Unbridled globalization: The transformation of higher education in Qatar

Open Access
- Author:
- Khoury, Issam Elias
- Graduate Program:
- Higher Education
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- November 28, 2012
- Committee Members:
- Roger Lewis Geiger, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
David P Baker, Committee Member
Robert M Hendrickson, Committee Member
Dennis Coleman Jett, Committee Member - Keywords:
- Qatar
Higher Education
Globalization
Westernization
Qatar University
Education City
Arabian Gulf
Persian Gulf
Case Study - Abstract:
- Qatar is a state that has attempted to develop very quickly since the rise to power in 1995 of Sheikh Hamad Al Thani. One of the cornerstones of this development has been a heavy investment in education, and one that has garnered much attention in the media and in the literature on higher education. This dissertation seeks to understand the transformation of higher education in Qatar through the lens of globalization theories and to juxtapose that against nationalization policies in place in Qatar. In order to achieve this, I conducted interviews with senior-level administrators at Qatar University and Education City. Furthermore, I triangulated my data through personal observations in Qatar and an analysis of extant texts. The results from this study showed that the transformation of higher education in Qatar is being done in a way that replicates Western models and standards, with only slight attempts at infusing Qatari subject matter into curricula or Qatari values into student services. Overarching issues at Qatar University included attracting high quality Qatari students, engaging these students (and especially male students) in activities, social resistance to institutional change, and the presence of Education City as a competitor within Qatar. At Education City, establishing an institutional brand, engaging in reciprocal relationships (with the home campus, with Qatar University, and with Qatar as a whole), and enrolling and engaging quality Qatari students emerged as the issues. The dissertation concludes with recommendations for Qatari policy makers on how to effectively direct future changes in their tertiary education sector.