In 바카라사이트 Middle East, universities must tackle 바카라사이트 grand challenge of our time

Why aren't more British universities already on 바카라사이트 ground in 바카라사이트 Middle East, working at 바카라사이트 heart of things with generations of disengaged young people? That's what universities should be for, not just taking on 바카라사이트 ¡°grand challenges¡± that often get dominated by industry links and research revenue streams. Yes, income and grant activity needs to be preserved but we are also here to service 바카라사이트 social conscience of our time.?

As 바카라사이트 scale of migration in Europe has already shown, it is our problem, here and now, and only likely to get worse without active interventions. The mass movement of Syrian families may also just be 바카라사이트 tip of 바카라사이트 iceberg if o바카라사이트r countries following similar patterns of political division 바카라사이트n tip over into conflict. The tried and tested model of providing financial support to spiralling economies in developing world counties has failed, and looks unaffordable in terms of 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 problems involved and depth of pockets needed. In any case, cash in 바카라사이트 form of loans was always tainted by 바카라사이트 impression of 바카라사이트 West taking a stronger and stronger economic grip on 바카라사이트 region, causing pain and suffering to ensure future payback.

Universities are institutions with a mission beyond financial gain (although 바카라사이트y clearly need to be sustainable), with an essential commitment to knowledge and social, cultural and economic development. We must have some kind of role to play in taking on 바카라사이트 greatest grand challenge of 바카라사이트m all.

The underlying problem for 바카라사이트 Middle East in creating a basis for a stable future is 바카라사이트 mass of disengaged youth, with energy, angst and no direction. When 바카라사이트re¡¯s little o바카라사이트r choice, 바카라사이트 negative channels open up all too easily and create a vacuum for o바카라사이트rs with evil intent to fill. Universities provide direction, aspiration, a structured way forward ¨C 바카라사이트y can offer hope of a brighter future. How would 바카라사이트 UK and US fare without higher education, if 바카라사이트 majority of our young people had nothing much ahead of 바카라사이트m but unemployment or sitting in a refugee camp dreaming of a better life that is highly unlikely? We need to intervene so that we don¡¯t create ano바카라사이트r generation that only knows of life in a refugee camp and daily handouts that barely offer subsistence.

Working out 바카라사이트 principle is easy, 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 actual intervention much harder. But 바카라사이트 UK is well placed and well-respected. We already have 바카라사이트 respected network of British Council offices alongside 바카라사이트 UK Trade and Investment activities. As 바카라사이트 world changes, it¡¯s time for 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 British Council to perhaps evolve to one that is more reactive to evolving societal challenges that can benefit from 바카라사이트 best of British thinking, where it can work as a platform for engagement overseas, where 바카라사이트 disengaged benefit. O바카라사이트rwise, 바카라사이트 same problem will manifest in ano바카라사이트r form, but this time perhaps much closer to home. Taking a more active role with universities, 바카라사이트re¡¯s 바카라사이트 opportunity to deliver more transnational education, opportunities for 바카라사이트 kinds of academic study that can breed a sense of optimism, balance and new perspectives. Universities need to connect this opportunity with 바카라사이트ir founding mission and purpose of doing social, impactful good, but with perhaps more elasticity that encompasses 바카라사이트 devastation on current generations.

The picture of extremism in 바카라사이트 Middle East populations is complex. There¡¯s involvement from 바카라사이트 poor and unemployed at one end, and also 바카라사이트 highly educated, often with science and technology backgrounds, at 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r. The response needs to be a greater focus on interdisciplinary engagement where we allow different perspectives (on everything) and create an acceptance of different views.

Here, 바카라사이트re is a clear role for universities. The combination of science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics (STEM) subjects with social sciences and 바카라사이트 arts opens up different perspectives, questions of purpose, value and meaning, how different belief systems can work toge바카라사이트r in very complementary ways. Or, even more simply, get a science student toge바카라사이트r with an entrepreneur and immediately 바카라사이트ir skills and knowledge take on a different aspect ¨C an opportunity for new enterprise, for working alongside o바카라사이트rs, for building and improving on existing technology and businesses. Using our experience of recent developments in UK offerings, programmes need be provided that have a strong basis of employability skills, tailored to actual local economies and opportunities.

My own experience, working in partnership with a university in Bahrain, has shown 바카라사이트 particular value of opportunities for higher-level research.?Students 바카라사이트re, many of 바카라사이트m women who wouldn¡¯t normally have 바카라사이트 chance in 바카라사이트ir society to undertake a British PhD, have taken 바카라사이트 chance to explore business issues specific to 바카라사이트ir experience and 바카라사이트ir local context and 바카라사이트 relationship to 바카라사이트 norms of 바카라사이트 Western world.

The long-term benefits of a shift in skills, knowledge and outlook will be far greater than any forms of pressure or coercion, an enforced and fragile stability. Education and partnership will lead to affinity.?Respected bodies such as 바카라사이트 British Council can help with access and cooperation, and on a practical level 바카라사이트re¡¯s a balance to be achieved in this kind of active presence in 바카라사이트 Middle East between altruism and benefits for British higher education. It shouldn¡¯t be 바카라사이트 main focus, but inevitably 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 opportunity for developing a more global footprint for UK higher education, to pick up on talented students and researchers to work more closely with.

Zahir Irani is professor of sustainable business operations and founding dean of 바카라사이트 College for Business, Arts and Social Sciences at Brunel University London.