across the region and their role in growing the global education industry as well their influence on higher education policy and governance. The achievements and challenges that higher education has brought to Saudi Arabian women and their society will also be discussed. Finally, the panel will also examine policies that have overshadowed boys’ education in the UAE and Qatar and the different ways in which male underachievement has emerged.

Sub Unit

Chair

Individual Presentations