Universities in the us began the current curriculum with a wide mix in student population. Notably, the number of students from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and across the Middle East was 20 per cent higher as compared to that in the previous year. Data from the Institute of International Education suggests that the number of students from the Mena heading to US universities increased to 77,000 this year, representing a compound annual growth rate of 27 per cent over the last five years. The scenario is no different across universities in the UK and France, which are among the favourite destinations for most students from the Mena.
Every year, nearly 250,000 students from the Mena flock to universities overseas to pursue higher education. Some move in pursuit of a rewarding career, while others move amid lack of availability of the desired educational programmes in their native countries. According to statistics from the Unesco, France remains the most sought-after destination for nearly 29 per cent of students from the Mena choosing to study abroad. In addition to France, the US and the UK are the other major destinations. One of the features which make France highly preferable to North African students is the high usage of the French language in their home countries. The scenario appears slightly different with regards to the GCC. Nearly 40 per cent of students in the GCC prefer the US for higher education, followed by the UK (18 per cent). In terms of origin, Saudi Arabia accounts for the highest share (26 per cent) of students moving from the Mena to foreign universities for higher education, followed by Morocco (18 per cent) and Algeria (10 per cent).
There are several factors ranging from global exposure to availability of the desired course that prompt students to choose foreign universities over local ones. The educational infrastructure offered by most Mena countries is perceived to be lower than global standards. As indicated by the World Economic Forum in “The Global Competitiveness Index 2014–2015”, while the UAE (ranked sixth) surpasses the US and its regional peers on higher education and training metrics, most Mena countries underperform. Subsequently, there is a disturbed equilibrium between the educational system in the region and growing the needs of the economy of the region and globally. This raises concerns over the employability of students from the Mena. With 28 per cent of the youth labour force being unemployed, the Mena has the highest youth unemployment rate in the world.
The growing need for education has not escaped the attention of Mena countries. Currently, the region spends 3.8 per cent of GDP on education, at par with developed countries like Singapore (3.8 per cent of GDP) and Japan (3.2 per cent). Furthermore, the Mena allocates 17.4 per cent of government expenditure on average to education compared with the world average of 13.9 per cent. In addition, Mena countries have also taken several initiatives to build education standards at par with global universities. The massive expenditure and above initiatives are however, yet to bear fruit for most Mena countries.
The region can take cue from the UAE, its second-largest economy, which has emerged as an educational hub for students across the globe. With leading universities setting up desk to simple visa procedures, a wide range of factors have made the UAE highly attractive among overseas students. According to the Dubai International Academic City Regional Workforce Study 2013, seven per cent of respondents willing to study abroad prefer the UAE. The country is a favourite among students who wish to pursue a career in science, finance, economics, and management.
The establishment of Dubai Knowledge Village, or DKV, a free zone dedicated to higher education has proved to be a game-changer to the UAE’s education sector. Being a free zone, DKV provides all the advantages of tax-free assets, free movement of capital and foreign ownership. In 2007, the UAE also launched Dubai International Academic City, or DIAC, where all institutions of higher education from DKV will be moved to. DIAC is home to 21 international university branch campuses and four local higher-learning institutes, thereby creating a global educational ecosystem. Currently, DIAC has nearly 20,000 students coming from 125 countries. The UAE’s efforts to bridge the knowledge gap between market needs and offerings by universities are commendable. At present, the country has 400 higher education programmes to offer. Just last year, the UAE added over 40 new programmes, of which 14 are undergraduate and the remaining postgraduate.
While the UAE is building efforts to develop as an educational hub, Saudi Arabia has a different approach. Saudi Arabia offers scholarships to enable students to avail education from leading universities abroad. The King Abdullah Foreign Scholarship Programme, or KASP, one of the largest fully-funded government scholarship programmes offered by any nation, is one such prodigious initiative. The programme covers travel, tuition, insurance and living expenses of recipients, their spouses and children. Around 10,500 male and female applicants have been nominated for acceptance in the 10th phase of the KASP. Admiring the success of the KASP, the Ministry of Higher Education has decided to extend the scholarship programme until 2020.
Other Mena countries are following suit, with Jordan, Qatar and Kuwait taking major steps toward achieving international quality education. Qatar’s Education City, located in the outskirts of Doha, houses educational facilities from schools to leading global universities such as Virginia Commonwealth University, Texas A&M University and Carnegie Mellon University. The Education City aims to be a centre of educational excellence in areas such as medicine, biotechnology, information and communication technologies, environmental sciences, and nanotechnology. Today, it has more than 1,300 students from 70 countries across the globe, including Qatar.
Kuwait has universities at par with international standards. The American University of Kuwait follows an educational model similar to that of the US, while the Australian College of Kuwait offers international quality vocational courses with Australian and other international staff. Furthermore, the Kuwait University has established exchange agreements with several well-known universities in the US and Canada to expose students to the quality of international education.
Mena countries are taking efforts to channel the educational system parallel to global standards. While this is expected to evolve gradually, we anticipate students would continue to move out of the Mena for higher studies. The IE University counselor survey indicates more than 55 per cent students from the Middle East would choose to go abroad for higher education in the coming years. While the UAE has already secured a place among the leading destinations for higher education, other Mena countries need to work harder to achieve it.
The writer is the founder and chief executive officer of Al Masah Capital Management. Views expressed are his own and do not reflect the newspaper’s policy
